Dear Fellow Citizens, as the end of the year approaches, I would like to share with you some updates regarding the activities of the Consulate General of Italy in New York. This annual letter, now a tradition, has a particular meaning for me this year as it coincides with the end of my mandate, thus offering the opportunity for a brief review of the work done during these intense years in New York.
The number of A.I.R.E. (Registry of Italians Residing Abroad) registrations in our jurisdiction has continued to grow in 2025, reaching 110,000.
This confirms the stable growth trend recorded in recent years, with an increase of about 3% compared to the previous year and over 20% compared to 2020. Registration, which remains free of charge, can be done online through the FAST-IT portal, which has already been utilized by more than 90% of the users. Updating personal data (starting with the residence address) whenever necessary is crucial in order to access consular services and exercise the right to vote.
In 2025, aware of the community’s needs, we continued to increase appointments for various services (prioritizing passports) via the Prenot@mi platform. This platform allows users to manage their bookings independently. Italian citizens over 75, as you know, can take advantage of a dedicated passport service and can book an appointment by emailing [email protected] or by calling the dedicated line (+1 646-897-0653 every Wednesday from 2:00 to 3:00 PM). For everyone else, we are always available to assess urgent requests, provided they are justified and well-documented.
One of the main objectives since 2021 has been to provide more timely and efficient consular services, especially after the difficult period of the pandemic. Thanks to the maximum effort of all the resources available to us and the streamlining of services, our consular activities have recorded a significant and stable increase in all areas (passports, vital records, A.I.R.E., notarization, consular assistance, etc.) and waiting times have been progressively reduced. As an example, the number of passports issued will exceed 9,000 this year, which is even more significant when you consider that in the last year before the COVID pandemic started (2019), the Passport office, with the same number of human resources, had issued 5,200 passports (as usual, passport requests can also be made at the Honorary Consulates in Hartford, Rochester, Clifton, and Hamilton).
One key to improving our services has been the systematic digitalization of appointments. I understand that navigating the Consulate website and using the Prenot@mi online portal may require some patience and attention, but in an age where everything - from ordering food to managing bank transactions and booking trips - happens online, it is important that our fellow citizens get used to digitally managing access to consular services.
I would like to remind you that all information regarding the Consulate General and its services can be found on our website at https://consnewyork.esteri.it/en/. Relying on the phone or on a personal connection is neither practical nor efficient.
Nevertheless, it is clear that there are still areas for improvement on our part, and new challenges never fail to arise. In particular, there are issues concerning the Electronic Identity Card (C.I.E.) service and requests for citizenship under the new regulations (even though the latter does not apply to Italian citizens).
The C.I.E. service has been operational since the second half of 2024 and it is now fully functional, although it has not entirely met users’ expectations. The reason behind this is that given the same number of human resources, we must continue to prioritize passport issuance, as it is the only document that allows Italians to travel to and from the United States. While reaffirming our utmost commitment in this sector, especially considering that shortly the paper ID card will no longer be valid, I would like to remind you that new appointments are available weekly on the Prenot@mi portal even though demand is extremely high and appointment slots fill up quickly. However, Italian citizens residing abroad will soon also be able to request the C.I.E. at their A.I.R.E. registration municipality, based on modalities that are currently still being defined.
In general, the many positive reviews we have received, particularly on Google, over the past year, represent an important recognition for the entire team at the Consulate General and reinforces our commitment and resolve to continue our efforts. We encourage you to share your feedback, including constructive criticism, and suggestions with us at [email protected].
As you know, our work does not end with consular services and I invite you to follow the activities and major events of the Consulate General of Italy in New York through our social media pages (Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/italyinny; Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ItalyinNY/).
It has been a privilege to represent Italy these past years in New York and the Tri-State area. From the difficult beginnings at the height of the pandemic, together with the entire team at the Consulate, we strove to meet the expectations of our fellow citizens and to dispel misconceptions about the Consulate. While we have not always succeeded, I have done my best to that end. I am confident that the dedication and commitment of the entire team will continue under the guidance of my successor, to whom I wish the best of luck.
I take this opportunity to extend my sincere wishes for the holiday season to you and your loved ones.
