Passport at the post office? Yes, with the "Polis" project
Veronica SchirripaDo you need to get or renew your passport? Now it is possible to do it directly at the Post Office with the " Polis " project by Poste Italiane.
In this article, we will analyze this admirable project carried out by Poste Italiane. It was created to resolve the long waiting times often necessary for the issue or renewal of a passport and to avoid the other additional bureaucratic inconveniences that travelers unfortunately have to face.
1) HOW WAS THE “POLIS” PROJECT BORN?
The regulatory basis of the Polis Project is Legislative Decree no. 59/2021 through which we attempted to combat the desertification of small inhabited centers, aiming at the ecological and digital transition of the country.
Its implementation falls within the objectives of the PNRR, more precisely in Mission 1 – Digitalisation, innovation, competitiveness, culture and tourism, component 1 – Digitalisation, innovation and security in the PA.
In fact, already on 30 September 2021, the operational agreement for the implementation of the "Polis-Case of digital citizenship services" project was signed between the Ministry of Economic Development and Poste Italiane SpA.
However, the actual implementation of the Polis Project was only completed on 2 May 2022. On that date, in fact, the Council of Ministers approved the 2022 Aid Decree authorizing the then Ministry of Economic Development to stipulate agreements with public administrations adherents.
From that moment, the implementation of the project slowed down until the Italian Post Office and the ANCI (National Association of Italian Municipalities) intervened.
In fact, on 25 October 2023, Poste Italiane announced the launch of new public services from December 2023 with the " Polis Poste Italiane " project.
*
2) WHAT IS THE “ POLIS ” PROJECT
Poste Italiane's Polis project aims to transform post offices " into the home of digital services, a one-stop shop to make access to Public Administration services simple and fast in 7,000 municipalities with less than 15 thousand inhabitants." The project is financed with resources from the complementary plan to the PNNR (DL n.59/2021) with 800 million euros and approximately 400 million from Poste Italiane ".
Thanks to the agreement signed between the Italian Post Office, the Ministry of the Interior and the Ministry of Business and Made in Italy, citizens resident or domiciled in the Municipalities included in the Polis project will be able to open the procedure for requesting or renewing a passport by presenting the documentation directly at the counter of the post office, without having to go to the police station, with the possibility of receiving the passport at home.
*
3) WHICH MUNICIPALITIES ARE INVOLVED IN THE POLIS PROJECT?
This service is designed and made available only for the inhabitants of small municipalities. The concept of "small municipalities" refers to urban centers with a number of inhabitants not exceeding 15,000 (fifteen thousand).
*
4) HOW TO REQUEST A PASSPORT FROM THE POST?
The procedure is simple.
To issue a passport, simply deliver the following documents to the operator of the nearest post office in your municipality:
- a valid identity document;
- the tax code, two photographs;
- copy of the payment slip for the ordinary passport, equal to €42.50;
- a revenue stamp worth €73.50.
For renewal it is necessary, in addition to the documents listed above, to also deliver the old passport or a copy of the report of loss or theft of the old document.
Thanks to the technological platform supplied to the Polis Post Offices, the same operator will collect the citizen's biometric information and data (fingerprints and photos) and then send the documentation to the relevant Police office.
The new passport can be delivered by Poste Italiane directly to the applicant's home.
The passport issuing service adds to the others already active in the Polis post offices, where it is possible to collect personal and civil status certificates, social security certificates and certificates for voluntary jurisdiction practices. To date, over 5,000 documents have been requested.
In the coming months it will be possible to request an electronic identity card and Revenue Agency services. The new services are provided by Post Offices at the counter, in dedicated rooms or via digital totems which will allow citizens to carry out requests in self-service mode.
In this last regard, we recommend viewing the Poste Italiane communication of 1 March 2024 .
*
5) WHEN DOES THE POLIS PROJECT BECOME OPERATIONAL?
The first testing phase began on 3 March 2024 in two municipalities in the Bologna area, San Pietro in Casale and Toscanella. From 11 March 2024 the project became operational for 500 municipalities in the Veneto, and then continued with the aim of extending to all municipalities in Italy under 15,000 inhabitants.
In any case, future travelers who need to request or renew their passport are advised to ask the post offices of their city (obviously always small municipalities) if the Polis project is already operational in their offices, so as to speed up bureaucratic formalities.
*
The passport is an indispensable travel companion for those who want to leave the European Union.
With the facilitation of the Polis Project it is even easier to request your document. And in 2024 this innovation takes on a very important meaning as the Italian passport in 2024 ranks first as the most powerful passport in the world, according to the Henley Passport Index ranking.
This means that we Italians have the freedom to access 194 destinations without needing a visa - practically a passport to explore the world.
What do you think about it?
We are curious to read your opinion in the comments!
Now all you have to do is choose your next destination: the world awaits you!
Live, travel, dream.