Italy to Phase Out Traditional Identity Cards for Biometric eIDs by August 2026

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Italian citizens will need to apply for biometric electronic identity cards (Carta d’Identità Elettronica, CIE), with traditional paper documents set to become invalid from August 4, 2026, regardless of their printed expiry date. 

Biometric Update reports that the Italian government is urging citizens to apply for CIEs now to avoid being potentially left without the new ID.

The requirement to adopt biometric CIEs aligns with EU regulations, which mandate enhanced security features in ID cards, including a machine-readable zone and biometric data, such as fingerprints, on national IDs across the EU. These features aim to improve document security and harmonize identity verification across the EU. 

The CIE has been available in Italy since 2015 and is already held by a significant portion of the population (approximately 82%). However, many Italians still rely on traditional paper ID cards. 

In anticipation of the upcoming surge in applications as the deadline approaches, large municipalities across Italy are using specialized task forces to manage demand. 

The CIE can be used as a travel document within the EU as well as to access various public and private services. However, despite plans to remove Italy’s Sistema Pubblico di Identità Digitale (SPID) digital platform in favor of the CIE, many public institutions and private service providers do not yet accept CIE.