Charax

Hi Everyone!

I joined because the community seems very knowledgeable and I'm reaching the end of my tether with the consulate.

My (Italian) passport has expired and I need to renew it fairly soon for work, unfortunately as I came to the UK when I was three, my Italian is terrible and all the information I get seems to be out of date.

I've tried calling the consulate for an appointment - that's a dead end, the lines are constantly busy, even if I call dead on 8:45

I've tried my local Honorary Consul (Bedford) who stated they only do appointments for people over 60 or with mobility issues (the consulate website says they give priority to those groups - I'm not looking for priority, I just need a bloody appointment)

I've tried the consulate's online booking system, Prenota Online, but it doesn't have the option to book passport appointments (even though such a section is on )

I have my MOD1 form, my old passport and my new photos, literally all I need is an appointment for someone to take them off me and give me a new passport, can anyone offer any advice?

Thanks in advance,

Stefan

37100

The only option I can find is by calling for an appointment on 0287 583 1634 from 8.45 -13.00. Are you registered at AIRE or an anagrafe in Italy - you need to be.

Charax

I'm registered at AIRE, what's that the number for? I cant find it anywhere
EDIT: nevermind, it's the london consulate. I'm trying that again

37100

I found it here:


Prenotazione passaporto tramite call centre

Lobra

Hello there, just wondering if you managed to finally get your appointment?

Charax

Hi! thanks for checking in

Yes, I finally got my appointment on the 2nd of November and got my new passport. once I actually got to the consulate it was relatively simple, it was everything before that which was stressful:

I took a week off work to phone the consulate, after the first two days of trying and failing, I downloaded an autodialler app on my phone and set it to call the consulate every 10 seconds until it got through. Took about half an hour, but that got me into the call queue

When I finally got through to someone (who was very nice) I got my appointment booked for 11:10am on the 2nd of November. bear in mind I was calling in september, there is a LONG wait.

Got my appointment confirmed and booked in Prenota online (as I noted in my initial post, you cannot book a passport appointment online, even though their youtube video shows you being able to do it, but if you book over the phone, it will appear on the website)

Got into London on the 1st, had to get a new set of passport photos taken (wrong size, and most photo booths have vague settings like "US Visa size" and "EU Identity card size"). Made it to the consulate just before they opened at 8:45, there was already a queue of about 30-50 people, so I'm glad I got there early, was seen at about 9, handed over the documents, they took my biometrics and I waited to be called to pay & collect, all told I was out by about 10, before my appointment would have been. HIGHLY recommend getting there early, regardless of appointment time.

Well, thankfully I don't have to do that for another decade! When I posted this thread I noted that I'd searched online and found very little of use, so hopefully this can help others in the same situation. It's pretty ridiculous that I had to use an autodialler to get through in the first place, but the rest of the process was ok.

Couldn't make the work trip, obviously, so they rescheduled for the 5th of November and I got back on the 11th, no passport problems at all

Lobra

Wonderful news. I am glad you finally got your passport, I am planning to try and get my appointment this week, I will try every morning, just wondering if you could share the name of the app you used? Thank you so much for all your help.

Lorna at Vicenza

Great news for you and aren't you lucky that Italian passports now last for 10 years instead of just 5?

Charax

Of course, it was Auto Redial by Water (can't link because I have less than 5 posts, but it's on the Play store), I'm sure many apps will do the same thing but it was nice and easy to set up

Very lucky! although my last one was issued in 2007 and lasted 10 years as well, not sure about the one before that. Hopefully I'll have gone through british citizenship by then and it'll be less of an issue

TrustPilot

I suggest you call 0287 583 1634 as you say @ 37100.

Or through the Police Headquarters, passport office of the police station of Public Security, Carabinieri station, post office, municipal office.

the requirements:
an original document and a photocopy
the request signed by the interested party;
in the event that you have minor children, you will be asked to sign the other spouse;
the signature of both spouses in the event that the applicant is minor;
the expiring passport.

Lorna at Vicenza

Huh? The OP was in the UK trying to renew an Italian passport so the Carabinieri were hardly likely to be of any help and if you'd read a little bit more, you'd have seen that the OP got an appointment back in November.

TrustPilot

I just wanted to help, I misunderstood.

Lorna at Vicenza

Not a problem. Sometimes we all need to learn to quash our want to respond with what we know and read to the end of a thread. Merry Christmas

TrustPilot

best wishes

StuBacca

Hi Everyone...

I am trying to get my Italian mother-in-law's Italian passport renewed who is 82 years old. She lives down on the south coast near to Bournemouth and I was hoping to be able to avoid going into Central London by visiting the WOKING AGENZIA CONSOLARE but they say "we cannot help as we don't have a printer"....?!?

Can anyone tell me if her application can be made by post, or does she need to go all the way into the London office ?

Regards...