A short notice on the government’s Normattiva portal dated 6 March announces that Law No. 11 of 19 January 2026, “Provisions for the revision of services for citizens and enterprises abroad,” is now fully in force. The legislation—published in the Official Gazette on 4 February—represents the first comprehensive rewrite of consular service rules in nearly 30 years.(normattiva.it)
Key features include mandatory digital submission of most notarial acts, expanded acceptance of e-signatures for powers of attorney and a statutory 15-day deadline for issuing emergency travel documents. For companies, the law creates a ‘one-stop foreign desk’ (Sportello Estero) that will certify corporate documents, process legalisations and facilitate access to export-credit guarantees—all via a single online platform synced with Italy’s SPID digital-identity system.
The reform also obliges missions to publish real-time appointment availability and performance metrics. Consulates that fail to meet service standards for two consecutive quarters will be required to outsource back-office work to the diplomatic network’s newly established Service Hub in Padua, freeing up counter staff for high-value tasks such as visa interviews.
![Italy Overhauls Consular and Business-Support Services Abroad Under New Law]()
Whether you’re an individual renewing a passport or a corporate mobility manager juggling multiple filings, VisaHQ’s Italy portal (https://www.visahq.com/italy/) can streamline the shift to the new system by preparing digital application packets, arranging document legalisations and offering live status updates—all in line with the procedures introduced by Law No. 11/2026.
For globally mobile Italians—and the multinationals that employ them—the changes promise faster passport renewals, easier legalisation of degree certificates and more predictable visa processing for non-EU family members. In the medium term, the Foreign Ministry plans to link the Sportello Estero directly to the Revenue Agency, allowing expatriates to file tax-status updates and pension applications simultaneously.
Employers should audit their internal mobility check-lists and external provider contracts: documents that once required paper apostilles may soon be accepted electronically, while new SLAs will make it easier to escalate delays. The ministry is expected to publish detailed implementing regulations by May.
Key features include mandatory digital submission of most notarial acts, expanded acceptance of e-signatures for powers of attorney and a statutory 15-day deadline for issuing emergency travel documents. For companies, the law creates a ‘one-stop foreign desk’ (Sportello Estero) that will certify corporate documents, process legalisations and facilitate access to export-credit guarantees—all via a single online platform synced with Italy’s SPID digital-identity system.
The reform also obliges missions to publish real-time appointment availability and performance metrics. Consulates that fail to meet service standards for two consecutive quarters will be required to outsource back-office work to the diplomatic network’s newly established Service Hub in Padua, freeing up counter staff for high-value tasks such as visa interviews.
Whether you’re an individual renewing a passport or a corporate mobility manager juggling multiple filings, VisaHQ’s Italy portal (https://www.visahq.com/italy/) can streamline the shift to the new system by preparing digital application packets, arranging document legalisations and offering live status updates—all in line with the procedures introduced by Law No. 11/2026.
For globally mobile Italians—and the multinationals that employ them—the changes promise faster passport renewals, easier legalisation of degree certificates and more predictable visa processing for non-EU family members. In the medium term, the Foreign Ministry plans to link the Sportello Estero directly to the Revenue Agency, allowing expatriates to file tax-status updates and pension applications simultaneously.
Employers should audit their internal mobility check-lists and external provider contracts: documents that once required paper apostilles may soon be accepted electronically, while new SLAs will make it easier to escalate delays. The ministry is expected to publish detailed implementing regulations by May.
