Tips on Italian Immigration Law!!

Entry and stay in Italy for periods exceeding 3 month

Foreigners who would like to stay in Italy must apply for the residence permit. Whoever arrives in Italy for the first time must apply for the residence permit within 8 days. A foreigner who is already in Italy and whose residence permit is about to expire must apply for its renewal within the time limit indicated below, and in any case not beyond 60 days from its expiration.

In order to get a residence permit, it is necessary to have: Application form; Valid passport or any other equivalent document with the visa if required; Photocopy of the same document; 4 recent and identical passport size photos; Revenue stamp of 14.62 euros; Required documents for the type of residence permit one is applying for. The application for renewal of the residence permit must be submitted at least: 90 days before its expiration, in case of a residence permit valid for 2 years; 60 days before its expiration, in case of residence permit valid for 1 year; 30 days before the expiration, in case of all other permits. The expiring date of the residence permit is the same as the expiration of the entry visa: Up to nine months for seasonal work; Up to one year for subordinate work with a temporary contract, and for study or vocational training; Up to two years for self-employed work, for subordinate permanent work and for family reunion.

New rules regarding permits valid for less than 3 months
From 2nd June 2007, foreigners wishing to stay in Italy for tourism, business, visits or studies are not required to apply for a residence permit.
This change is contained in the Law n. 68 of 28th May 2007, issued in the Official Gazette n. 126 on 1stJune 2007. According to the new rules, foreign citizens must simply report their presence in the national territory complying with the formalities stated in the Minister of the Interior’s decree dated 26th July 2007 (issued in the Official Gazette n. 181 on 6th August 2007). They have to directly report their presence to the border authorities when entering the country if they arrive from non-Schengen States and the border authority will stamp their travel document with a Schengen mark. If they are arriving from other Schengen States, they can directly report their presence to the Questura filling in the relevant form within 8 days of their arrival in Italy. If they are staying in a hotel/guest house, the hotel management will provide them with a copy of the hotel report, according to the law.
It is important that they do not stay in the Italian territory for a period exceeding 3 months or the shorter time indicated in the entry visa (if a visa is required) and that entry conditions are met.

Residence Permits to apply for at the Questura

The agreement between the Ministry of the Interior and Poste Italiane states that the following 9 kinds of residence permits can be applied for at the Questura (Provincial Police Headquarters).

Medical treatment, Sport competitions, Work holidays, Humanitarian reasons, Political asylum (application-issue), Minor age, Justice, Application for stateless status (issue)
Integration of minor

1. Where to apply
If you are a foreign citizen, you can apply for the issue and renewal of residence permits for the reasons listed below only at the post offices with the logo Sportello Amico. You can seek the free help of the Comuni (Town Councils) taking part in the experiment or of the Benevolent Institutions (Patronati) in filling in the forms.

Guardianship, Religious reasons, Elective residence, Studies (for more than three months), Mission,
Renewal of political asylum,Internship for job training, Pending reacquisition of citizenship, Pending employment, Permanent Resident Permit for foreigners (now called EC Long-Term Residence Permit),
Self-employed work, Subordinate work, Subordinate seasonal work, Family, minor aged 14 – 18
Special cases provided for by art. 27 of the Immigration Law, Application for stateless status (renewal)
For any other reasons you must go to the Questura.

Issue and Renewal of Residence Permit

If you have the authorisation and are applying for the residence permit for work or family reasons, you can go to the Sportello Unico Immigrazione (Front Desk for Immigration).If you are a foreign family member of an Italian citizen or of an EU citizen and would like to apply for EC Long-Term Residence Permit (carta di soggiorno) for family member of an EU citizen, you can choose to either submit the application through the post office or directly to the Questura.

2. What to do at the post office
At all the post offices you will find the yellow kit to be carefully filled in following the instructions.

3. What to do at the Comune or Benevolent Institutions
Here you do not need the paper kit. You can get free and qualified assistance in filling in the forms.

4. Where to submit the kit
The application kit, in an open envelope, must be submitted to the Sportello Amico of the post office.
Remember that if you are applying for the renewal of your permit, you must also submit a copy of the expired residence permit. You must always show your passport.
The post office officer will issue you a receipt to be attached to the expired residence permit. This receipt substitutes and has the same value as the renewal slip (cedolino) previously issued by the Questura.

5. Costs
27.50 euros to be paid using postal current account slip if you are applying for a residence permit valid for a period exceeding 90 days. The postal current account slip is available at the post offices with the Sportello Amico.
14.62 euros for the revenue stamp (marca da bollo).
30 euros to be paid to the post office officer while submitting the filled in application.
If you are a foreign family member of an Italian citizen or of an EU citizen and would like to apply for EC Long-Term Residence Permit (carta di soggiorno) for family member of an EU citizen, you do not have to attach the revenue stamp or pay the fee for the issue of the electronic residence permit.

6. Issue of the Residence Permit
When submitting your application to the post office you have to pay 30.00 euros.
The Immigration Office at the Questura will send you a registered mail and a text message using the address and phone number indicated in the application form, summoning you to the police station to submit your photos and have your fingerprints taken. You will also be given an appointment to collect the residence permit.

7. Useful information
On the immigration web portal www.portaleimmigrazione.it you can find:
General information about the application procedure; Addresses of authorised Comuni (Town Councils) and Benevolent Institutions; Addresses of post offices with Sportello Amico; The state of your application by inserting in the reserved area the userid and password indicated in the receipt you were given at the post office while submitting the application.

You can also use the following numbers:
800.309.309 (toll free) managed in cooperation with ANCI.
For general information and addresses of authorised Comuni and Benevolent Institutions. It is operational every day, 24 hours a day in Italian, English, Spanish, Arabic and French.
803.160 (toll free) of the Poste Italiane.
To find out the address of the post offices with Sportello Amico. It is operational from Monday to Saturday, from 8a.m to 8p.m.
848.855.888 (at a cost of a local call). from Monday to Friday, from 8.00a.m. to 8.00p.m.