Italy’s EU Blue Card changes causing delays

Italy has changed its EU Blue Card application process, leading to delays for employers and foreign professionals, according to Fragomen. The changes, made in December 2025 to the Italian Ministry of Interior’s online portal, have added new steps and data requirements that are slowing filings by several weeks. As per the update, as reported by Fragomen, applicants now face additional verification and documentation hurdles at the start of the process. These changes are expected to extend EU Blue Card processing times by around three to four weeks, at least in the short term. Under the revised system, the application portal now first requires the login credentials of the company’s legal representative. Once entered, the system automatically pulls official company contact details and sends a verification code to the legal representative’s registered email address. Earlier, these details were submitted as part of the main EU Blue Card application. The ministry’s website also now retrieves a company’s financial data by default, a step that can take up to one week before an application can move forward. In addition, applicants must now provide detailed information about the future employee’s initial accommodation, including formal property identity numbers known as cadastral details. Previously, employers could list a generic company address or hotel details, and accommodation did not need to be secured before filing. According to Fragomen, this new requirement creates an added administrative burden, as accommodation may need to be arranged in advance. The firm also reported that the system may fail to recognise accommodation details even when correct information is entered, especially if property records have not been updated.