Italian Consulate
83 - 86 Farringdon Street, EC4A 4BL
Address
Harp House
83 - 86 Farringdon Street
The City
London
EC4A 4BL
Opening Times
Monday
Opens 09:00 - Closes 12:00
Tuesday
Opens 09:00 - Closes 12:00
Wednesday
Opens 09:00 - Closes 12:00
Thursday
Opens 09:00 - Closes 12:00
Friday
Opens 09:00 - Closes 12:00
Saturday
Closed
Sunday
Closed
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The Italian Consulate provides local, national and worldwide information on their services to all commercial, industrial and tourist orientated activities directed to Italy. In addition to this, they are here to assist their compatriots and to offer them the local representation of their homeland.
User Reviews
Federico Casciano
from Clapham South
from Clapham South
Jan 1, 2025
Crap service
T Martins
from London
from London
May 5, 2022
Dear Consul General of Italy in London and Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Italy Mr Villani,
I would like to express my great disappointment and utterly dissatisfaction with the service that was provided to me or better to say, with the service that was not provided to me by the members of your Consulate.
After countless emails to the London passport department with barely no communication from the staff of this department I am extremely sad to say that, due to its negligence, out of interest and no cooperation whatsoever from all the employees of this institution, I have lost a life time opportunity due to the lack of professionalism of its members.
I do understand and I do appreciate how busy and pre occupied with all the duties every single one of them are on a daily basis however, I have explained the situation to the passport department over several emails just needing to know the status of it, only one single person replied to me saying that they were aiming to send by the end of March, I then followed up this response and no communication was received by any one from the Consulate whatsoever.
The only thing I've asked was if the passport could and/or would be sent by a certain time since the length of time for a passport to be processed and sent back to its recipient is 10 to 12 weeks and so far, has been 11 weeks, and if they aimed to sent the document by the end of March, why I have not received it?
Perhaps misinformation given to us from your staff?
Maybe inaccuracy of facts, not enough knowledge from the person dealing with my enquiry?
Nonetheless, something should, must and has to be done regarding the lack of commitment from the people that work within this institution, as I am not the first and will not be the last to go through something like this.
Since you hold the most senior position that represents the country and its citizens in the UK, you must re-educate them and ask them to act with more proactiveness, sympathy and efficiency.
I am extremely saddened and distraught by the appalling service this institution has provided to me, I should deserve and must be treated with at least some sort of the dignity and respect to say the least.
I hereby would like to leave my feedback and total unpleasant experience with the passport department of the Italian consulate in London.
I have reached out to you in another media platform however, I haven't hear from you and I am looking very much forward to you response to my email.
With my sincerest thank you.
I would like to express my great disappointment and utterly dissatisfaction with the service that was provided to me or better to say, with the service that was not provided to me by the members of your Consulate.
After countless emails to the London passport department with barely no communication from the staff of this department I am extremely sad to say that, due to its negligence, out of interest and no cooperation whatsoever from all the employees of this institution, I have lost a life time opportunity due to the lack of professionalism of its members.
I do understand and I do appreciate how busy and pre occupied with all the duties every single one of them are on a daily basis however, I have explained the situation to the passport department over several emails just needing to know the status of it, only one single person replied to me saying that they were aiming to send by the end of March, I then followed up this response and no communication was received by any one from the Consulate whatsoever.
The only thing I've asked was if the passport could and/or would be sent by a certain time since the length of time for a passport to be processed and sent back to its recipient is 10 to 12 weeks and so far, has been 11 weeks, and if they aimed to sent the document by the end of March, why I have not received it?
Perhaps misinformation given to us from your staff?
Maybe inaccuracy of facts, not enough knowledge from the person dealing with my enquiry?
Nonetheless, something should, must and has to be done regarding the lack of commitment from the people that work within this institution, as I am not the first and will not be the last to go through something like this.
Since you hold the most senior position that represents the country and its citizens in the UK, you must re-educate them and ask them to act with more proactiveness, sympathy and efficiency.
I am extremely saddened and distraught by the appalling service this institution has provided to me, I should deserve and must be treated with at least some sort of the dignity and respect to say the least.
I hereby would like to leave my feedback and total unpleasant experience with the passport department of the Italian consulate in London.
I have reached out to you in another media platform however, I haven't hear from you and I am looking very much forward to you response to my email.
With my sincerest thank you.
