In response to a surge in last-minute travel demand, the provincial police headquarters (Questura) of Ragusa in Sicily has launched an online “Appuntamenti Prioritari” agenda allowing residents to book urgent passport appointments within 15–30 days. The system went live earlier this spring but was updated on 25 June with additional slots and clearer self-certification forms. Applicants who cannot find an ordinary appointment can now log in to the national Passaporto Online platform and select the priority section. They must upload proof of travel—such as an airline ticket or employer letter—and print an auto-declaration that will be verified on the day of fingerprinting. If no priority dates are available, the portal generates a form that can be hand-delivered to the Questura to request issuance within 15 days. The change follows nationwide criticism of multi-month backlogs that saw Italian citizens queue overnight for passport renewals. While the Ministry of the Interior has promised 150 extra staff for major cities, smaller provinces are experimenting with digital triage to free counters for verified emergencies. For expatriate families and business travellers based in Sicily, the new option could be a game-changer: Ragusa residents previously had to drive to Catania or Palermo for urgent documents. Mobility managers should update travel-risk dashboards, reminding staff that priority bookings still require supporting evidence and that standard issuance fees apply. Other southern provinces are expected to replicate the model over the summer. Companies with high volumes of Italian business travellers may wish to monitor availability across multiple Questure and steer employees to locations with shorter lead times.
Source: La Sicilia
