The comune and citizen services in Italy

The basic services at the register office: registering residence and change of address, certificates of residence, family status, birth and marriage (certificati anagrafici), the electronic ID card, and certification of signatures and copies (autentica).

• The civil status office: registering births, marriages, separation, divorce, death and citizenship.
• The social services office: aid and support for families, the elderly and children and rent support.
• The local tax office: TARI and IMU.
• The school and education office: registering children, meals and transport.
• The local police: traffic, urban security and verification of residence.
• And the public relations office (URP) for information and complaints.
• There are set working hours and they may close in the afternoon.

Many services are provided by appointment booked via the comune's website, app or phone, and some services are available without appointment at set hours.

• You may wait days or weeks in big cities, so follow new slots in the morning.
• On the visit arrive on time with ID and the documents required in original and copy, and the fee payment receipt if needed (paid via PagoPA or post or bank).
• A marca da bollo, that is a tax stamp (about 16 euros), may be requested on some documents, bought from tobacconist shops (tabaccheria).
• Speak politely.
• Staff are usually friendly but procedures are sometimes slow.
• If you do not understand ask for a slow repeat or bring an interpreter or friend.
• And keep a receipt for every transaction.

A birth is registered by a declaration submitted within ten days at the hospital or at the comune of the place of birth, and usually the hospital sends the notification, and the child is registered and gets a codice fiscale.

• The parents choose the name, and the mother's surname can be added.
• For a civil marriage pubblicazioni di matrimonio are submitted, that is a prior notice at the comune, then the marriage is held at the comune before the civil status officer and with two witnesses.
• A religious marriage may be recognised civilly under conditions or by registering it. Death is registered upon a doctor's declaration and the death certificate is issued.
• And foreign documents need an apostille and sworn translation before registration.
• Check the conditions on the comune's website.

Digital identity eases dealing with administrations without visiting.

• The SPID system lets you access state services such as tax, INPS, health, schools and the comune, and you register in it with an accredited provider such as Poste Italiane, Aruba and Lepida by appointment or online with video verification or ID card.
• And the CIE card also allows access with the CieID app.
• And the ANPR portal shows population register certificates free.
• And the IO app provides official messages, notifications and payments to administrations via PagoPA.
• And the PEC is used for registered email.
• Do not give SPID data to anyone, and avoid links in messages impersonating INPS, the tax authority or the post, which are common phishing.

The comune's social services (servizi sociali) provide support for vulnerable families: emergency aid for housing, food and energy, support in residence and integration procedures, legal guidance and coordination with associations.

• Specialised offices work for migrants (sportello immigrati), women and young people.
• Ask for an appointment at the social services centre near your address.
• If you are dissatisfied with a decision you can submit an appeal (ricorso) within the period stated in the decision, often sixty days before the regional administrative court (TAR) or one hundred and twenty days before the President of the Republic.
• To complain about staff treatment go to the URP or the local ombudsman (difensore civico).

Within how many days is a birth registered?