Carmelina Palumbo
from London
from London
Apr 27, 2022
This is a car crash of a system - I can't get an appointment for my daughter's Passport and I'm losing the will to live. Anyone has any tips that I'm unaware of? Utterly disgraceful!
steve p
from London
from London
Mar 9, 2022
speechless! words fail me, I need to force myself to laugh in disbelief otherwise I would cry.
Seriously you can't operate an organisation like this, please sort it out.
Seriously you can't operate an organisation like this, please sort it out.
Francesco
from CHEADLE
from CHEADLE
Jan 19, 2022
Again the rating is a big fat 0. I wrote back in December about the time it took to receive my passport, I finally received it 5 months later.
Now is time to reveal another amazing fact that shows how badly the Italian government is treating its citizens abroad, how badly our Embassy works or rather does not work, and the kind of idiots who are in charge receiving astronomical amount of money for doing nothing and for doing it very badly when they do decide to do something. In February last year it was decided to open an Italian Consulate in Manchester again, and premises were sourced, a Consul and three staff were sent to Manchester, and also four local staff were selected. I don't know if the rent is being paid for the premises but what I do know is that the Consul and three staff are being paid, their accommodation is being paid and their transfer and removal have also been paid for. It is now almost a year and these four people have yet to do any work, they live here and being paid a lot of tax payers money for doing nothing. I reckon that, only in wages, so far it must have cost in excess of £450.000 and all for nothing. By the way is a known fact that a lot of the staff being posted to England do not speak English so they have to rely on local staff who are supposed to speak both languages fluently and paid paid peanuts. I hope that at some stage all these facts will be exposed by some national newspapers and show the world what kind of idiots are in charge, and the frustration the Italians abroad must feel.
Now is time to reveal another amazing fact that shows how badly the Italian government is treating its citizens abroad, how badly our Embassy works or rather does not work, and the kind of idiots who are in charge receiving astronomical amount of money for doing nothing and for doing it very badly when they do decide to do something. In February last year it was decided to open an Italian Consulate in Manchester again, and premises were sourced, a Consul and three staff were sent to Manchester, and also four local staff were selected. I don't know if the rent is being paid for the premises but what I do know is that the Consul and three staff are being paid, their accommodation is being paid and their transfer and removal have also been paid for. It is now almost a year and these four people have yet to do any work, they live here and being paid a lot of tax payers money for doing nothing. I reckon that, only in wages, so far it must have cost in excess of £450.000 and all for nothing. By the way is a known fact that a lot of the staff being posted to England do not speak English so they have to rely on local staff who are supposed to speak both languages fluently and paid paid peanuts. I hope that at some stage all these facts will be exposed by some national newspapers and show the world what kind of idiots are in charge, and the frustration the Italians abroad must feel.
Marcello
from Chester
from Chester
Dec 10, 2021
5 October I went to the italian consulate and paid £145 to renew my passport. They told me 5 weeks for it to be returned. Its now 8th December, nothing! Everytime I call the number supplied, no answer. This is a disgraceful consulate. What exactly do they do when at work? Nothing seems to be happening! I said to the man at the Cardiff consulate, it's wonderful being italian, but it's so frustrating when you are treated like this by our government agencies I want my passport back please, and not next year!!!!!
Maria Anita Pain
from London
from London
Nov 8, 2021
I cannot for the life of me think how the Italian government can justify running consulate services using their taxpayers money because the service are non-existent!!!
I have been trying for a year to contact the embassy and consulate on-line, by telephone and by email to apply for an Italian passport. Needless to say l have got absolutely nowhere despite spending hours working out how and why else to try next
If you email they refer you to online. Once online you are processed through a myriad of bureaucracy which leads absolutely nowhere. When you phone your cannot get through.
It’s simply unacceptable in this day and age for the official office of a G7 country and a founding member of the EU to represent its country as incompetent, uncaring and totally useless
I have been trying for a year to contact the embassy and consulate on-line, by telephone and by email to apply for an Italian passport. Needless to say l have got absolutely nowhere despite spending hours working out how and why else to try next
If you email they refer you to online. Once online you are processed through a myriad of bureaucracy which leads absolutely nowhere. When you phone your cannot get through.
