Permesso di Soggiorno:
The Application (The ‘Kit’)

The Kit (application packet)

1 – Get the Application & complete it 

The permesso di soggiorno (resident permit/permission to stay) kit is available at any Italian post office. It consists of an envelope (with a yellow stripe for non-EU nationals and a blue stripe for EU nationals) which contains two forms and a list of instructions.

• Completion of the first module is mandatory.
• As for the second module, you must only fill it out if you have a regular income or if you are applying for a residence permit for work.
• If you need to apply for a residence permit for your family members, you must post an envelope and a completed application form for each one of them (except for your children if they are under the age of 14).
• Need Help?
  • See Tips & Links at the bottom of this article

2 – Submit Your Application

After you have filled out the application form, you can hand it in at any one of the post offices providing the ‘Sportello Amico’ service.

Or you may complete the application on a computer at many patronati and comuni- see “Ricerca Strutture” on lower left side at http://www.portaleimmigrazione.it

  icon-thumb-tack   *** Don’t forget:

• buy your Marca da Bollo at the Tabacchi store and put it on your completed application
• bring your passport or whichever form of Identification you are using for your application. The postal clerk will ask to see it & will not process your application without it.

3 – Pay fees

You pay the above stated fees at the Post Office when you submit your application.

4 – Get your receipts & hold on to them!!!

Make copies, scan them….don’t lose these!

These receipts include your appointment date & time. A code you can use later on, after your Questura appointment, to track the status of your official card on this site http://www.portaleimmigrazione.it. And lastly, you must take ALL of these receipts to your appointment at the Questura. Without them, you’ll most likely be starting all over. Speaking from experience, just doing it once is exhausting, you really don’t want to do it twice!

These receipts will also allow you to travel and will list which items (documents & photos) you need to bring to your appointment at the Questura.

What to expect at your appointment with the Questura?

• Fingerprints
• Bring 4 photos
• Bring copies of application and all of your submitted documents
• you can check the status of your final id card, online at http://questure.poliziadistato.it/stranieri/

 icon-thumb-tack  Tips & Links 

• Questura is the Italian Police Headquarters

• Investing in a printer/scanner will be helpful. Italy is a country that likes copies!
• The timeframe between submitting your application and the appointment at the Questura varies greatly. In Rome it is usually a 3 month wait. In a smaller town, the wait may be only 2-3 weeks.
• Don’t worry about the length of time until your appointment. You are LEGAL as soon as you submit your application and get your receipts. The receipts make you legal.
• Some people call the Permesso di Soggiorno “A Residence Permit”. Take note that getting the Permesso does NOT make you a Resident. That is an additional application.

The Official Italian Immigration Website – check here for any updates & changes http://www.portaleimmigrazione.it

Instructions for completing the Permesso di Soggiorno application
• Even though you’ll see ‘Inglese’ in the upper right portion, it isn’t activated. Instead, scroll down, look on the left hand column “Istruzioni Multilingue“, select your language, then click the ‘Ricerica’ button
• There are also phone numbers posted for assistance. Sadly, it’s a long-shot that you’ll find someone who speaks English.

Alternatively you can have the forms completed on computer at many patronati and comuni- see “Ricerca Strutture” on lower left side at http://www.portaleimmigrazione.it