A valid passport is an essential identity document for traveling internationally. Imagine that you are staying abroad but your passport is about to expire or has expired. Don’t worry. It is possible to renew it without returning your home country. In this article, we will detail renewal of Italian passport in UK, including eligibility, required documents, procedures, costs, and other related issues.
Who Can Renew Italian Passport in UK
Both adult and child passport holders can renew Italian passport in UK if they meet the following requirements.
● Residency status
You must be an Italian citizen residing in the UK with a valid UK visa or residence permit.
● AIRE registration
It is mandatory for Italian citizens living abroad for over 12 months to register with AIRE (Anagrafe degli Italiani Residenti all’Estero), a database for the Italian government to track its citizens overseas.
● Passport validity
Your passport has expired for less than 6 months or is due to expire within 6 months.
Where to Apply for Italian Passport Renewal
The renewal applications are processed exclusively at a UK-based Italian consulate. Here is a list of the Italian consular offices in the UK. Just pick one in the jurisdiction of your residence.
| Consular Office | Address | Contact | Jurisdiction |
| Italian Consulate in London | Harp House 83-86 Farringdon Street London EC4A 4BL (United Kingdom) | Tel: 0044 20 7936 5900E-Mail: consolato.londra@esteri.it | Southern England, Wales, Isle of Wight, Channel Islands, Gibraltar, South Georgia & Sandwich Islands. |
| Consulate General in Edinburgh | Italy House, 20-22 East London StreetEdinburgh EH7 4BQ | tel: +44 (0)770 703 6201email: consolato.edimburgo@esteri.it | Scotland and Northern Ireland |
| Consulate in Manchester | The Chancery, 58 Spring GardensManchester M2 1EW | email: manchester.servizi@esteri.it | Central and Northern England, Isle of Man |
| Honorary Consulate in Ashford | 44 Park Road, Kennington, Ashford, Kent TN24 9DL | Tel: +44 (0) 7941 612 319Email: ashford.onorario@esteri.it | Kent, East Sussex |
| Honorary Consulate in Bedford | 69 Union Street, Bedford MK40 2SE | Tel: +44 (0) 1234 356647E-Mail: bedford.onorario@esteri.it | Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire, Northamptonshire, Norfolk, Suffolk, Buckinghamshire, Bletchley, Milton Keynes, Hertfordshire, Hitchin and Stevenage. |
| Honorary Consulate in Bristol | Avondale Business Centre, Woodland Way, Kingswood, BRISTOL, BS15 1AW | Tel: +44 (0) 7817 721965Email: bristol.onorario@esteri.it | Avon, Cornwal, Devon, Glouchestershire and Somerset |
| Honorary Consulate inCardiff | 8 St Andrew’s Crescent, CARDIFF CF10 3DD | Tel: +44 (0) 2045 370 338Email: cardiff.onorario@esteri.it | Hereford (Hereford and Worcester) and Brecknock (Powys), Glamorgan, Dyfed-Gwent |
| Honorary Consulate in Gibraltar | PO Box 437, 28 Irish Town, GIBRALTAR, GX11 1AA | Tel: 00350 56005895Fax: 00350-200 45591Email: italy.gibraltar@gmail.com | Gibraltar |
| Honorary Consulate in Guernsey | Goose Hollow, Damouettes Lane, St Peter Port, GUERNSEY, GY1 1ZT | Tel: +44 (0) 1481 710 034 | Channel Islands except Jersey |
| Honorary Consulate in Jersey | Apartment 106, Century Building, Patriotic Place, St Helier, JERSEY, JE2 3AF | Tel: +44 (0) 7700 365564Email: jersey.onorario@esteri.it | Jersey |
| Honorary Consulate in Peterborough | The Fleet, High Street, Fletton, Peterborough, PE2 8DL | Tel: +44 (0) 7552 913 229Email: peterborough.onorario@esteri.it | Peterborough and the northern part of the county of Cambridgeshire and the county of Norfolk |
| Honorary Consulate in Watford | 11 St James Road, Watford WD18 0DZ | Tel: +44 (0) 7802 770308Email: watford.on | Hertfordshire |
| Honorary Consulate in Woking | 14 Oriental Road, Woking, GU22 7AW | Tel: +44 (0) 7360 213603Email: woking.onorario@esteri.it, onorario.woking@outlook.com or onorario.woking@gmail.com | Hampshire, Surrey, West Sussex and Isle of Wight |
How to Renew an Italian Passport in the UK
Italian passport renewal in UK requires thoughtful preparation, from appointment booking to application submission. Next is a step-by-step instruction.
Book an Appointment
Most consular offices require a prior appointment before heading to submit the required documents, which can be scheduled through any of the channels below.
● Prenot@Mi online booking system
The Prenot@mi Portal is an official system to access consular services. To save time and effort, it is suggested to make an appointment online through the following steps.
○ Visit the Prenot@mi Portal and click on the “Register” button to create a Prenot@Mi account. If you already have one, just enter the email and password to log in.
○ Enter your personal data and contact information. Make sure all the required fields (with an asterisk mark) are filled.
○ Receive an activation email and click on the link attached to confirm registration.
○ Log in to Prenot@mi Portal, choose the passport renewal services, and click on the booking link.
○ Select a consulate and a time slot from the system.
○ Confirm the appointment booking details and receive a confirmation email that includes the Italian consulate’s address, date, and time for the appointment.
● Call centre
For those who have no access to online services, calling the service center directly is easier. Just dial 020 3327 6290 during office hours (usually between 8:15 am and 12:30 pm from Monday to Friday). Please note that the operator will ask for basic personal information to verify your identity, such as name, date of birth, and place of birth. To avoid peak hours, it is recommended to call as early as possible in case of a busy line.