It’s simply unacceptable in this day and age for the official office of a G7 country and a founding member of the EU to represent its country as incompetent, uncaring and totally useless
Francesco
from Cheadle Cheshire
from Cheadle Cheshire
Oct 19, 2021
I would rate it a big fat 0 but it won't let me. Anyway, my wife and I applied for a new passport on the 06/08/2021 through the Honorary Consul in Manchester, who by the way was excellent, we are now nearly at the end of October and still no sign of the new passports. According to the Consulate's website, last year between April and June during the peak of the pandemic they issued 4000 passports, so between June 2020 and now they should have been able to have issued at least 20.000. We have not been in the peak of the pandemic for a good while, so the statistics are either wrong, exaggerated or somebody is taking us for a ride. The staff wages in the Consulate and Embassy start from about £ 2.500 per months for the locally employed staff then jump up to £5/6.000 plus benefits and, according to the grade, go up and up to £10/15.000 or more per month plus benefits for the rest of them.
My son applied for a new British passport through the Post Office and received the new one within 10 days, now this is a nation of 60 million people against 400.000 Italian citizens registered with the Italian Consulate in London. Are we getting a good service? Are we getting good assistance from our Embassies and Consulates? Are we satisfied of the way we are treated by our Government? The answer to all of the questions is ABSOLUTELY NOT. By the way, do not even try to phone any of the numbers for the various consular services, nobody ever answers and if they do you will not get any answers and you also risk to be insulted.
I am sorry to say it is an absolute disgrace.
My son applied for a new British passport through the Post Office and received the new one within 10 days, now this is a nation of 60 million people against 400.000 Italian citizens registered with the Italian Consulate in London. Are we getting a good service? Are we getting good assistance from our Embassies and Consulates? Are we satisfied of the way we are treated by our Government? The answer to all of the questions is ABSOLUTELY NOT. By the way, do not even try to phone any of the numbers for the various consular services, nobody ever answers and if they do you will not get any answers and you also risk to be insulted.
I am sorry to say it is an absolute disgrace.
Jamie Stanton
Sep 20, 2021
I've been trying for years to get an appointment at the Italian consulate. They no longer tell you when the appointments become available. How are people supposed to get a citizenship appointment if they
1) don't know what time they become available on PrenotaMi
2) the website always crashes.
I contacted them several times and they just gave the same generic answer, it's on the website - but it isn't. In the end I had to use a third party to book for me as it seemed to be the only way. But for anyone reading this, it's 11pm at night Monday and Wednesday!
1) don't know what time they become available on PrenotaMi
2) the website always crashes.
I contacted them several times and they just gave the same generic answer, it's on the website - but it isn't. In the end I had to use a third party to book for me as it seemed to be the only way. But for anyone reading this, it's 11pm at night Monday and Wednesday!
Karl Dennis
from Dunstable
from Dunstable
May 21, 2021
Been trying to sort out a passport for my partner at this absolute clown car crash of a consulate. The online system is useless, not allowing you to book, everything is against you and the phone numbers are impossible to get through on. Italy has a lot to be proud of, their consulate and this system of getting a passport is something they should hang their heads in shame at.
Stella Willett
Mar 24, 2021
I have been trying to book an appointment for Italian citizenship for six months now using the Prenota online system. Can I get an appointment? No I can’t! I have even set my alarm to ring at 18:45 every night evening when I log in And end up staring at the calendar for the next 15 minutes only to see the date for the next available day turn red in front of my eyes at 19:01. I am truly finding this torturous and wondering whether it is all worth it. Is there anyone out there who has managed to get an appointment with the Prenota online system for the Citizenship office? Am I doing something wrong? Is there a trick to all of this that I am missing out on?
andy
from uk
from uk
Oct 6, 2020
i want to Italy embassy London yesterday on the 5th of october for passport renew with my little 6month Daughter rain on us to about 3 hours still they turn us back to get an appointment of which is not possible.the security and the staffs are so rude and bully with no humanity on they citizen and child.....i felt so sad and ashamed to be Italy citizen.
