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The Italian revenue stamp, referred to as a "marca da bollo" in Italian, is a revenue stamp that has been used in Italy since 1863 as payment for the validation of acts and public documents (for example, notarial acts, statements, passports, etc.).
An Italian revenue stamp for passports, referred to as a "marca da bollo per passaporto" in Italian, is placed in an Italian passport that shows the bearer has paid the applicable tax to use their passport while traveling. When citizens are issued a new passport, the first revenue stamp, or bollo, is included.
These stamps are generally sold in tobacconists or in authorized public places.
Replacement of stamps by stickers
Since June 2005 the stamps have been replaced by stickers, issued by telematics from the Italian revenue agency, Agenzia delle Entrate, at the point of sale. The stickers replaced the stamps on September 1, 2007.
People who still had the older stamps on that date were not able to subsequently use them because of the change to adhesive stickers and the older stamps are not presently refundable. Due to prior purchasing of the stamps in large quantities, some businesses suffered fiscal damage because they purchased the stamps shortly before the changeover to stickers.