Tuesday, February, 16th
I got a sudden email from the Milan comune that they need this declaration from the embassy that I need to send to them within 10 days. This declaration needs to clarify my FIRST NAME and LAST NAME because my passport states only the full name and they cannot detect which part of my is the first part and the last part. Not only that, I need to legalize this document.
The request seemed confusing at first and we had some questions, so we tried calling them, but no one picked up the phone. He then replied if he can talk to them on the phone since no one has been picking up the phone.
His email was ignored.
He then tried to send another email that it’s impossible to get the document since the embassy is in Rome (I live in Milan) and they want me to send it to them within 10 days. He also added the fact that on my other Italian documents, codice fiscale and tessera sanitaria, both mentioned my first name and last name in separated fields.
For some reason, they responded to this email the next day but ignored his first email and why they cannot accept my other documents. So, we decided to try to get this declaration from my embassy.
After struggling with my request for this declaration form through the embassy myself, I finally sent the digital copy of the original 5 days after their last email.
However, it wasn’t good enough for them as it needs to be legalized.
We then booked an appointment with the preffetura to get the printed copy of the original legalized but it was not okay for them.
After confiding with our landlords who have lived in Milan for a long time, they suggested that the Indonesian Embassy and preffetura to communicate through their certified email so both parties can acknowledge the digital document as legal. However, that was still not okay for the preffetura.
I understand to legalize a document is to stamp on an original document. However, in this pandemic time, why must we succumb so hard to the tit of bureaucracy? Especially over simple information which is the distinction of which part of my name is the first part and the last.
Not only that I have to endure all this headache if the embassy will somehow send the document to me, but I will also have to pay the posting fee and then pay more tax stamps for the legalization. All this, again, for the distinction of my first name and my last name.
There’s no other reason for all this headache other than the old bureaucratic system that tries very much to make it inconvenient for foreigners to stay here, while the government makes the most money.
Is this the price to pay for fresh pizza and luscious gelato?