AS
from Leighton Buzzard
from Leighton Buzzard
Oct 5, 2020
If you are on this page it is undoubtedly because you have taken a long and very painful personal voyage into the heart of darkness - the Italian Consular Service. I have been trying for a full year to renew my Italian Passport but still with no success. I am 50 and have had an Italian Passport all my life (and lived in the UK for 30 years) but because of a change in the law I now have to provide my original birth certificate with an authorised translation, since they do not have a record of it in an Italian Municipality where I no longer live, despite the fact I would have presented it when I got my first passport. I have spent literally too many days of my life trying to sort this, engaged in many arguments with faceless operators, sent emails which are not replied to, waited months for activation to the AIRE "Fast IT" site and then found they have my date of birth wrong anyway and there is no contact point to advise them of the error..... In the same time it has taken me to get absolutely nowhere with the Italian Consulate I have successfully applied for a UK Citizenship and I hope to get my UK Passport soon. If you're still reading this, seriously think about a Plan B - because life really is too short to dedicate to a lost cause. If you really have to renew your Italian Passport I wish you all the strength and patience God can spare, because you really are going to need it. My only hope for you is that I am one the unfortunate ones, but judging by the complaints below, I doubt it. Unfortunately no-one from the Consulate is likely to read this, maybe no-one will read it anyway, but I am just writing it to draw a final line under what has turned out to be a monumental waste of time which I can never get back again.....
Daniela Mercuri
Aug 19, 2020
CONNY I feel your pain, I am in the exact position have you been able to find an alternative contact number? PLEASE HELP
Conny
from London
from London
Aug 12, 2020
Hello, I tried to book an appointment to review my passport since February and I am desperate to do so due to work commitments. No one answered the phone or emails an the main number does not work due to covid 19. What is the best way to get an appointment? I already registered on line with AIRE and Consulate, just need an appointment. Is there another number I can call? Any special circumstances? Happy to pay a fee to speed the process , I even contacted a law firm and they told me they had lots of enquirers about the italian consulate but they are not able to help to get an appointment. Please HELP
Giuseppe
from Pitturo
from Pitturo
Mar 16, 2020
How could Italian citizens go through such a frustrating procedure just to book an appointment for passport?
If the consulate is representing Italians, then there must wake up to their responsibilities because it is really ridiculous what is going on now with phone calls not going through and online book impossible. For how long should this be allowed to go on?
If the consulate is representing Italians, then there must wake up to their responsibilities because it is really ridiculous what is going on now with phone calls not going through and online book impossible. For how long should this be allowed to go on?
Gianni
from Brighton
from Brighton
Mar 7, 2020
I am trying to renew my 82 year old mother's Italian passport and feel like i am banging my head against a brick wall. The website is confusing, they don't answer the phones or the recorded message hangs up. They respond to emails with a standard message saying 'look at our website'.
My mum is not fit enough to travel and spend the day at the London consulate. The website says you don't have to go to the consulate and be fingerprinted if you are permanently unable to travel and get a doctors certificate to prove it. I just want to speak to someone who can advise exactly what's needed and if the application can be posted. But i have now finally given up with the application process and my mum must go without her passport.
The consulate need to employ more staff and provide an effective and efficient service. They should answer their phones, respond to emails and improve their website content, which is very confusing.
My mum is not fit enough to travel and spend the day at the London consulate. The website says you don't have to go to the consulate and be fingerprinted if you are permanently unable to travel and get a doctors certificate to prove it. I just want to speak to someone who can advise exactly what's needed and if the application can be posted. But i have now finally given up with the application process and my mum must go without her passport.
The consulate need to employ more staff and provide an effective and efficient service. They should answer their phones, respond to emails and improve their website content, which is very confusing.
francescs
from london
from london
Oct 30, 2019
as italian I am sad to say that they are totally unprofessional and useless. 2 hours in the queue to space with a nervous operator that did nt even know the difference between time 9am and 9pm.such a shame and disgrace to have this people representing us
G. Garcia
from Lincolnshire.
from Lincolnshire.
Oct 25, 2019
Waiting for the passport for more than 4 months. I know that with the Brexit is not easy but I need it for to start working, this is a never-ending nightmare.
Vince falco
from St Agnes, Truro
from St Agnes, Truro
Mar 5, 2019
60 of my 63 years have been spent in the UK- but i am Italian Born and Bred, still feeling proud that all who return from hols in Italy fall in love with it. BUT behind the scenes, administratively is sheer chaos and disgrace(read other comments below)
Firstly- get the Head of Consulate and Embassy together- share a single Building that is functional and easily accessible. Secondly Sack them both- clearly they cannot do their jobs of organisation, representation and leadership. Thirdly , bring in a competent problem solver who can show leadership and set up a task force to attend to the huge backlog of angry,frustrated and humiliated Italians who simply want to renew their Italian passports. I'm ashamed of this long running debacle- especially when so much technology is now available to process these simple processes. I attained my UK permanent residency within 4 hours by downloading an .Gov.Uk android app on my phone, scanning my passport with it and sending it back.
