SPID without CIE: which provider to pick

In short

A general overview of SPID - what it is and how to set it up at all - is in the article on SPID for a foreigner. This one covers a narrower question that comes up most often in the community: I have neither a CIE nor a tessera sanitaria yet - with which provider, and how, do I even issue SPID? Below is a comparison of accredited providers specifically from the point of view of a foreigner without an Italian plastic document, plus a breakdown of video identification as the main workaround. This is an overview based on community experience, not legal advice; the set of providers, prices and recognition methods change, so always verify the current details on spid.gov.it and agid.gov.it.

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Who actually issues SPID

SPID is issued not by the state directly but by private companies accredited by AgID as identity providers. According to the community and the official list these are, in particular:

• Poste Italiane (the product is called PosteID);
• Aruba (aruba.it);
• Namirial (Namirial ID);
• Sielte (Sielte id);
• InfoCert;
• Lepida (a regional provider, often mentioned in Emilia-Romagna).

They all issue the same digital identity and by law give access to the same government portals. The difference for a foreigner is not that one provider is "better" or "worse", but which method each one allows for confirming identity and whether it accepts a foreign document at all. The full and current list of providers and their recognition methods is on spid.gov.it.

I tried Poste and five more providers in a row - on the online form they all hit the requirement of an Italian ID, which I did not have. At the same time I saw messages that people without those documents did get SPID after all. So the question is not "can you", but "through which method and with whom".

The fork: free recognition versus paid video

Every provider has several ways to confirm identity, and it is the method that determines whether SPID is available to you right now.

• Free methods - login by CIE (plastic ID card), by TS-CNS (chipped tessera sanitaria), or by firma digitale. They are free, but they require a document that a newly arrived person usually does not have yet.
• Paid video identification with an operator (riconoscimento via webcam / de visu da remoto) - this is the key path when there is no plastic document. The operator on the video call looks at you and at the document, and this, by the community, is the only realistic way to issue SPID without a CIE and without a tessera.

So the claim "SPID is free" holds only if you already have something to be recognized with for free. While you have no documents, you pay not for SPID itself but for a live operator on the video call.

People without a CIE need to understand the fork: the free SPID channels are built for those who already have an Italian electronic document. If they do not have one, the only working option is paid video with an operator. This is not overpaying an intermediary, it is the official recognition method of the provider itself.

Comparing providers for a foreigner without a CIE

The table is compiled from community observations. All items are time-sensitive, and prices and rules change per provider - be sure to check the current details on the provider's site and on spid.gov.it.

The main practical takeaway from the table: a free self-service SPID almost always requires an Italian document, and without one the remaining option is paid video identification - offered, in particular, by Namirial, Sielte, Aruba and InfoCert.

Poste did not work for me on the first try, so I did it through Sielte - for a token fee, check the current rates, and without the stress. The post office always has queues and hassles, while here I just went through the steps and got it. So if one provider is stuck, try another instead of banging against the same wall.

How to get SPID when you have neither a CIE nor a tessera: video ID step by step

This is the killer scenario: you have a passport, you have a codice fiscale, you have a permesso (or a ricevuta), but you have no plastic Italian document. According to the community the order is roughly as follows; the interface and requirements differ per provider.

I set it up while still in Russia: I chose Sielte, paid about ten euro, we connected by video at the appointed time, and I simply showed the documents to the camera. Everything went remotely, without a single trip to an office. The main thing was not to get flustered when the operator started speaking Italian.

Why PosteID most often rejects a foreign passport

A separate word on Poste, because many start with it. According to the community, on the PosteID online form the list of allowed documents contains only IDs issued in Italy or San Marino - a foreign passport simply cannot be selected there. There is also the scenario where the card is read by phone over NFC and the read fails with an error. This does not mean PosteID is fundamentally unavailable to a foreigner: once a CIE appears, it sets up fine. But as a first step without an Italian document Poste more often disappoints, and people move to providers with video verification.

On the PosteID site I got stuck on document selection: as a passport only ones issued in Italy were accepted, and my foreign one was not on the list at all. I had to find a provider that does recognition by video - otherwise with just a foreign passport you get nowhere.

When SPID from one provider does not work - people take a second

Another community observation: an identita digitale from different providers is formally equivalent, but in practice SPID from one sometimes fails on a specific portal or in a banking app, while SPID from another passes. Since you can hold SPID from several providers, a fallback is to set up a second identita. This is exactly an observation, not a rule: if something does not log you in, the cause may also be in the service itself.

It turned out SPID from one provider was not accepted at a couple of banks for me - it threw an error. I made PosteID as a second one, and at the bank everything went through. So having a second SPID in reserve is a perfectly workable safety net.

SPID, CIE and CNS: what to choose for your situation

Before paying for video, check whether another login is simpler - this is covered in detail in the main article on SPID for a foreigner and in the material on PEC and CIE. In short:

• If the CIE is already in hand - a separate SPID is often not needed at all (everywhere there is a CIE login), and if it is, Aruba issues it in a couple of minutes for free.
• If you have no documents yet but need portal access urgently - you can take a CNS device (for example an aruba key): it is issued with a codice fiscale and a passport, without residenza, for several years at once. It is the same login to government services as SPID, and it is often available earlier than a full SPID becomes possible.
• Paid SPID video identification makes sense when you need SPID specifically (for example, a particular service requires it) while a CIE and a tessera are still far off.

