This article predates a change in the law and is awaiting an update. For a specific case, the Firm should be consulted.
Machine translation awaiting review.
The residence permit is the only document that allows a foreigner to legally remain in Italy for a long period. It must be requested within 8 working days from the date of entry into Italy.
Do I need a residence permit in Italy?
Those who have entered Italy for short stays (for example, for tourism, business, etc.), for less than 90 days, do not need to apply for a residence permit, whether they entered Italy with a Schengen visa or without one.
The case of non-European citizens who entered Italy with a national visa, that is, a long-stay visa, is different. The national visa, in fact, represents only the authorization to enter Italy. Once you arrive in Italy you must apply for a residence permit, which is the only document that allows you to legally remain in Italy.
EU citizens, on the other hand, do not need to apply for a residence permit. If they intend to stay more than three months, after three months from entry they must register at the registry office of the municipality of residence; for stays of less than three months no further formalities are required.
Non-EU family members of an EU citizen must, instead, apply for a residence permit, addressing the Questura (Police Headquarters) of the province of residence.
What is a residence permit?
The residence permit is a document that authorizes you to legally remain in Italy for long periods. The Questura issues it to all citizens of countries that are not part of the European Union if they hold a valid entry visa.
The permit always indicates the reason and the duration of the stay. On residence permits that allow the exercise of a work activity, the expression "single work permit" is inserted.
The residence permit:
- allows you to carry out the activities indicated on the permit itself,
- allows access to the rights and services granted to foreigners,
- allows registration in the registry lists and the consequent issuance of the identity document and the tax code, with which you can apply for health assistance, open a bank account, etc.
The residence permit must be requested from the Questore of the province in which the foreigner is located within 8 working days from the date of arrival in Italy.
Pending issuance or renewal of the residence permit
If the application is in order, the Questura office, after having taken fingerprints ("photo-fingerprints"), will hand over a copy of the application with an office stamp indicating the date of the application and the day on which the final residence permit can be collected.
The receipt of the residence permit application is, until the permit itself is issued, the document certifying the regularity of your stay in Italy.
Until the residence permit is issued, the foreign citizen may legally reside in Italy.
When permitted (for example, residence permits for work reasons) they may also legally carry out their work activity, if in possession of the necessary documentation: the work visa and/or the receipts attesting to the submission of the application for issuance or renewal of the residence permit.
Requirements for the issuance of a residence permit
To obtain the residence permit, a valid visa is required to enter Italian territory.
The reasons that prevent the issuance of the residence permit (threat to order and security, convictions for serious crimes, etc.) are the same as those that prevent the issuance of the national visa. Therefore, those who have legally entered Italy with a valid long-stay visa are usually issued a residence permit.
Duration of the residence permit
The duration of the residence permit not issued for work and family reasons is that provided for in the entry visa. However, the duration cannot exceed:
one year, in relation to attendance of a course of study or training. The permit is renewable annually in the case of multi-year courses;
two years for self-employment, permanent employment or family reunification.
How to apply for a residence permit
To have a residence permit issued, the following must be submitted:
- the application form;
- the passport (or other equivalent travel document), valid with the corresponding entry visa, if necessary;
- a photocopy of the document itself;
- 4 passport-size photos, identical and recent;
- 16.00 euros revenue stamp;
- the documentation necessary for the type of residence permit requested;
- payment of a contribution between 40 and 100 euros
The Questura may order further investigation and request, in certain cases, additional documentation that may be appropriate to specify:
- the reason for which a residence permit is required;
- the means of subsistence for the period of stay in Italy.
Where the residence permit is requested:
The application for issuance or renewal of the residence permit must normally be submitted at the Immigration Office of the Questura (Police Headquarters). The competent office is that of the place of residence of the foreign citizen.
In cases of application at the Questura, the foreigner will receive a copy of the application with an office stamp indicating the date of the application and the day on which the final residence permit can be collected. The application receipt must be kept in order to show it at the Questura when collecting the residence permit.