Firstly- get the Head of Consulate and Embassy together- share a single Building that is functional and easily accessible. Secondly Sack them both- clearly they cannot do their jobs of organisation, representation and leadership. Thirdly , bring in a competent problem solver who can show leadership and set up a task force to attend to the huge backlog of angry,frustrated and humiliated Italians who simply want to renew their Italian passports. I'm ashamed of this long running debacle- especially when so much technology is now available to process these simple processes. I attained my UK permanent residency within 4 hours by downloading an .Gov.Uk android app on my phone, scanning my passport with it and sending it back.
Mackenzie Gaudenzi
from London
from London
Mar 4, 2019
Perhaps by affording callers the opportunity to speak to a human being! The recorded messages continually referred me back to the website which did not address the question I had. It would also be incredibly helpful if the opening hours extended beyond 12pm.
a fedup
from london
from london
Oct 30, 2018
impossible to get through to the call centre to book an appointment to renew passport
Anonymous
Aug 14, 2018
Thanks for posting this recommendations I finally got my first appointment after 6 months by using the auto dialer and redialed every 2 second,got through on the first day and 2 minutes before their lines even opened. I'm going to spread the message the message about this to ensure others that are struggling to just make an appointment can try this method. Thanks you and have a nice day.
Rudd Mackey
from London
from London
Jul 18, 2018
I've been trying to book an appointment online for the past six months on their archaic system to no avail. Citizenship appointments are only available on Tuesdays and Thursdays, three possible slots on each day. I'm sure there's a lot of room for improvement there.
S Amira
from Hertfordshire
from Hertfordshire
Jun 29, 2018
answer the phone!! 3 hours a day spent for past two weeks getting engaged tone just to try and book appointment for new passport renewal. Registering on line doesn't work as throws up a fault saying country dialling code is incorrect for UK but there is no other option on the pick list. Trully appalling. I would give 0 out of 10 if I could.
James
from Stafford
from Stafford
Jun 19, 2018
Simply employ someone to answer the phone!!
400 plus calls to make an appointment to renew passport
Pathetic organisation
400 plus calls to make an appointment to renew passport
Pathetic organisation
A. Customer
from London
from London
May 31, 2018
Tried to call the call centre 450 times to renew a passport - always engaged. When I finally, miraculously, got through, the line went dead. Went to Consulate in Farrington St; the staff in bullet-proof vests was arrogant, aggressive and rude. Low-class, slick-looking Italian cops, painfully unqualified for the job, ready to unload their vile frustration on unsuspecting citizens. The ONLY way to book an appointment is via the phone number from hell. Nothing online, or fist-come-first-serve. as it used to be. Back to square one. It's a Kafkaesque experience. Banana Republic Italy. They are doing their DUTY, not a favour, but they believe they are in a cop movie trying to look cool. Italian vanity, at its most depressingly incompetent and worthless. Shameful, a total waste of time. 0 out of 10.
Dario
from Portsmouth
from Portsmouth
May 17, 2018
I submitted an application for my daughter identity card in February 2017 and managed to speak several months later with the office in charge of this. Been told that they had received the application but was the only woman working sorting the identity cards and would take some time. 17 May 2018 still haven't heard nothing. It make you think why Italy has sunk so much. Shame on you
In order to improve you should all be fired and the consulate runned by people with good morals that willing to work and are not arrogant and mouthing like all employees do in that building.
In order to improve you should all be fired and the consulate runned by people with good morals that willing to work and are not arrogant and mouthing like all employees do in that building.
Marcon
from Richmond
from Richmond
May 15, 2018
If we have to book an appointment via the call centre PLEASE employ someone to pick up the phone.
Thank you.
Also why can we not rate the service 0 out of 10?
An obligatory minimum of 1 out of 10 is unjust as it is too high.
Kind Regards
Two Italian Citizen with expired passports.
Thank you.
Also why can we not rate the service 0 out of 10?
An obligatory minimum of 1 out of 10 is unjust as it is too high.
Kind Regards
Two Italian Citizen with expired passports.
Paolo Sileno
from Hook, Hampshire
from Hook, Hampshire
May 5, 2018
I have had a change in circumstances and tried to call the Italian consulate many times with not success and emailed the respective offices with no reply. This has been over several months. The website is very unclear in instructions on what is required and is impossible to make an appointment as lines are always busy, in the rare times I got through to the automated (non) service and just as I thought I was about to speak to someone the call was dropped by their system. All I need if clear information on what is required to register a change in circumstances. In addition I tried emailing the Consular General and the Embassador, not reply at all. This is an absolutely appalling service. Please do something about it.
