How to Get an Italian Codice Fiscale

The landlord, the bank, the phone shop, and the university all asked for a codice fiscale before anything else. A web calculator produced a 16-character string, and an agency offered to handle it for a fee. Neither counts: the Agenzia delle Entrate FAQ says codes calculated by web applications have no value, its leaflet for foreign nationals says a code is valid only once the Agenzia issues it, and issuing is free.

Fill in form AA4/8

Download the editable PDF from the form AA4/8 and instructions page. In section A tick D (request for yourself) and box 1 (attribuzione codice fiscale), then add the requester type from the AA4/8 instructions: 01 student enrolling, 02 nonresident worker, 03 temporarily in Italy. Write surname, name, sex, place and date of birth in block capitals exactly as on your passport, without accents or special characters. An Italian address goes in section C; anyone living abroad must also complete section D. Sign and date it; an unsigned form is void.

Bring a valid identity document

Present the form with a valid identity document; the office keeps a copy. The Agenzia's English page for foreign citizens lists what counts: an identity card or passport for EU citizens; for non-EU citizens, a passport with visa where required, a valid residence permit (permesso di soggiorno), or an identity certification from your country's consulate in Italy. Residence permit applicants usually already hold one from the Questura.

Book an in-person appointment at any Agenzia office

The Agenzia's page on obtaining the code states that a first code for an EU or non-EU foreign citizen requires an in-person appointment, and any office accepts the form. Use Trova l'ufficio to pick an office and the office contacts page to book. A delegate may hand it in (DELEGA box) with their own ID and a copy of yours.

Take the paper certificate, then wait for the card

Tick box 4 on the same form so the office issues the certificate of attribution (certificato di attribuzione) on the spot; the certificate page also lets account holders download one later. The plastic card comes by ordinary mail: people registered with the national health service receive the tessera sanitaria automatically, while the tesserino page says those not enrolled get only the plain tax code card, requested via the tesserino box. The FAQ notes that the plain card gives no right to healthcare.

If you are not in Italy yet. Residents abroad may present the form at the Italian consulate for their country. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs codice fiscale page says foreign nationals apply through the consular office for their place of residence with a copy of an identity document and a statement of reasons. Procedures vary; the Consulate General in New York takes foreign applicants only when the code is needed online or nobody in Italy can be delegated, and emails the certificate as a PDF.

If two people generate the same code (omocodia). The Agenzia's omocodia leaflet says to go to any Agenzia office as soon as possible, and the office assigns each person a new code.

Sources. AA4/8, instructions, foreign citizens, come si ottiene, FAQ, leaflet, Trova l'ufficio, uffici, certificato, tesserino, omocodia, Esteri, New York consulate.