You can get a residence permit in Italy if you have a legitimate reason for a long stay in the country (more than 90 days). Example - work, self-employed or business activity, choice of residence (if financially independent), reunion with relatives. Applications are accepted from adult, unconvicted and law-abiding foreigners, if it does not contradict the interests of the state. A temporary residence card is valid from 3 months to 2 years, usually with the right to extend it if you still have a reason to live in the country.

A residence permit in Italy in many ways equalizes you in rights with local citizens. You can study, use the services of banks, receive medical care and social support, in some cases - also to conduct labor activity. In the long run, a temporary resident card is changed to a permanent one, if you have lived in the state for 5 years or more. Also opening a temporary residence permit is the first step to naturalization in the Italian Republic, which takes a total of ten years from the moment of immigration.

International law specialists help to determine the best way to move to Italy. Experienced lawyers of Immigrantinlaw will choose the best immigration program for you, taking into account your wishes, dossier nuances and budget. Request a free consultation to find out the details of cooperation.

What is an Italian residence permit

For temporary residence in Italy, you receive an electronic residence card. Its sample was established in December 2006 and has not changed to this day. The document looks like a smart card with biometric data of the owner (fingerprints), increased protection against wear and contains:

• basic information about the owner, including a photo;
• special signs - type and number of the document;
• date of issue and expiration date;
• information about minor children;
• tax number;
• reason for issuance.

All types of residence permits look the same, but different information is indicated in the field of the reason for issuance. The documents can be classified as follows:

• residence permit without the right to work;
• resident card for citizens of EU countries;
• unified residence and work permit;
• working residence permit (including for self-employed persons and businessmen);
• residence permit for waiting for employment.

Conditions for granting the right of temporary residence in Italy  

The main condition for acquiring residency in Italy is the provision of documents that prove the legality of long-term residence in the country. The authorities check whether you really have the right to stay in the republic for more than three months and whether this does not create risks of illegal immigration. You must also meet the following requirements:

• law-abiding behavior, no criminal record in Italy or abroad;
• no threat to the population or the State;
• possession of a national long-term visa obtained for the same purpose as the residence permit;
• having reached the age of majority or having written parental consent to immigrate.

Additional requirements depend on the basis for the Italian residence permit. For example, wealthy foreigners must document financial solvency, applicants for a highly qualified specialist card - work experience and education in their specialty.

Required dossier

To obtain an Italian residence permit, you will need the following:

• a request form (a sample of filling out the form can be found on the official website of the Republic's immigration portal);
• a valid passport or its equivalent with a visa sticker marked D;
• 4 identical up-to-date photos measuring 3.5 x 4.5 cm;
• receipt for payment of the administrative fee;
• if applicable, civil status certificates (e.g., in case of a change of surname);
• documentary evidence of long-term residence in the state (e.g., investor's certificate, work contract or certificate of enrollment in a higher education institution).

The dossier is supplemented depending on the reason for immigrating to Italy. For example, for the choice of residence, you provide a document on the availability of money for your own maintenance, and in the case of self-employment - get written approval from the Ministry of Industry, Trade and Crafts or other specialized body.

Options to obtain a residence permit in Italy

Italy's migration legislation is complex and quite strict. The rights and opportunities of foreigners here are regulated by several documents, in particular - Legislative Decree No. 286 of 1998 with subsequent amendments, Presidential Decree No. 394/99 and Decree of the Minister of Foreign Affairs of July 12, 2000. The issuance of an electronic residence permit takes place on average two months after the application has been submitted. However, this period is not mandatory and can be extended, for example due to the high workload of the authorized bodies.

The validity of the temporary residence card in Italy coincides with the period for which the long-term entry visa is issued. In any case, it cannot exceed:

• 90 days for business meetings and tourist purposes;
• 12 months for students, interns, trainees and trainees in training courses;
• two years for work, self-employment, family reunification.

A residence permit is granted to those who open a D visa on one of the grounds listed below.

Employment

You can immigrate to Italy if you are officially employed by a local company. Your employer must apply to the prefecture for a work permit. Foreigners are employed within the annual quotas and only if there are no EU citizens for the vacancy. There are exceptions for a number of professions, such as scientists, translators, artists, athletes, and correspondent journalists. In order to obtain a residence permit, a work contract must be submitted, indicating the salary and duration of cooperation.