Nicholas Mitchell-Porrazz
from Milton Keynes
from Milton Keynes
Apr 4, 2018
Yes it is a shocker. The service used to be excellent and we could renew passports at the local vice consulates without problems. the service no is not fit for purpose. there is no answer, no intelligent information so that the poor Anglo Italians can easily and readily understand the process. The senior civil servants at the Embassy obviously know the issues but they do absolutely nothing about it and they couldn't care less. For those of you who are eligible and have the Italian passport as a romantic notion of the old country, it is time to become British and join the first world where government serves the people. Love Britain with all it's faults, Brexit and everything else. When you have this sort of experience with the Italian embassy services you just realise where our future lies.
Orest supyk
from Wolverhampton
from Wolverhampton
Mar 21, 2018
Had to get a visa for my partner to visit Italy. Initially emailed the Birmingham Consulate but after waiting nearly two weeks for a reply they said we had to go to London. Looking at appointments they were weeks in the future and the amount of paperwork needed was huge and the application form on their site was quite poor. On arrival at the Consulate I was required to wait outside in the snow and ice as I was not allowed to accompany my fiancé for visa application.
When she came out she said we would have to go back in ten days with no assurance of getting a visa.
The application cost €60 (£53.30) which is non-refundable if the application fails.
The Consulate is only open weekdays, 9am to 12 noon
I had travelled from the Midlands by coach and due to road traffic accident on M1 I barely arrived on time
(Collection times are only 11am to 12 noon!)
In summary, the Consulate need to be open longer and be a lot more Customer Service orientated to help out clients
When she came out she said we would have to go back in ten days with no assurance of getting a visa.
The application cost €60 (£53.30) which is non-refundable if the application fails.
The Consulate is only open weekdays, 9am to 12 noon
I had travelled from the Midlands by coach and due to road traffic accident on M1 I barely arrived on time
(Collection times are only 11am to 12 noon!)
In summary, the Consulate need to be open longer and be a lot more Customer Service orientated to help out clients
Marianna Sottilini
from Brighton
from Brighton
Feb 22, 2018
I write further to my January comment about the passport booking system. Back in January, when I found the telephone line constantly engaged, I also sent an email to the Consulate. I have now received a response (after 5 to 6 weeks) stating that my husband can present himself at the Consulate on any Wednesday morning within the next 3 months to make his passport application. He is a pensioner but I hope younger people might also receive a response, even if belated, to an email enquiry.
Alison
from Stevenage
from Stevenage
Feb 19, 2018
My soon to be husband has been trying to get an appointment to renew his passport for weeks. The line is constantly engaged. I tried nearly 200 times this morning. The online system has no appointments. You cannot go there is person or do it by post. It is looking as if we are going to have to cancel our honeymoon, as Easyjet staff say that he cannot fly to Turkey on his ID card. Even though their website says that he can!! I just cannot believe what a shambolic system they operate.
Penelope Antolini
from Thatcham
from Thatcham
Feb 1, 2018
I'm panicking and so frustrated!!! How can I book an appointment for my husband to renew his passport if no one answers the phone. Have been trying for ages and we have a surprise holidAy coming up. How much does it cost ? And do you need to have photos signed Just someone answer the phone . More manpower needed.
I don't know what to do. I'm so upset.I
All I want is a holiday and can't without a passort.
My husband will only have left on his passport a few weeks when we want to go to paris.
Help.!!
I don't know what to do. I'm so upset.I
All I want is a holiday and can't without a passort.
My husband will only have left on his passport a few weeks when we want to go to paris.
Help.!!
Alex Osellame
from Manchester
from Manchester
Jan 24, 2018
This consulate is an absolute disgrace!! The phone is always busy. The offices in Manchester and Liverpool are closed. I have been trying to renew my passport for months. 3rd world countries offer a much better service on their consulates. It is almost impossible to do anything with the Italian Consulate in London.
