# Scratch Pad
## Draft: British in Europe Email
**To:**
[email protected]
**Subject:** WA beneficiary (Italy) — travel without residence card due to loss
I am a UK national living in Milan, Italy, and a beneficiary of the EU-UK Withdrawal Agreement. I have been continuously registered at the Italian anagrafe (municipal registry) since August 2017. I was issued a carta di soggiorno (Withdrawal Agreement residence card) in August 2021, which is valid until August 2026.
In January 2026, I lost my physical residence card. I filed a denuncia (police report) with the Carabinieri on 21 January 2026 and have a PrenotaFacile appointment at the Milan Questura on 25 March 2026 to apply for a duplicate card. The statutory processing time is 20 days, but I understand the actual processing time can be 30–90 days.
I need to travel outside the Schengen area on 22 April 2026 (to Hong Kong for a conference) and return to Italy in early May 2026 via Tokyo. I have already purchased the outbound flight. I am also getting married to an Italian citizen on 12 April 2026, so I will have a certificato di matrimonio by the time I travel.
**My concerns are:**
1. **Passport stamp:** When I re-entered the Schengen area in December 2025 (via Schiphol airport, from the UK), I discovered in the passport control queue that I had lost my card. My passport was stamped as though I were a tourist. By the time I depart on 22 April, that stamp will make it appear I have been in the Schengen area for over four months, which would exceed the 90-day limit for tourists. I know I am not subject to the 90/180-day rule as a resident, but I am concerned about how this stamp will be interpreted by border officials and airlines.
2. **Entry/Exit System (EES):** The EES reaches full deployment on 9 April 2026, before my travel date. Withdrawal Agreement beneficiaries are supposed to be exempt from EES registration if they can produce their residence document. Without the physical card, I could be registered as a third-country tourist. I am also unsure whether my December 2025 entry at Schiphol was captured digitally in EES (as they were phasing it in at the time) or was only a manual ink stamp.
3. **Airline boarding:** I am concerned that the airline at check-in in Tokyo might refuse to board me for the return flight to Italy. They would see a British passport with no visa and no residence card, and might not accept alternative documentation.
**Documentation I can provide:**
In lieu of the physical card, I will be traveling with:
- The denuncia (police report for lost card)
- The ricevuta (receipt) from the questura confirming my duplicate application (which I will receive at the 25 March appointment)
- A scan of my lost card
- Attestazione di iscrizione anagrafica (certificate of municipal registration from the Comune di Milano, showing registration since August 2017)
- Autocertificazione from the Comune (self-certification of residence)
- Certificato di matrimonio (marriage certificate to an Italian citizen, issued after 12 April 2026)
- My employment contract (I work at Università di Genova)
**My questions:**
Have you encountered cases of WA beneficiaries traveling without their physical residence card? Are there known issues at Italian borders or with airlines in situations like this? Are there specific resources, template letters, or guidance you could point me to? Any advice would be greatly appreciated.
Many thanks,
Nick Young
Milan
---
## Draft: Facebook Post for UK Citizens' Rights Group
Hi all. I'm a WA beneficiary living in Milan. I lost my permesso di soggiorno card, and filed a denuncia with the Carabinieri on 21 January 2026. I have a PrenotaFacile appointment at the Milan Questura on 25 March for a duplicato.
My problem is travel. I need to fly out of Italy on 22 April for a conference in Hong Kong, and then return to Italy in early May via Tokyo. I've already bought the outbound ticket. I'm also getting married to an Italian citizen on 12 April, so I'll have a certificato di matrimonio by the time I travel.
There are several complications and I'm quite worried:
**The passport stamp:** When I flew back into the Schengen area in December 2025 (via Schiphol, from the UK), it was in the passport control queue that I first discovered I'd lost my card. So my passport was stamped as though I were a tourist. By the time I fly out on 22 April, that stamp will make it look like I've been in the Schengen area for over 4 months. I know the card is not a legal requirement for exercising my WA rights and I'm not subject to the 90/180 rule, but how much of a problem is this stamp going to be.
**EES:** The Entry/Exit System reaches full deployment on 9 April — before my travel date. WA beneficiaries are supposed to be exempt from EES registration, but only if they can produce their residence document. Without the card, I could be registered as a third-country tourist. I'm also not sure whether the December entry at Schiphol was captured digitally in EES (they were phasing it in at the time) or whether it was just an ink stamp.