Applications for the issuance and renewal of a residence permit may also be submitted at authorized post offices if they fall within the following types, using the yellow-band kit available at all authorized post offices, patronati and municipalities.
At post offices, applications can be submitted for the following types of residence permits:
- Adoption
- Custody
- Update of the residence card
- Update of the residence permit (change of residence, marital status, addition of children, change of passport)
- Awaiting employment
- Awaiting recovery of citizenship
- Renewal of political asylum status
- Residence card for foreigners
- Conversion of the residence permit
- Duplicate residence card
- Duplicate residence permit
- Family
- Family, minor aged 14 to 18
- Self-employment
- Subordinate employment
- Special work cases provided for
- Seasonal work
- Mission
- Religious reasons
- Elective residence
- Scientific research
- Renewal of stateless status
- Study
- Vocational training internship
- Tourism
In cases of application for a residence permit at post offices, the foreigner will receive a certified summons letter, issued by the post office at the same time as the delivery of the documentation, indicating the date, time and Immigration Office of the Questura where they must go to have fingerprints taken. In addition, they will receive an SMS summarizing the information on the appointment.
To check the status of the application at the Post Office, you can consult the website "www.portaleimmigrazione.it" and, on the website "http://questure.poliziadistato.it/stranieri/?mime=1&lang=IT", you can check the availability of offices to collect your residence permit.
Renewal of the residence permit
The application for renewal of the residence permit must be submitted to the Questore of the province of residence at least 60 days before the expiration date or no later than 60 days after the expiration date.
To apply for renewal you must meet the requirements of the type of residence permit you are requesting: work, family reasons, studies, etc. The application is submitted through postal packages or with the help of the municipal offices or the Patronato.
If you do not meet one or more of the requirements necessary for issuance, the residence permit will be denied. If, on the other hand, the permit has been issued but the requirements for its granting are no longer met, the permit is revoked.
When adopting the measure of denial, revocation or rejection of the renewal, the family ties of the interested party in Italian territory are taken into account. If the reason for the revocation or denial of the renewal is linked to reasons of danger, convictions for criminal offenses will also be taken into account.
How much does the residence permit cost
See: https://questure.poliziadistato.it/it/Catanzaro/articolo/12365943fb9ee2aeb814823864
With the Decree of 5 May 2017 of the Ministry of Economy and Finance, in agreement with the Ministry of the Interior, which entered into force on 9 June 2017, the contributions for the issuance or renewal of the residence permit were redetermined.
The new amounts of the contributions to be paid by adult foreigners are equal to
- 40 euros for residence permits of more than three months and up to one year;
- 50 euros for residence permits of more than one year and up to two years;
- 100 euros for EU long-term residence permits and residence permits for managers and qualified workers.
The payment receipt for the new contribution must be presented when called to the Questura to have fingerprints taken.
The contribution is owed both for new applications for issuance or renewal of the residence permit and for applications submitted before 9 June 2017 that are still being processed or for which the permit has not yet been delivered to the foreigner.
Residence permits for:
minors under 18 years of age
foreign citizens who are in Italy to receive medical treatment and their companions,
applicants for a duplicate or the conversion of a valid residence permit,
asylum seekers, subsidiary protection and humanitarian reasons,
holders of international protection applying for an EU long-term residence permit,
Residence cards for family members of European Union citizens issued in accordance with Legislative Decree No. 30 of 2007.
However, in all cases, the following costs must be paid to apply for the issuance or renewal of the residence permit:
- 30.00 euros for the insured item with Poste Italiane;
- 16.00 euros for the revenue stamp;
- 30.46 euros for the residence permit - 380 PSE, as a contribution for the printing of the electronic document, to be paid into postal current account no. 67422402 in the name of the Ministry of Economy and Finance - Treasury Department with the reason "amount for the issuance of the electronic residence permit";
If the issuance or renewal of the residence permit is requested using a single set of documents from the Italian Post Office for the same household, a receipt for the payment of 30.46 euros for each member of the household must be attached.
