For general information regarding Emergency Travel Documents, please consult the dedicated section on the institutional website of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Italian citizens who are not registered residents within the consular jurisdiction of the Italian Consulate General in Canton and who find themselves in an emergency situation — for example, following the loss or theft of their passport — and who need to travel urgently may apply to this Consulate General for the issuance of an Emergency Travel Document (E.T.D.).
The E.T.D. is a temporary emergency travel document that permits only the return journey to Italy or to the applicant’s country of permanent residence abroad or, in exceptional cases, to another destination. The document is valid only for the time strictly necessary to complete the journey and, in any event, for no longer than 15 calendar days.
If the country of residence or destination is outside the European Union, and/or the itinerary includes transit through a non-EU country, applicants are advised to verify with the relevant diplomatic or consular authorities that the E.T.D. will be accepted as a valid entry document.
Required Documentation
To apply for an E.T.D., applicants must appear in person at the Consulate General and submit the following documentation:
- A valid form of identification (e.g. identity card or driver’s license), in original form or, where not possible, as a copy;
- A report of loss or theft filed with the local police authorities (including both the police report and the passport loss certificate issued by the Entry-Exit Office);
- ETD application form, filled and signed;
- Airline ticket, e-ticket, or travel itinerary showing a confirmed departure date;
- Two identical passport-size color photographs, front-facing, with a white background (three photographs if identification through witnesses is required);
Important Information
If the Italian citizen applying for the E.T.D. is unable to present any valid identification document, either in original or copy form, this Consulate General will need to carry out additional identity verification procedures before issuing the emergency travel document.
In such cases, the applicant may also be required to appear with at least one witness, who must present a valid original identity document for identification purposes.
Applications for Minors
For minors requiring an E.T.D., all documentation required for adult applicants must also be submitted, together with declarations of consent signed by both parents.
If the parents are Italian citizens or citizens of another European Union Member State, the signed declarations may be sent by email together with copies of identity documents bearing the holders’ signatures.
For non-EU citizens, the declarations must be signed in person either at this Consulate General or before the competent authorities in the place of residence (Police Headquarters or the relevant diplomatic-consular authority), which will then transmit the documentation to this office.
Applicants may additionally be asked to provide documentation establishing parentage, such as a family status certificate or a birth certificate indicating the names of both parents.
If the minor does not possess any identification documents, this office will carry out further verification procedures, as described above for adult applicants.
Service Availability
Please note that on public holidays and on the days immediately preceding public holidays, the issuance of Emergency Travel Documents may be postponed to the first working day except for duly documented emergency cases, which will be assessed on a case-by-case base.
NOTE – OBLIGATION TO RETURN THE ETD
Please note that, starting from December 2025, holders of an E.T.D. will be required to return the document, upon arrival at their destination, to the border police or other police stations, regardless of any remaining validity period.
If the holder of an EU E.T.D. issued by a consular office travels to a country other than Italy, the document must be returned to the consular office territorially competent for the place of destination.