The EU Emergency Travel Document (EU ETD) is based on Directive (EU) 2019/997, transposed in Italy by the Decree of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation of 26 July 2024. It is an emergency travel document issued by consular authorities to Italian citizens abroad or, subject to authorization by the Member State of nationality, to citizens of other EU countries not locally represented, who cannot use their passport because it has been lost, stolen, destroyed, or cannot be obtained within a reasonable time. As of 9 December 2025, it takes on a renewed and uniform format across all EU Member States. The EU ETD is valid exclusively for a single journey to the applicant’s State of nationality, to their country of permanent residence, or, in exceptional circumstances, to another authorized destination.
The application must be submitted using the designated form and accompanied by:
- a report to the local police authorities of the theft, loss, or destruction of the travel document;
- a declaration of theft or loss of the passport or other travel document, made to the consular office pursuant to Articles 46 and 47 of Presidential Decree of 28 December 2000, No. 445, with the safeguards provided by Article 76;
- a digital or scanned photograph of the applicant, if it is not possible to capture the facial image at the time of application, in compliance with ICAO standards;
- the travel ticket, where available.
Under current legislation, the EU ETD is valid for the duration of the journey for which it is issued, up to a maximum of fifteen days. The main innovation introduced is the obligation for the holder to return the document to the border police or another police authority upon arrival at the destination, regardless of any residual validity. If the journey is to a country other than Italy, the document must be returned to the consular office territorially competent for the place of destination. At present, the ETD is issued free of charge, subject only to reimbursement of the cost of the printed form.