The Democratic Party’s proposal: 30% of passport collections to the Consulates’ coffers

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Leave 30% of the revenue (consular fees and taxes) deriving from their passport issuing activity directly available to the consulates, with the aim of having more temporary staff available for executive tasks (information and emergency management, preventive verification of documents applicants, taking fingerprints, photos, etc.) and increase releases.

This is the goal of law proposal registered with the Pd, presented on 7 March and being examined by the House Foreign Affairs Committee – consists of a single article – according to which the proceeds resulting from the payment of the amounts due by those who request the issue of a passport abroad are attributed to the budget of the diplomatic-consular office that issues the passport, on a monthly basis. The resources must in turn be allocated to strengthening consular services for Italian citizens residing or present abroad, with priority given to the most requested services.

The report on the Farnesina website by March 31st

By March 31st of each year, a report containing aggregate data on the use of proceeds is published on the website of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation.

The starting point: «Significant portion of passport applications consistently unfulfilled»

The proposal, we read in the introduction of the document, arises from the fact that «a significant portion of passport applications within the diplomatic-consular network remains constantly unanswered. The citizen who is unable to obtain the document within a reasonable time – we read once more in the document – falls back on other solutions (for example a second passport if in possession of dual citizenship, requesting a passport in Italy, renouncing the trip, renouncing travel by plane – some land border controls are less stringent – ​​and more). Unmet demand generates a strong perception of abandonment and causes a serious disservice. Furthermore, without a valid passport it is impossible to obtain the SPID abroad.” Among the advantages is that “by working mainly by appointment, the diplomatic-consular network can benefit from the effects of the proposed rule in proportion to the expansion of the time spectrum of appointments, compared to the current average 3.5/4 hours per day of the network”.