Italy’s pleasant weather, delicious food and peaceful culture attract more than 120,000 immigrants per year. Regardless of their country of origin, they all have one thing in common: the need to obtain some form of a residence permit.

In this article we’ll walk you through:

• The different types of Italian residence permits
• The eligibility criteria
• The application process

What is a residence permit?

First things first, what is a residence permit and when do you need it?

A form of an Italian residence permit is a legal document that you must have if you intend on staying in the country for more than 3 months.

As per the Italian immigration law, there are two types of residence permits- Temporary and Permanent. Each of them comes with a series of benefits.

Benefits of the temporary residence permit

Even though having a temporary residence permit doesn’t provide you with the same rights as an Italian citizen, it’ll give you the following benefits:

• Freedom of travelling to other EU countries
• The right to work in Italy
• A clear path to obtaining a permanent residence permit

Benefits of the permanent residence permit

The permanent residence permit, on the other hand, grants foreigners the same rights as every Italian national. You can apply for it after living in Italy for five uninterrupted years. Securing your permanent residence in the country means that you’re entitled to:

• Using the complete set of health care services provided by the Servizio Sanitario Nazionale (SSN)
• Freedom to relocate to any other EU member state
• Partake in pension schemes

Obtaining a temporary residence permit as an EU citizen

As with every legal procedure in the European Union, EU citizens have to go through a far less stringent process when applying for a residence permit in Italy.

Here’s how it looks in Italy.

Entering Italy as an EU citizen

The only requirement for entering Italy as an EU citizen is having a valid European ID, regardless of the intended period of the stay.

Registering as an Italian resident

As an EU citizen, you have to declare your intention of remaining in Italy only if the period is more than 3 months.

You have 8 days to do that at the local police station (Questura).

Process for registering as an Italian resident

Once you’re registered with the local Questura, you have to complete the following steps:

1. Get your Italian fiscal code (Codice Fiscale)

This code is your unique identifier in the country and serves you in all civic matters in Italy.

2. Make an appointment at the local registry

Securing your time slot in the local registry (anagrafe) has to be done quickly since the wait time can be up to 3 months. You can see the available slots on this website.

3. Bring all the originals and translated copies of these documents to your appointment

• EU Passport
• The completed declaration of residence (Dichiarazione di Residenza)
• A registered housing contract
• Proof of health insurance by a provider certified to operate on the territory of Italy
• Proof of sufficient income to sustain yourself (at least € 448.52 p/m) or Proof of employment

With all of the above sorted out, you can expect an official to visit your declared residential address to confirm its validity within 45 days of your application.

If you’re not home at the time of the visit, don’t worry. The official will leave a note informing you about the time and date of the next visit.

Once the official has confirmed your address, you’re all set to return to the local registry and collect your residency certificate.

During your stay in Italy

Last, but not least, as an EU resident, the only thing you need to do throughout the rest of your stay is to duly notify the authorities about any changes in your address.

Temporary residence permit for Non-EU citizens

If you’re a non-EU citizen intending on spending more than 90 days in Italy, you must obtain a temporary residence permit within 8 days of your arrival in the country.

Find out about the application process and requirements below.

Requirements

An essential prerequisite for your successful residence permit application is the possession of one of these long-term visas:

• Work visa
• Student visa
• Self-employment visa
• Family reunion Visa
• Elective residence visa
• Golden visa

Once you’ve entered Italy, you’ll need to submit a filled-out application form within 8 days of your arrival date:

Filled-out application form

The acquisition and successful submission of the application form is a two-step process.

Your first stop is at the local police station (Questura). You’ll have to fill in a declaration of residence (dichiarazione di residenza) and your fingerprints are going to be taken.

Once you sort out the procedure at the police station, your next stop is one of the local post offices (Patronato), where you’ll complete and submit some additional paperwork. The paperwork referred to as “The Kit”, is a set of documents in Italian that you must fill out in order to get your appointment at the police station.

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The appointment is typically set for 60 days after the submission of "The Kit", but can also take up to six months.

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In order for your application to be considered valid, you’ll need to bring the following with you:

• Four passport-sized photos
• A valid passport
• Documentation confirming the purpose of your stay (e.g. an employment contract or proof of enrollment)
• All the documents you used in your visa application
• Proof of health insurance from a company authorised to operate in Italy

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You must bring an original and a photocopy of each of the documents.

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Costs

The total cost of the residence permit is € 76,46 as of September 2022. The specific charges that make it up are:

Charges	Cost (€)
Acquiring the residence card	€ 30,46
Application Stamp	€ 16,00
Mailing fee	€ 30

Validity

The validity of your Italian residence permit depends on the purpose of your stay in the country. The most common types of residence permits and their corresponding validity are as follows:

Purpose of residence permit	Validity
Academic	1 year
Seasonal work	6 to 9 months
Regular employment	Up to 2 years
Family reunification	2 years

Renewing your residence permit

The following timelines apply based on the validity of your Italian residence permit:

Validity	Renewal requirement
Up to 6 months	A minimum of 30 days before the expiration date
1 & 2 years	A minimum of 90 days before the expiration date

You’ll have to bring the same documents as for initial application to your extension appointment. You can file your extension request at the local post office, trade unions or the municipality.

The cost of the renewal varies depending on the purpose of the residence permit, with the prices starting at € 80.

Permanent Italian residence permit

Regardless of your country of origin, you are eligible to apply for a permanent residence in the country after 5 uninterrupted years of residence in Italy.

The permanent residence permit is also referred to as an EU Long Term Residence Permit.

Application process

In order for you to apply for the EU long term residence permit, you’ll have to collect the so-called “yellow kit” from the local post office.

Once you’ve filled in the “yellow kit”, you’re expected to file it at the post office.

Requiered processing time

Your EU long term residence permit application will be processed within four to six weeks.

Requirements

There are four conditions that you must keep in mind if you want to obtain a permanent residence permit:

• You must be able to prove that you’ve been residing in italy for the past 5 years
• You must be able to present a clean criminal record
• You must pass an Italian language test proving that you have at least a proficiency level of A2
• You must have income sufficient enough to support yourself and any dependents

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Once you’ve secured your EU long term residence permit, you’re only five years away from securing your Italian citizenship!

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Now that you have an overview of the process for acquiring an Italian residence permit from the perspective of EU and Non-EU citizens, you’re all set to advance on the rest of the items on your relocation checklist.

Note! Immigration laws can be subjecct to change. This guide has been prepared in accordance with the latest information as of September 2021. Always make sure to follow the guidence provided on the website of Italy's Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

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