**The airline:** I'm worried that even if Italian border police would let me back in (they can check questura records), the airline at check-in in Tokyo might refuse to board me. They'd see a British passport, no visa, no residence card, and might not accept alternative documentation.
**Documentation I can assemble:** In lieu of the card, I'd be travelling with: the denuncia, the ricevuta from the questura, a photocopy of my old card, my attestazione di iscrizione anagrafica, autocertificazione from the Comune, my certificato di matrimonio, and my employment contract. But I don't know whether this kind of documentation package would actually get me through border control and airline check-in.
My questions:
1. Has anyone successfully had an erroneous passport stamp annulled? If so, where and how?
2. If I travel with the documentation package above instead of the physical card, what can I realistically expect to happen — at Italian border control on the way out, at airline check-in for the return, and at Italian border control on the way back in? Has anyone done this?
3. For those who've applied for a duplicato at the Milan Questura — how long did it actually take to receive the replacement card? The statutory period is 20 days but I've seen estimates of 30–90 days.
4. Is there anything I can do at my 25 March appointment to request expedited processing, given the booked travel on 22 April?
5. Any other advice welcome, even if it is to say that it is a bad idea to try to travel and the best thing to do is not to go to the conference.
Thanks in advance.
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[UK Citizens' rights in Italy - Beyond Brexit](https://www.facebook.com/groups/britishcitizensinitaly/) › Guides
# Guides
We are creating these guides to keep all the useful info in one place and easily accessible. NB - they are constantly updated so do check back!
0 of 4 required guides completed
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GUIDE 1
GROUP USEFUL INFO
In this guide you will find any useful info about the group including the glossary, rules etc.
0/9 POSTS COMPLETED
[Penelope Phillips](https://www.facebook.com/penelope.phillipsmcintyre?__tn__=]) turned off commenting for this post.
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Permitted Topics
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#### CHANGES TO ALLOWED TOPICS
Now things in our post-Brexit world have calmed down a bit, we have decided to **open up the topics** again to more generally cover **any bureaucracy/admin issues**.
If it's _not that type of query_ or has a _purely local element_ (e.g. something specific about your questura) _please us your local group_ otherwise feel free to ask here.
These are the two topics we are **not permitting** - **Covid and Covid travel rules** - for the following reasons:
- The rules change too often
- There are other groups that cover just that
- The official sources are the only place to get reliable info so we have nothing to add
Also bear in mind that we are **not in a position to comment on tax or legal issues**. You need professional advice for both. There have been discussions in the past where working freelance, taxation of UK properties and other situations have been discussed in depth. Please **use the search** to find these discussions. If you have additional questions you need to direct them to an **accountant or CAF** office. Please see our Glossary (**search glossary** to find it) for the definition of CAF.
Happy posting! - the Admins
[Sarah Kinnersly](https://www.facebook.com/groups/490079258124607/user/100001280233319/?__cft__[0]=AZbE7ThKd_v0ecCPsdp8n4ylwAGRLWfcMoI4zGpR_lQqfiRO1BPp8b2BY-G-BbEyC___sgTZp8a9P_01dCTyOqCVN9jfksiw_8_sTEPSIKRE5azDXh0AHMou6o4tspJ3-lkUaHrlWrp3lqu13qK6vBWa&__tn__=R]-R)
Top contributor
Thank you.
- [4y](https://www.facebook.com/groups/britishcitizensinitaly/posts/1325035674628957/?comment_id=1325176197948238&__cft__[0]=AZbE7ThKd_v0ecCPsdp8n4ylwAGRLWfcMoI4zGpR_lQqfiRO1BPp8b2BY-G-BbEyC___sgTZp8a9P_01dCTyOqCVN9jfksiw_8_sTEPSIKRE5azDXh0AHMou6o4tspJ3-lkUaHrlWrp3lqu13qK6vBWa&__tn__=R]-R)
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Information vs Advice
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INFORMATION VERSUS ADVICE
We're currently getting lots of new members in the group, which is great, and you're all very welcome. This post is an important one for you, but it's just as important for all the 'old-timers' to read too.
