ROME - Nearly three months after the UK’s messy departure from the European Union, thousands of British nationals living in Italy are still facing the consequences of the complete bureaucratic upheaval, with many struggling to obtain the basic forms and certifications that allow them to continue their life on Italian soil.

  During the four years of Brexit negotiations and planning, Britons resident abroad before Jan. 1, 2021, were promised no major legal or administrative battles to have to face to continue living and working undisturbed. 

  However, many stories have been revealed that paint a contrary picture, in part from members of the Facebook page ‘Beyond Brexit - UK Citizens in Italy.’

  One example, recounted to il Fatto Quotidiano, in their story "Britons in Italy prisoners of bureaucracy", is of a man who was unable to renew his contract of employment - eventually losing out on three weeks pay - without providing the number of his ‘permesso di soggiorno’ (residence permit). however, this was something which he couldn’t get, and moreover shouldn’t have needed to, having lived in Italy, with an Italian wife, for a long time before Brexit. His wife told of how, for many application forms, her husband had to be either an EU citizen, or be an ‘extracomunitari’ (non-EU citizen) with a permesso di soggiorno.

  Another story told to il Fatto was that of Stephen, who requested his disability pension last September (before the crucial Jan 1) and had it accepted in November, before being told in December that this request had no value any more post-Brexit. He began his application again, however this request was denied and he was told he needed to get a residence card, which, having subsequently applied, he found out he was unable to get either, due to various incomprehensible administrative complications.

  He was quoted saying “it’s an extremely frustrating situation, especially because no one is able to give you any definite answers. I don’t have a job, but I have the fortune to have a house and to live with my wife, but if someone was alone, maybe with rent to pay, how could they solve a situation like this?”

  These many tales of personal Brexit nightmares all seem to have similar set ups: Italian administrative departments operating at half capacity due to the pandemic, regulations so recently put into place that no one is quite sure what anyone needs, and fully automated online systems that have no scope for the various unique predicaments people have found themselves in, or any sympathy for those fallen between the cracks of the far from perfect post-Brexit arrangements.

  British Erasmus students (the EU-wide university exchange programme) are another group who have found themselves left unprovided-for by the legalities of Brexit. One student of University of Edinburgh was recently turned away from the airport on their way to an exchange at an Italian university, as BA said it couldn’t guarantee the student wouldn’t be turned away at the airport in Italy for not having a visa - even though a British citizen can be in Italy for 90 days without a visa. Briitish Airways did not respond when emailed by the Insider to ask about the incident.

  This current year of British students on their exchange programmes are the last year eligible for the Erasmus scheme, but they have been caught in a difficult situation - travelling with a scheme built around the easy movement of students around Europe, and yet hindered by the sudden precipitation of stricter border requirements.

  In the three months since the transition, nothing seems to have much improved for those living abroad. Though obviously Italian authorities and the British Embassy are trying their best to cater for British residents - many of whom are still struggling to prove themselves eligible for Italian healthcare, among other basic services -  some feel British authorities could have done a better job in looking after their citizens. The Foreign Office chief press officer, Pedro Diogo, regularly tweets pats on the back to himself and his staff for their work keeping British expats in Italy informed of their rights. But Mr Doigo and the FCO advertising agency cut Italian Insider out of a contract to publicise expats rights in Italy after Insider had the temerity to ask for prompt payment. Insider continues to run the advertisements for free since they are in the public interest, however.

  However, as the British consulate has undoubtedly reminded anyone who has come to them for help, it is the Italian institutions that need to update their administrative systems to cater for these new British extracomunitari.

 jp-ol