‘Sportellino’ is an AI chatbot who helps migrants navigate the maze of Italian bureaucracy

April 24, 2026

Sportellino is a free multilingual AI chatbot launched in July 2025 to help migrants in Italy navigate language barriers and complex bureaucratic processes through WhatsApp and Telegram. Developed by students and professionals at Sapienza University of Rome, the service provides anonymous, 24/7 guidance on residence permits, healthcare, employment, and other essential services in multiple languages including English, French, Arabic, Farsi, and Pashto. By March 2026, approximately 10,000 users had accessed the platform, which was designed using a European AI system that complies with strict privacy regulations.

Who is affected

Migrants and asylum seekers arriving in Italy seeking information about bureaucratic procedures, residence permits, healthcare, employment, and public services
Operators and social workers at migrant reception centers whose workload could be reduced by the chatbot handling routine inquiries
A Nigerian man who used the service to understand labor exploitation he was experiencing
Asylum seekers in the Esquilino neighborhood of Rome who tested the prototype
Cultural mediators and social workers who contributed knowledge to build the chatbot's information base
Local organizations including Italian municipalities, Immigration Help Desks, Anti-Violence Centers, and third-sector organizations collaborating with Sportellino

What action is being taken

Sportellino is providing free, anonymous, multilingual chatbot services via WhatsApp and Telegram in eight languages
The team is working to improve the chatbot's ability to respond to broader and more complex questions
Sportellino is initiating collaborations with local organizations, municipalities, departments, Immigration Help Desks, Anti-Violence Centers, startups, associations, and Sapienza University of Rome
The chatbot is processing user inquiries 24/7 based on a knowledge base built from official sources and validated information

Why it matters

This project addresses critical barriers migrants face when arriving in Italy—language difficulties and navigating complex bureaucracy—which are essential for obtaining asylum status or residence permits. By providing accessible, multilingual information through commonly used messaging platforms, Sportellino reduces confusion, misinformation, and frustration while empowering migrants to understand their rights and navigate systems independently. The bottom-up approach, built on real migrant needs with input from operators and legal experts, represents a human-centered use of AI that complements rather than replaces human support, allowing social workers to focus on complex cases requiring personalized attention while the chatbot handles routine questions.

What's next

Sportellino is working to further improve its ability to respond to broader and more complex questions
The team plans to continue developing collaborations with various local organizations, municipalities, and institutions committed to facilitating access to rights and services

Read full article from source: Global Voices