Also keep in mind the country-code problem in the codice fiscale (135 versus 154 for those born in the USSR): when the codes diverge, the identity check and issuance can fail. It is convenient to break down the structure of your code with the tool:

The first steps - getting a codice fiscale and residenza, on which both the CIE and SPID depend - are described in the material Codice fiscale and residenza.

Red flags and safety

• "SPID for a fee" through an intermediary. If you already have an Italian document, SPID is set up yourself and for free; there is usually no point paying an outsider for what you do yourself. Only the official video identification at the provider itself is paid, not a "I'll do it for you" service.
• The SPID login and password are yours alone. You must not hand SPID credentials to an accountant, a lawyer or a "helper": it is illegal and dangerous. For help there is a formal delega.
• Check whom you are paying. Pay for the video on the provider's official site from the spid.gov.it list, not via a link from private messages.

The main warning: do not give your SPID login and password to anyone, even if they really ask to "help with the filing". If you already did - change the password right away. And pay for video identification only on the provider's official site, otherwise it is easy to run into a scheme.

Takeaways

1. A free self-service SPID almost always requires an Italian document (CIE or an Italian license); without it, the remaining option is paid video identification.
2. Video verification without a CIE and without a tessera is offered, by the community, in particular by Namirial, Sielte, Aruba and InfoCert; PosteID often rejects a foreign passport on its online form.
3. For video you usually need a passport, a codice fiscale, an Italian number and a readiness to answer the operator in Italian; the price guide is around 10-15 euro, amounts are time-sensitive.
4. If you already have a CIE - SPID is often not needed; if you have no documents at all but access is urgent - look toward a CNS device.
5. You can hold SPID from several providers: if one does not pass on a portal or at a bank, a second one helps.

Related materials

Official sources

• spid.gov.it - the official SPID portal: list of providers and recognition methods.
• AgID SPID provider registry - active identity providers, checked 09.11.2026.
• cartaidentita.interno.gov.it - CIE: where to apply and what it costs.
• agid.gov.it - Agenzia per l'Italia Digitale: SPID rules and the transition to CIE.
• interno.gov.it - Ministry of the Interior: CIE and identity documents.
• poste.it - Poste Italiane: PosteID.
• agenziaentrate.gov.it - codice fiscale and cassetto fiscale.

Frequently asked questions

Can you get SPID without a CIE and without a tessera sanitaria?

According to the community - yes, but through paid video identification with an operator, not through the free self-service path. Some providers (Namirial advertises this directly) issue an identita digitale by video call without a CIE and without a chipped tessera. Even so, you still need a valid document, a codice fiscale and usually an Italian phone number. Verify the current terms on spid.gov.it - this is not legal advice.

Which SPID provider is easiest for a foreigner to set up?

There is no single answer: by community experience some managed it through Sielte by video call from abroad, others through Aruba or InfoCert, while PosteID often rejects a foreign passport on its online form. The logic is simple: if the free routes hit the requirement of an Italian document, people take paid video verification from any provider that offers it. The list of accredited providers is on spid.gov.it. This is not legal advice.

How much does SPID via video identification cost?

According to the community basic SPID at most providers is free if you use the free recognition method (for example by CIE). What is usually paid is the video identification with a live operator - community figures around 10-15 euro one-off, and amounts are time-sensitive. Check the exact price on the provider's site and on spid.gov.it - this is not legal advice.

Will a foreign passport be accepted when setting up SPID?

According to the community the online forms of several providers (PosteID in particular) accept only documents issued in Italy or San Marino at the document-selection stage. A foreign passport often does not pass there. The workaround is video identification with an operator, where you show the document to the camera, but that too requires a valid document. Verify on spid.gov.it - this is not legal advice.

Do you need an Italian phone number for SPID video identification?

According to the community the video check usually requires an Italian number and an Italian address in the application; the call itself is often run in Italian and you are asked to answer in Italian. Some providers still work from abroad. Requirements differ per provider - check the provider's site and spid.gov.it. This is not legal advice.

What if SPID from one provider does not work on a bank site?

According to the community this happens: SPID from one provider sometimes fails on a specific portal or in a banking app, while SPID from another passes. A practical fix is to set up an identita with another provider (you can hold SPID from several at once). This is a community observation, not a rule - verify on spid.gov.it. This is not legal advice.

Related materials - Digital services (SPID, PEC, CIE)

• SPID, PEC and CIE in Italy: where to start
• How to get SPID in Italy as a foreigner 2026
• PEC and CIE in Italy: how to get them
• Codice fiscale (tax code) for foreigners

Next stepCodice fiscale calculatorAlgorithm + breakdown

Documents for this topic

• Cambio residenza in Turin: documents, the Comune checklist (Mod. APR/4)
• Mod. APR057 and APR059: owner or tenant consent to a residenza change (Turin)
• Certificate of Tax Residency in Italy (Attestato di Residenza Fiscale - Agenzia delle Entrate)