The issues that we cover in this group are essentially legal issues as they derive from legislation. This means that we - and you - have to be careful about the way that we provide information and about h…
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[Fiona Sutherland Beatson](https://www.facebook.com/groups/490079258124607/user/100002054478475/?__cft__[0]=AZbgcbfv6vMy6oyFhV0swB3Z6KyP1Z3H4EXzt2LWoFct_ChNlTmAE2r4HO7wMjORslUTJGH60vaq5Om09LWrQdvfZHWE-Lm-waZQ8treYnxQbe6nth9zlieRf9-u_-R_z6ENT_eSTFKSjBpizAtc6n9x&__tn__=R]-R)
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- [4y](https://www.facebook.com/groups/britishcitizensinitaly/posts/1233137517152107/?comment_id=1233140293818496&__cft__[0]=AZbgcbfv6vMy6oyFhV0swB3Z6KyP1Z3H4EXzt2LWoFct_ChNlTmAE2r4HO7wMjORslUTJGH60vaq5Om09LWrQdvfZHWE-Lm-waZQ8treYnxQbe6nth9zlieRf9-u_-R_z6ENT_eSTFKSjBpizAtc6n9x&__tn__=R]-R)
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[Kalba Meadows](https://www.facebook.com/groups/490079258124607/user/1130246540/?__cft__[0]=AZbgcbfv6vMy6oyFhV0swB3Z6KyP1Z3H4EXzt2LWoFct_ChNlTmAE2r4HO7wMjORslUTJGH60vaq5Om09LWrQdvfZHWE-Lm-waZQ8treYnxQbe6nth9zlieRf9-u_-R_z6ENT_eSTFKSjBpizAtc6n9x&__tn__=R]-R)
Just for transparency, this is a post that I wrote many many months ago for the British in Europe Facebook group. It's as rele…
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- [4y](https://www.facebook.com/groups/britishcitizensinitaly/posts/1233137517152107/?comment_id=1233484587117400&__cft__[0]=AZbgcbfv6vMy6oyFhV0swB3Z6KyP1Z3H4EXzt2LWoFct_ChNlTmAE2r4HO7wMjORslUTJGH60vaq5Om09LWrQdvfZHWE-Lm-waZQ8treYnxQbe6nth9zlieRf9-u_-R_z6ENT_eSTFKSjBpizAtc6n9x&__tn__=R]-R)
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[Penelope Phillips](https://www.facebook.com/groups/490079258124607/user/660033256/?__cft__[0]=AZbgcbfv6vMy6oyFhV0swB3Z6KyP1Z3H4EXzt2LWoFct_ChNlTmAE2r4HO7wMjORslUTJGH60vaq5Om09LWrQdvfZHWE-Lm-waZQ8treYnxQbe6nth9zlieRf9-u_-R_z6ENT_eSTFKSjBpizAtc6n9x&__tn__=R]-R)
Author
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All-star contributor
Thanks Kalba. That's why we asked at the time if we could share it
- [4y](https://www.facebook.com/groups/britishcitizensinitaly/posts/1233137517152107/?comment_id=1233484587117400&reply_comment_id=1233485343783991&__cft__[0]=AZbgcbfv6vMy6oyFhV0swB3Z6KyP1Z3H4EXzt2LWoFct_ChNlTmAE2r4HO7wMjORslUTJGH60vaq5Om09LWrQdvfZHWE-Lm-waZQ8treYnxQbe6nth9zlieRf9-u_-R_z6ENT_eSTFKSjBpizAtc6n9x&__tn__=R]-R)
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Really useful to remind us of this. Our opinion or own experience can read as advice. For example recent threads re driving li…
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- [4y](https://www.facebook.com/groups/britishcitizensinitaly/posts/1233137517152107/?comment_id=1233784633754062&__cft__[0]=AZbgcbfv6vMy6oyFhV0swB3Z6KyP1Z3H4EXzt2LWoFct_ChNlTmAE2r4HO7wMjORslUTJGH60vaq5Om09LWrQdvfZHWE-Lm-waZQ8treYnxQbe6nth9zlieRf9-u_-R_z6ENT_eSTFKSjBpizAtc6n9x&__tn__=R]-R)
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[Sarah Christopher](https://www.facebook.com/groups/490079258124607/user/100008988224552/?__cft__[0]=AZbgcbfv6vMy6oyFhV0swB3Z6KyP1Z3H4EXzt2LWoFct_ChNlTmAE2r4HO7wMjORslUTJGH60vaq5Om09LWrQdvfZHWE-Lm-waZQ8treYnxQbe6nth9zlieRf9-u_-R_z6ENT_eSTFKSjBpizAtc6n9x&__tn__=R]-R)
I'm really grateful to this group for all the helpful info and advice. Thank you!
