What AIRE can do for you

October is often a time for fresh starts — new routines, new projects, and the return of structure after the haze of summer. If you’re an Italian citizen living abroad, this might also be the right moment to check whether your relationship with Italy is in good legal and bureaucratic shape. And right at the center of that relationship is AIRE: the Registry of Italians Residing Abroad.

What is AIRE, really? And what can it do for you — not just in theory, but in practice, today, in 2025?

Let’s start with the basics. AIRE stands for Anagrafe degli Italiani Residenti all’Estero and it’s a national registry held by the Italian municipalities. It’s where all Italian citizens who live outside of Italy for more than 12 months are required — by law — to register. While many still think of it as a box to tick or a bureaucratic formality, AIRE is actually the key that unlocks your civil rights abroad and your ongoing connection with Italy.

First and foremost, it allows you to vote by mail in national elections, referenda and European Parliament elections. No flights, no lines at the polls. It also gives you access to consular services — such as renewing or replacing your passport, registering marriages or births, or requesting official records — all handled through your local Italian consulate.

AIRE also plays an important role in determining your tax status. If you’re registered with AIRE and you do not earn Italian-sourced income or own income-producing property in Italy, you’re no longer considered fiscally resident there. This means no IRPEF (Italian personal income tax), and you avoid the risk of double taxation — provided there’s a tax treaty between Italy and your country of residence (and with the US, you there is).

There are potential property tax benefits as well. For example, if you’re a pensioner residing in a country that has a social security agreement with Italy, you may be eligible for a 50% reduction in IMU, Italy’s property tax. However, if you don’t fall into this category — say you’re working age or you live in a non-treaty country — you’ll be expected to pay the full amount.

And if you’re thinking about moving back to Italy, AIRE status can help you benefit from several attractive tax incentives. These include the 7% flat tax for retirees who relocate to southern regions, or even the €200,000 flat tax regime for high-net-worth individuals transferring their fiscal residence to Italy (see the full article on our September 2025 issue). Italy’s “brain return” regime — designed to attract professionals who’ve built careers abroad — is now even more accessible (see our full article on the August 2024 issue). As of 2025, you no longer need to prove AIRE registration to qualify; simply having been fiscally resident abroad for five years is enough.

This year has also brought a number of updates that make AIRE more efficient and relevant. The 2024 budget law introduced an obligation for municipalities to update AIRE data automatically based on information from consulates and other public bodies. That means fewer delays and less paperwork. The Italian Revenue Agency has also clarified the rules on first-home tax benefits: you can now qualify even if you purchase in a town different from your last residence in Italy — as long as it’s your town of origin or one where you have a strong familial connection. And if you sell your Italian home and buy another property abroad, you can still maintain the original tax benefit — so long as the new property includes a basic structure within a year.

In addition to tax and property rights, being registered with AIRE allows you to request various official certificates, such as your certificate of Italian citizenship, certificate of residence abroad, family status, and “proof of life” documents often required by foreign pension offices. These are issued by the municipality where you’re registered as AIRE. Certificates of birth, marriage, or death, on the other hand, must be requested from the town where the event occurred — or where it was transcribed, in the case of events abroad.

Even better, since October 2023, most of these documents can be downloaded free of charge and without any stamp duty from the national online registry system (ANPR) — but only if you have the proper digital credentials.

This brings us to a critical point: in 2025, having AIRE status is not enough if you don’t also have a way to access Italy’s digital services. You need one of two things: SPID or CIE.

SPID is Italy’s public digital identity system. It allows you to securely log in to virtually all public administration portals — ANPR, Agenzia delle Entrate, consular systems, and more. You can apply for SPID from abroad through certified providers. Many offer remote video identification using your Italian passport or identity card.

The CIE, or Carta d’Identità Elettronica, is Italy’s electronic identity card, and it doubles as a digital access key. If you’re registered with AIRE, you can apply for the CIE at your nearest consulate, assuming they’re equipped to issue it (most major consulates in North America now are). You’ll need to make an appointment, bring a photo and ID, and provide a mailing address. Once you receive the CIE, you can use it to access the same portals as with SPID — just with an extra layer of biometric security.

Without SPID or CIE, however, you’re locked out of most digital interactions with Italy — no downloads, no declarations, no digital certificates. In today’s system, these tools are no longer optional.

So what’s the takeaway? AIRE isn’t just an administrative requirement. It’s your legal, fiscal and civic anchor to Italy, even when you live an ocean away. And when combined with the right digital credentials, it becomes a powerful toolkit that lets you vote, manage property, file declarations, request documents, and assert your rights as an Italian citizen abroad — with confidence, and without chaos.

If you haven’t yet registered with AIRE — or if you’re unsure whether you have SPID or CIE — it might just be time to catch up. Italy is moving forward digitally. And if you want to stay a part of it, you’ll want to keep your name not just in the registry, but also in the system.

Send your questions regarding Italian law to cbortolani@aliantlaw.com and I’ll be glad to answer them.

The content provided in this Q&A column is intended solely for general informational purposes and does not constitute legal advice. The information presented here is not tailored to any specific situation or transaction and should not be relied upon as a substitute for professional legal counsel. Legal issues can vary widely based on individual circumstances and jurisdictional nuances. Therefore, it is crucial to consult with a qualified legal professional regarding your specific case or concerns. Please be aware that no attorney-client relationship is established by accessing or interacting with the information provided in this column. The column’s author and publisher disclaim any liability for actions taken based on the information contained herein.