Sportellino: a multilingual chatbot for migrants in Italy ^{CEFR B2}

Sportellino launched as a practical tool to reduce language barriers and simplify procedures for migrants arriving in Italy. Developed within the Master’s programme in Migration and Development at Sapienza University of Rome, the chatbot provides step-by-step, verified guidance on residence permits, civil registry registration, health insurance cards, choosing a GP, SPID, employment, school and other public services. The nonprofit team behind the project, led operationally by Rebecca di Matteo, stresses that the service is free, anonymous, ad-free and available 24/7 via WhatsApp or Telegram; users access it by scanning a QR code without registering or giving sensitive personal data.

The knowledge base draws on official sources and is validated by professionals. The technical stack includes a large language model developed by Mistral and servers based in Frankfurt, with all data processing conforming to the GDPR. Sportellino supports many languages, including English, French, Spanish, Arabic, Farsi, Pashto and Ukrainian. According to Roma Capitale Magazine, the chatbot reached approximately 10,000 users by March 2026, with a peak of new users in October 2025.

Staff come from Italy, Morocco, Ukraine, Germany, Argentina and Senegal. The team says the tool is meant to complement human assistance, handling repetitive questions so physical help desks and operators can focus on complex or personalised cases. For example, a man used the chatbot to understand labour exploitation and was then guided to a local protection network. Sportellino is not in direct contact with the national government but is starting collaborations with municipalities, Immigration Help Desks, Anti‑Violence Centers (CAVs), Sapienza and other third‑sector groups. The Italian Ministry of Labor and Social Policies launched its own PIM chatbot on March 5, 2026; Sportellino describes its approach as bottom-up and focused on everyday needs across institutions and communities.