Sportellino: a multilingual chatbot for migrants in ItalyCEFR B1
24 Apr 2026
Adapted from Marisa Petricca, Global Voices • CC BY 3.0
Photo by Martina Picciau, Unsplash
Sportellino is a multilingual chatbot created within the Master’s programme in Migration and Development at Sapienza University of Rome. Rebecca di Matteo, Head of Operations at the nonprofit behind the project, says the tool offers clear, verified answers on topics such as residence permits, civil registry registration, health insurance cards, choosing a GP, SPID, employment, school and other public services.
The service is free, anonymous, ad-free and available 24/7 via WhatsApp or Telegram. Users start by scanning a QR code; no registration or sensitive personal data are requested. The knowledge base is built from official sources and validated by professionals.
The team chose an LLM developed by Mistral and runs servers in Frankfurt, and all data processing follows the GDPR. Sportellino is available in several languages and, according to Roma Capitale Magazine, reached approximately 10,000 users by March 2026. The project complements human support by handling frequent questions so staff can focus on complex cases.
Difficult words
- multilingual — able to use or support several languages
- chatbot — computer program that answers people by text
- residence permit — official document allowing someone legal stayresidence permits
- civil registry registration — official recording of births, marriages or residence
- anonymous — without name or personal identity shown
- knowledge base — collection of checked information used by the tool
- validate — check and confirm information is correctvalidated
- server — computer that stores and sends data over networksservers
- complement — add to something to improve or complete itcomplements
Tip: hover, focus or tap highlighted words in the article to see quick definitions while you read or listen.
Discussion questions
- Do you think an anonymous chatbot is useful for people who need public services? Why or why not?
- How could having the service in several languages help migrants or newcomers in your area?
- Do you prefer asking simple questions to a chatbot or to a person? Explain one advantage of each.
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