- [4y](https://www.facebook.com/groups/britishcitizensinitaly/posts/1233137517152107/?comment_id=1234142597051599&__cft__[0]=AZbgcbfv6vMy6oyFhV0swB3Z6KyP1Z3H4EXzt2LWoFct_ChNlTmAE2r4HO7wMjORslUTJGH60vaq5Om09LWrQdvfZHWE-Lm-waZQ8treYnxQbe6nth9zlieRf9-u_-R_z6ENT_eSTFKSjBpizAtc6n9x&__tn__=R]-R)
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Group Rules
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Click on the picture to see the group rules
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---
# What's Happening
*Active threads and today's activity — updated by /harvest*
## Active
## Sessions
- 10:10 - "[ran /contemplate]" — Base directory for this skill: /Users/nickyoung/.claude/skills/contemplate # ...
- 10:17 - "/contemplate Okay, so I'm pretty stressed out a..." — User: /contemplate Okay, so I'm pretty stressed out and pretty worried about ...
- 10:27 - "/contemplate Okay, so I'm pretty stressed out a..." — User: /contemplate Okay, so I'm pretty stressed out and pretty worried about ...
- 10:41 - "Organize stress and priorities into action plan" — User: /contemplate Okay, so I'm pretty stressed out and pretty worried about ...
- 11:13 - "/contemplate Okay, so I'm pretty stressed out a..." — User: /contemplate Okay, so I'm pretty stressed out and pretty worried about ...
- 11:40 - "give me a run down of our ten most recent chats."
- 12:43 - "Run morning review daily briefing" — /morning-review
- 15:05 - "Analyze paper's characterization of O'Callaghan..." — Base directory for this skill: /Users/nickyoung/.claude/skills/contemplate # ...
- 15:21 - "Okay, so in the downloads folder you will find ..." — Okay, so in the downloads folder you will find a markdown file that has just ...
- 15:36 - "Review engineering aesthetics paper feedback" — User: Okay, so in the downloads folder you will find a markdown file that has...
- 19:38 - "/contemplate I want to start talking to you abo..." — User: /contemplate I want to start talking to you about a potential vibe codi...
- 19:43 - "Open and discuss semiotic physics note" — I want to talk to you about the semiotic physics note that we made yesterday....
- 20:28 - "Explore subtle visual distinction for Claudian ..." — User: /contemplate I am pretty damn happy with how my obsiand looks. we have ...
- 21:19 - "Review and brainstorm Substack project ideas" — Base directory for this skill: /Users/nickyoung/.claude/skills/contemplate # ...
- 21:52 - "Plan tomorrow's generating philosophy session" — User: /contemplate I would really like to have a good day tomorrow working on...
- 22:11 - "Customize Claudian placeholder text and typeface" — You see the random message in the middle of the screen? this appears in every...
- 22:20 - "I've been working with um another chatbot on it..." — I've been working with um another chatbot on iterating on my contemplate skil...
- 22:34 - "I just wanted to do a couple of things, admin t..." — I just wanted to do a couple of things, admin things before I go to bed. Firs...
- 22:45 - "Check vault backup status and review tasks" — User: I just wanted to do a couple of things, admin things before I go to bed...
- 22:45 - "Update contemplate skill with new version" — User: I've been working with um another chatbot on iterating on my contemplat...
- 22:52 - "Fix bold text formatting in chat responses" — Often, um, you when you're writing in the chat box, you tend to use bold text...
## Actions
- 11:12 - Added task: "Call British Consulate Milan (02 723001) about lost CdS and travel - opens 8:00"
- 11:13 - Added task: "Call Naga free legal service (02 58102599) about lost CdS and travel rights"
- 22:36 - Synced Google Tasks
---