It-wallet represents one of the most ambitious pieces of the digitization path of the Italian public administration. It has been designed as a sort of electronic portfolio, integrated in the app, capable of guarding in digital format documents and official certifications to be exhibited if necessary, with the promise to make access to public and private services easier and at the same time increase the protection of personal data. To date, however, the system does not make it possible to freely load any document (the only ones available are driving license, health card and European disability paper). Why is it not yet possible to add other documents? These limitations are linked to a combination of factors, including technical and regulatory aspects, which must be resolved before the transition to a generalized use for all citizens. With regard to the question, the Privacy Guarantor has given favorable opinion on the start of a new phase of experimentation by the Department for Digital Transformation, aimed at expanding the set of documents available in the app, which in the future (based on the outcome that will have the tests) should include the ISEE, the qualifications, the electoral card and the certificate of residence.
Experimentation to enhance it-wallets
The experimentation to enhance it-wallets that has recently had the approval of the privacy guarantor has as a primary objective to ensure that the processing of citizens’ data is fully compliant with the GDPR (General Data Protection Regulation). The Privacy Guarantor has in fact given the go -ahead to two schemes of decree of the Prime Minister, but at the same time he asked for very precise guarantees: it is necessary to clearly define the roles of the subjects who manage information and prevent any use of the data that is not strictly necessary. It is therefore a process that requires accurate checks and assessments, not only to protect confidentiality, but also to ensure citizens’ trust in a system that will be adopted throughout Europe with the so -called Eudi Wallet, whose entry into force is set for 2026.
In essence, we do not yet have the opportunity to add all our documents on the app (including the ISEE, the qualifications, the electoral card and the certificate of residence) because the platform is facing two parallel challenges: on the one hand the technical integration with national databases, on the other the construction of a solid regulatory and organizational framework, capable of guaranteeing security and respect for fundamental rights. This is because IT-Wallet was born with the aim of being much more than a simple “digitized documents collector”. Its main function is to facilitate the interaction between citizens, businesses and public administration, creating a safe and interoperable environment: the documents kept in a system can thus be recognized and used also by other platforms, without having to reproduce them several times. This is the meaning of integration with the future European digital portfolio, which from 2026 will allow you to enroll in competitions, access calls or travel within the Union by showing directly the digital credentials.
In particular, on the security front, the Privacy Guarantor has placed precise conditions and an impact assessment on data protection will be made, aimed at analyzing the risks connected to the digital management of personal information. In addition, the Authority must also be consulted on future regulations that governing the methods of registration to the portfolio and the introduction of the so -called “remunerative services”, that is, additional features offered by private companies for a fee. Only when these steps are completed can you talk about a fully operational system.
As stated in an official note published on 10 September last “The Guarantor (…) asked the Presidency of the Council of Ministers for a report at the end of the experimentation period, that, in particular, any critical issues detected and the measures identified to remedy it».
The news on how to access the IT WALLET digital portfolio
Another aspect that directly affects users is related to the methods of access to it-wallets. At the moment you can only enter through SPID or CIE, but Europe asks for more solid mechanisms, which also include the use of physical supports (such as smart cards or tokens), devices that can provide greater protections and protect digital identity from possible abuse. This requirement connects to the need to harmonize the Italian infrastructure with the European one, which will have to work uniformly in all Member States.