Prepare Documents
Before going to the consular office, make sure to prepare the supporting documents in advance (listed below). For more specific instructions, please go to the required document checklist.
● A duly accomplished passport renewal application form.
● Two recent passport photos.
● Current passport (expired or valid) or a national ID card along with ETD1 – DEN1 Form for lost/stolen passports.
● Appointment booking confirmation email.
Attend Appointment
Finally, it’s the day of the appointment. Please bring all the documents and go to the selected consular office on time. It is advised to arrive a few minutes earlier for the security check. At the consulate, you should submit the documents to the officer. He/she will verify your document compliance and AIRE status, after which you should proceed to submit fingerprints (not required for applicants below 12 years old) and pay the renewal fees.
Wait for Processing
The authority takes about 4-6 weeks to process your application after receiving it. During this process, you can check the case status via the Prenot@Mi portal. Once the new passport is ready, the officer will inform you by email or by phone. Just pick it up in person at the consulate of application or by post if you have provided a return envelope.
Required Documents for Italian Passport Renewal in UK
Sufficient and compliant documents can ensure everything goes smoothly. Otherwise, you might face delay or denial. Before attending the appointment, read the following guidelines for required documents carefully.
● Application form
The form is available on the Consular General website. Please download it and fill it out in advance. For adults, please complete the MOD1 Form, MOD2 Form for children aged 12 to 17, and MOD3 Form for children under 12.
● Passport photos
2 passport pictures are required for adults and 3 for minors. The photos must be 35×45 mm (width x height) with a plain light gray background, clear and well-defined, no shadows, and no facial coverings. To present your true appearance, do not submit photos taken more than 6 months ago. However, photographers in the UK might not be familiar with Italian passport photo rules and cannot provide qualified pictures. The good news is that you can turn to a professional passport photo tool. For example, our online editor, Aipassportphotos, can help you make a 100% compliant photo without leaving home.
● Current Italian passport
It serves as proof of your identity and Italian citizenship, so it is needed whether it is valid or not. Suppose that it is lost or stolen, you should provide a Stolen/Lost Document Report Form (ETD1 – DEN1 for adults and ETD2 for minors) along with another national ID (i.e. national ID card, birth certificate, etc.) and a photocopy of the lost or stolen passport (if any). If you have reported the loss to the police, attach the police report too.
● Valid IDs of both parents or legal guardians
It applies to renewal of Italian passport in UK for minors (0-17 years old). They can be passports, national IDs, driver’s licenses, or other government-issued identification.
● AFT2 Form
It is the Passport Photo Authentication Form for children aged 0 to 11 years of age.
● Postal order & special delivery envelope
They are needed when applied by post and can be purchased at any post office. The delivery envelope must be up to 500gr and show the address of sending your passport back.
How to Renew a Child’s Italian Passport in UK
As we stated before, there are extra requirements for renewing an Italian passport in UK for minors, but the process might differ slightly according to the child’s age.
Aged 0-11
For children between 0-11, the passport can only be renewed by post. Both parents should sign the MOD3 application form and accompany the child to visit the consulate. After everything is ready, send the required documentation with “Special Delivery” to:
Consulate General of Italy in London
Passport Office
83-86 Farringdon St.
EC4A 4BL
Aged 12-17
The procedures are generally the same as those for adults. Minors between 12 and 17 must be accompanied by at least one parent/guardian to renew Italian passport in UK. Walk-in applications might be accepted in some consulates. For example, the consulate general in London allows you to apply without an appointment but only on Wednesdays or Fridays from 15:00 to 16:00 (except public holidays).
How Much does it Cost for Renewal of Italian Passport
It costs £ 98.20 to renew Italian passport in UK, despite the applicant’s age. To get the document quicker, you can pay extra emergency fees of £ 42.30, but it is not valid for postal practices. For morning appointments, only payments by British debit card are accepted. An extra service fee of £0.50 will be charged for each transaction. Please note that payments by credit card, American Express, non-British cards, contactless systems, Apple Pay, and Google Pay or similar will be rejected. Therefore, please bring a British ATM card and PIN code to the consulate.
FAQ
Q: Can you go to a passport office without an appointment in the UK?
A: Yes, but only for specific applicants and fixed period. For example, you can renew Italian passport in UK for minors between 12 and 17 at the Consulate General in London at 15:00-16:00 on Wednesdays or Fridays without an appointment. It is recommended to contact the nearby consulate and confirm whether they accept walk-in applications.
Q: Can I have a British passport and Italian passport at the same time?
A: Yes. Both Italy and Britain recognize dual citizenship, so you can declare passports issued by these two countries.
Q: How to book an appointment to renew an Italian passport in Manchester?
A: You should log in to the Prenot@Mi portal or call the call center and choose “Manchester” as your consulate. Only when there are slots available can you fulfill a booking.
Q: How long does it take to get an Italian passport renewed?
A: The processing time generally takes about 4-6 weeks and it is subject to time and place of application, document checks, and mailing time.
Q: Is there an Italian embassy in Birmingham?
A: No. The Italian embassy is located in London, but there is a vice consulate of Italy in Birmingham, located at Birmingham Science Park Holt Court South, Unit 2, Jennens Road, Birmingham B7 4EJ.
Conclusion
Renewing an Italian passport in UK is straightforward if you are legally living in the UK and registered with AIRE. Renewal of Italian passport in UK requires meticulous document preparation, appointment bookings, and consulate-specific procedures. To ensure a smooth application, make sure to check the specific requirements and make an appointment as early as possible. With our comprehensive guidance and professional photo services, you are bound to get your new passport soon.