Italian citizens in Rio Grande do Sul are being served more quickly in one of the main services offered by the Consulate General of Italy in Porto Alegre. The Italian diplomatic representation in the state has been issuing, on average, 803 passports per month, thanks to the adoption of technology and the reduction of bureaucracy. This number represents an increase of 130% compared to the same quarter of last year, when the maximum issue was 350 documents.
Since March, the Consulate General has managed to significantly increase the number of passport issues. That month, 812 passports were issued, while in April the number was 720 (lower due to the various holidays). The most outstanding performance of the year occurred in May, when the agency issued 878 passports.
The established goals are even more ambitious: the Consul General, Valerio Caruso, expects the Consulate to issue more than 1,000 passports per month by the end of 2023. “We are doing more for our citizens, providing agility and transparency in the processes to facilitate the access to our services”, says the Consul General.
Before applying for a passport, it is necessary for the citizen to have his Italian citizenship recognized. There was also agility in the processes related to this important consular service. Since Caruso took office in September of last year, 4,000 families have been summoned to present the necessary documentation for the recognition of their citizenship “iure sanguinis” (by blood right).
Some actions were implemented to improve service, such as the implementation of a call center (51 2500.7515), carrying out itinerant biometrics for issuing passports, which is now being taken to cities in the interior of the state, and the increase in the number of employees with the completion of two competitions that will add another 6 professionals to strengthen the team.
