Covid-19 emergency affects deadlines for administrative services in Italy and consulates
The coronavirus has paralyzed commercial activities around the world, but has also had a strong impact on public services.
With the pandemic, many Brazilians who were planning for the recognition of Italian citizenship they were taken by surprise, and are waiting for these services to return.
Below are the main impacts of the coronavirus on Italian citizenship processes:
Summons at consulates
According to a statement published on the website of the Italian Consulate in São Paulo, all those who received a confirmation email and scheduling for the delivery of documents should disregard the communication.
“The rescheduling will be done due to security measures and therefore, anyone who does not receive emails in the next few days should not worry. All those who had already received a date will be rescheduled with priority, and responsibility on the part of this Consulate General, when the situation allows it”, says the note.
However, the consulate did not change the submission deadline for those who need to confirm their interest in the process. “We advise you not to send the email after April 23rd to avoid the risk of missing the call deadline”, says the new notice.
The other consulates continue to reduce services to the public, prioritizing only emergency services.
“To prevent the spread of CoVid-19, at this stage the Consulate General in Rio de Janeiro will be giving maximum priority to assistance activities linked to the health emergency, in particular, to assist the return to Italy of fellow citizens who want and must leave Brazil”, says the Italian consulate in Rio de Janeiro.
The consulate also informs that “all appointments related to citizenship, passports, visas, studies and naturalizations are postponed to a date to be determined. As soon as possible, the new dates for the respective appointments will be announced” (sic).
Validity of documents
The translated and apostilled certificates that should be presented to carry out the process at the consulates will not lose their validity, according to the consulate.
“Regarding documentation that may have already been issued, which would be delivered on the already scheduled date, we inform you that it will be accepted on the rescheduled date”, says the consulate.
Common sense dictates that the measure should also be adopted by Italian municipalities. Many of them limit the validity of certificates to 6 months after the date of issuance.
Administrative process in Italy
Due to protective measures against the virus, all municipalities are closed for Italian citizenship matters, at least until May 04th, when the easing of the quarantine in Italy is being considered.
Totally crowded, with essential services at a standstill, and a delayed municipal election, which should take place in 2020, citizenship processes will certainly not be a priority.
Therefore, planning for the administrative process, those who need to declare residence in Italy, in 2020 must be rethought.
Court of Rome
In the Rome Court, where citizenship applications are processed to avoid long waiting lists at consulates, the computerized part of the process continues to function, but more slowly, due to a lack of staff – those in the at-risk group – who have been excused from work.
All hearings were suspended until May 11. But, this Monday (20), the president of the human rights and immigration section, Luciana Sangiovanni, released a statement in which she extended the deadline, from May 12, until June 30.
Few judges are publishing final sentences. But many are being assigned to new filed processes.
The removal of the original documents, which were deposited for the process, cannot be done until the service is standardized, and standardized, throughout Italy.
Read also Rome Court sees 44% increase in applications for Italian citizenship in 2019
Anagraphic and civil service
Some municipalities are open for AIRE certificate and registration transcription services – Register of Italians residing abroad – , the registration that Italian citizens living abroad need to complete.
Therefore, to find out whether these or other services are working, citizens should consult their municipality.
Passport and Soggiorno Permit
All identity documents that expired on or after March 17, 2020 are valid until August 31, 2020. The information can be found on the State Police, and are part of the Legge decree no. 18 March 17, 2020, issued by the Italian government to deal with the Covid-19 emergency, which affected the deadlines for administrative services in Italy and at consulates.
A extension This also applies to those whose Italian passports expired on or after March 17th. They are valid until August 31, 2020.
In the case of Brazilians living in Italy – including those in the process of obtaining Italian citizenship – or traveling through any country in the European Union, the “residence permit” (residence permit) that expired between January 31st and April 15th, 2020, remains valid until June 15th, 2020. The renewal application can be sent after June 15th, 2020.
(Updated on 04/22/2020. New deadline for suspension of hearings at the Rome Court)
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