Marianna Sottilini
from Brighton
from Brighton
Jan 23, 2018
My recent experience of trying to contact the Italian Consulate in London has been similar to most respondents' bad experiences during 2017. There is no longer a way of booking a passport renewal appointment 'online'. I have found the dedicated appointment telephone line consistently engaged. I have been trying daily since Christmas 2017. Emails are not responded to and our local Honorary Consul post is currently vacant. I thought I would have to take my 78 year old husband to London just to fight/shout for an appointment! However I mentioned our problem to the manager in a local Italian restaurant. He told me that he had recently been able to get a renewal through a local Italian delicatessen. I have now phoned them and it is true!! Apparently an official from the Consulate visits occasionally (when 25 candidates) with a fingerprint machine. Service mainly for pensioners but others can be wangled in. Suggest people with problems ask around where there is a big Italian community.
HARRY WINSOR
from LONDON
from LONDON
Oct 17, 2017
How sad such a great country presents its self in such a backward way. Looking at the comments below they all align with my experience.
1. The auto-response email is written almost entirely IN CAPITAL LETTERS WHICH ARE USUALLY ONLY USED IN EMAIL CORRESPONDENCE TO INDICATE ANGER.
Suggestion: Find a keyboard with lower case characters.
2. My very simple enquiry wasn't answered after 2 weeks and when I sent a follow-up email the reply was :-
[email protected]
The recipient's mailbox is full and can't accept messages now.
Suggestion : Employ more staff - they dont need to be in London.
3. The Auto-response email begins "GENTILE CONNAZIONALE" or "Dear Countryman" as though only Italian read Italian.
Suggestion : Think a bit harder about who is reading your communications.
1. The auto-response email is written almost entirely IN CAPITAL LETTERS WHICH ARE USUALLY ONLY USED IN EMAIL CORRESPONDENCE TO INDICATE ANGER.
Suggestion: Find a keyboard with lower case characters.
2. My very simple enquiry wasn't answered after 2 weeks and when I sent a follow-up email the reply was :-
[email protected]
The recipient's mailbox is full and can't accept messages now.
Suggestion : Employ more staff - they dont need to be in London.
3. The Auto-response email begins "GENTILE CONNAZIONALE" or "Dear Countryman" as though only Italian read Italian.
Suggestion : Think a bit harder about who is reading your communications.
Mario Musto
from Todmorden, Lancashire
from Todmorden, Lancashire
Oct 7, 2017
They could improve their system by training all their staff in manners and customer service both at the Liverpool office and the London office. This really is a disgraceful system and makes me ashamed to be Italian.
Carlo Marelli
from London
from London
Oct 2, 2017
Shambolic !!!! Why is the number they give you for Passport queries continuously engaged. Been trying for 10 days now at various times. How do they get away with this disgraceful service ????
MA
from London
from London
Sep 15, 2017
Please have people answer the phone for booking, and make the online booking system modern and user-friendly. Over 200 attempted calls over three weeks (I counted them in my call history) and still no possibility to book an appointment.
I envy the British: in comparison the UK passport experience is so easy. You phone, you get an appointment, you turn up and they see you on time, they let you know when you passport will arrive, you get a text message when it is on its way, and then it arrives.
The whole process at the Italian consulate from start to finish is terrible - a bureaucratic nightmare like something from the film 1984.
I envy the British: in comparison the UK passport experience is so easy. You phone, you get an appointment, you turn up and they see you on time, they let you know when you passport will arrive, you get a text message when it is on its way, and then it arrives.
The whole process at the Italian consulate from start to finish is terrible - a bureaucratic nightmare like something from the film 1984.
Tina
from Bedford , Bedfordshire
from Bedford , Bedfordshire
Jul 28, 2017
Please improve the communications system and appointment system. Since the closure of our Bedford Italian Vice Consulate office, I honestly believe that the London Office cannot cope with the volume of work which has been directed their way. The appointment system does not work. The staff do not know what the term "Customer care and Customer Service" mean. They are rude, arrogant and very unhelpful. They need to consider that people pay a lot of money to travel to London, and have to take time off school and work in order to visit them, and when they are received with very unwelcoming manner, it is very disheartening, sad and the experience that my children had yesterday when they attended the London office in order to renew their passport, it made me feel very embarrassed to be an Italian National. Do they take on board any of our comments? ... I very much doubt it.
sabrina
from london
from london
Jul 7, 2017
Went to the Indian Consulate, really fantastic service. Had all my questions answered by phone and in person. Compare this to the Italian....oh my gosh. Level of service is pitiful . No one answers the phone. The Italian website is a cyptic maze. Most staff there have an attitude as if they are all decedent to royalty and their time is precious. Everyone looks busy but no one is actually doing anything. Security personal are programmed to answer yes or no any other question they ask you to come back tomorrow.
