Travel documents

Current rules require, at check-in, the checking of documents and confirmation of a passenger’s identity with their boarding pass. For passengers who have checked in online and have gone directly to the gate as they only have hand luggage, this confirmation is still carried out before boarding.

The type of ID document you need depends on the destination and the airline, so please consult the website of the airline with which you have chosen to fly. Before you leave, you should check the suitability and validity of the documents required for your chosen destination.

The documents required for travel are different and dependent on the destination of your trip.

DOMESTIC FLIGHTS

In the case of travel on national territory, it is sufficient to display one of the identification documents specifically indicated in Article 35, paragraph 2, of the Decree of the President of the Republic No. 445 of 28 December 2000 (“A passport, driver’s licence, boat licence, pension book, licence to enable the management of heating systems, firearms licence, or personal recognition cards, provided they have a photograph and stamp or other equivalent marking, issued by the State, are equivalent to an identity card”).

SCHENGEN COUNTRIES

In the case of travel to Schengen or non-Schengen countries, you must always have a recognised document valid for crossing borders.

RECOGNISED DOCUMENTS

In detail, the documents recognised as valid for crossing borders are:

a) an identity card valid for expatriation as specifically provided for by Article 3 of the TULPS; b) a passport, issued in accordance with Act 21 November 1967, n. 1185 and subsequent amendments (i.e. documents equivalent to it, such as a collective passport, which is governed by Article 20 of the same regulatory source);

c) a different travel document specifically recognized by the destination State; in the case of Italy, personal recognition cards issued under the D.P.R. 28.07.1967, No. 851, (to civil employees of the State as well as to the military, AT/BT cards), as well as the so-called ‘laissez-passer’ for minors under fifteen years of age, specifically provided for by the European Agreement on the movement of people between the member countries of the Council of Europe, concluded in Paris on 13 December 1957, seen by the Police Commissioners, according to passport provisions, are attributable to that last category.

With specific regard to circulation in the European Union (EU), EEA and Switzerland (CH), it should be noted that:

The reading of the Handbook for Border Guards (in conjunction with Schengen Manual) shows that EU, EEA and CH citizens can circulate in the EU, EEA and CH if their identity has been established by displaying a valid identity card for expatriation, passport (or equivalent document) or different travel documents specifically recognised by the destination State (such as, for example, AT/BT cards and “laissez-passer” for minors under 15 years of age).

In the same vein, these are the indications contained in the 2004/38/EC directive of the European Parliament and Council, of 29 April 2004, concerning the right of EU citizens and their families to move around and stay freely in the territory of the Member States. In fact, Article 4 states that the EU citizen with a valid identity card or passport has the right to leave the territory of a Member State to travel to the territory of another Member State. This directive was adopted by Italy with the newly drafted Legislative Decree 6 February 2007, No. 30.