Maria
from London
from London
Jul 6, 2017
shocking treatment. My mother tried to renew her passport. Got an appointment, but once there the lady behind the counter said she couldn't renew her passport, she has conflicting info on her computer, to which she couldn't explain what? Apparently the address is not showing, why? My mother has lived at the same address for forty years, reply, well maybe we sent you a letter and it was returned, so we wipe off that address!!! Really???? Suggestion, if you do have a return mail, try again to contact someone before deleting them. They told her she had to register with Aire, they would not listen, talk to you like you are stupid, and are most un helpful!! She left without a passport, upset and a ticket to Italy in four weeks time that she may lose. Who can we contact for the dismal behaviour!!
Anna Wright
from Southampton
from Southampton
Jun 14, 2017
I have literally been ringing for days to try to get an appointment for my poorly father. Always engaged . What to do?
Aniele
from London
from London
May 10, 2017
Not responsible and not helpful. I started to try to make an appointment 2 months before my passport expiring date. It took one month to be able to make a booking, then 40 days from the day I made the booking to the day of appointment, and from the date I sent everything by post to them is been over 40 days and I don't have my passport back. I had a trip and had problems to get back in Uk because I had no passport. Luckily I have a (third world) Brazilian passport and it took only ONE WEEK to do exactly the same process. I want to book my holidays but I am afraid because I don't know when I will receive my passport! I tried to renew my ID and they didn't let me because before that I have to update my AIRE what can take up to 6 months! This consulate is a joke!
spring Saunders
from London
from London
Mar 31, 2017
just have an efficient 21 st century communication system!!!!!!
over the years I have had to go to the consulate I found the PR / attitude/ training of the staff to be wanting . It felt as if they were doing us a favour them being there.
It never seems to improve.
I am trying to locate some land owned by my family.
The office email for this dept is unobtainable.
Goodness knows how they the Italian consulate will cope with Brexit changes
over the years I have had to go to the consulate I found the PR / attitude/ training of the staff to be wanting . It felt as if they were doing us a favour them being there.
It never seems to improve.
I am trying to locate some land owned by my family.
The office email for this dept is unobtainable.
Goodness knows how they the Italian consulate will cope with Brexit changes
JF
from London
from London
Mar 22, 2017
I am trying to renew my Italian passport but it is IMPOSSIBLE to book an appointment to do so. I have logged into the system at precisely 7.00pm (as the next appointments are released) on no less than 10 occasions over the past month. If I manage to select an available appointment, I then click confirm and guess what, the system just crashes. By the time I've logged back in, surprise surprise, all the appointments have gone. This is Italian bureaucracy at its very worst. I would like to think that that this is nothing more than incompetence but in fact the system has been deliberately designed to limit the number of passports processed at the consulate. One very disappointed Italian citizen living in London!
B
from London
from London
Mar 14, 2017
One star for creating employment.
A truly unfathomable anachronism of a service. Want a routine renewal of your passport or other bog standard service? Tough. How about a website that answers no questions specifically enough to be of use and looks and functions like it was created as a high school project, a phone line that's never answered - and if it is you're just left on hold, a booking system where you can't book an appointment and an email no one will bother replying to?
A thoroughly shambolic system that defies logic of any kind. Quite how this kind of place exists in this day and age is anyone's guess. And quite why the Italians would have it as a service to their people or allow it to be the grand representation of Italy in London is mind bending.
A truly unfathomable anachronism of a service. Want a routine renewal of your passport or other bog standard service? Tough. How about a website that answers no questions specifically enough to be of use and looks and functions like it was created as a high school project, a phone line that's never answered - and if it is you're just left on hold, a booking system where you can't book an appointment and an email no one will bother replying to?
A thoroughly shambolic system that defies logic of any kind. Quite how this kind of place exists in this day and age is anyone's guess. And quite why the Italians would have it as a service to their people or allow it to be the grand representation of Italy in London is mind bending.
Franco S
from London
from London
Mar 14, 2017
It has been faster to become a UK citizen than renew an Italian passport. What a disgraceful service. Do not bother with the online or phone system. Just find another EU country that would be happy to have you as a citizen. Heaven forbid you might have a real emergency, I can only imagine what might happen especially if its outside the 1 hour the are open in the mornings.