EU Blue Card

A special type of residence permit is granted to specialists with high qualifications. It gives the right to immigrate to Italy together with close relatives and immediately make documents for the family. The procedure is initiated by the employer through the migration service, but in this case, it is not necessary to adhere to annual quotas. The document is issued if your annual salary equals or exceeds 150% of the national average, i.e., in 2024 it is about 34,000 EUR before taxes. You also need to prove your specialized education with a diploma or its equivalent.

Choice of residence

For financially independent foreigners, it is possible to declare a desire to live in Italy and obtain permission for it. It is necessary to buy or rent real estate in the Republic, as well as to prove the presence of regular income, for example, from renting out housing or in the form of dividends from shares. This type of residence permit is also suitable for pensioners who provide a certificate of social benefits received. The income must be sufficient for self-support. In 2024, the required amount is about 32,000 EUR per year.

Family reunification

A residence permit is granted to family members of local citizens and residents (provided they have been legally residing in Italy for at least 12 months). Eligible relatives include spouses, minor and unmarried children (yours or your husband/wife's), parents over the age of 65 if they are dependent on the host country and do not receive support from another child. Other family members, such as children over the age of 18 if they have health problems, can also be approved. It is necessary that the Italian resident has sufficient living space and income to support the relatives.

Investing

Popular options for opening a temporary resident card in Italy include investing in its economy. The right of residence is granted for investments ranging from 250 thousand to 2 million euros, which depends on the chosen area of sponsorship. It is possible to invest in the development of promising start-ups, the purchase of authorized capital of local enterprises, charitable organizations or the purchase of government bonds. The fact of investment should be confirmed with documentation. You do not receive any preferences for the subsequent obtainment of permanent residence or citizenship: the period of processing a local passport remains normal.

Education

Permission to stay in Italy is granted to students of local educational institutions, including participants of exchange programs between countries. It is necessary to confirm with documents the fact of enrollment in the university, registration of health insurance, ability to pay tuition and living in the country. Students send a request for residence permit by mail upon arrival in the country, and then visit the immigration police on the appointed day. The student has the right to work with restrictions - up to 20 hours per week, provided that it does not interfere with the educational process.

Self-employment/business

Italy welcomes foreigners who are willing to work in the country for themselves or develop a company to improve the economy of the republic. It is possible to obtain a residence permit after the approval of a specialized body or ministry, such as the Chamber of Commerce in the case of merchants. The authorized capital for sole proprietorships and businesses is not limited, but it is necessary to prove that you have enough funds to implement the planned enterprise.

Self-employed persons providing personal services in Italy may need to be registered in professional registers. The list of additional documents depends on the type of your activity.

Humanitarian reasons

If you cannot stay in your home country for good reasons, such as war or persecution, you can try to apply for asylum in Italy. Refugee status is granted without a national visa - it can be requested directly at the border or while in the country in any status. You need to confirm your story in every possible way, such as threatening messages, politically motivated accusations. The Republic also provides additional protection, for example, if you were sentenced to capital punishment in your home country.

Humanitarian residence permits are the only ones that are valid for 5 years. In this case, you are limited in rights, for example, you cannot leave the country to visit your home country: then the status is immediately revoked. The period of consideration of applications in this case is not set and depends on the personal situation, the burden on the authorities and the police.

Professional activity

The right of residence in Italy is granted for a narrow range of tasks in your field. For example, it can be religious activity, work as a visiting researcher, internal translation in an international company, seasonal employment. To the application form and the basic dossier, you attach an agreement with the profile organization, as well as prove the availability of finances for staying in the state.

Other reasons

The Italian residence permit can be opened by volunteers, trainees of local companies and universities, those who need long-term medical treatment or are looking for a job after completing their studies in the Republic. You confirm the planned tasks with appropriate documents, such as an invitation from a hospital or a contract with an accredited volunteer organization. There are no popular grounds for registration of residence such as residency or purchase of real estate in the country.

The best conditions for moving to Italy are provided for citizens of the European Union. They do not need to look for a reason for immigration and go through tedious procedures. You can learn about the programs of second passport issuance in the EU countries, pros and cons of each of them at a free consultation with the international law specialists of the Immigrantinlaw.

Stages of obtaining an Italian residence permit  

1. Find a reason for relocation.
   You compare different Italian immigration programs in terms of conditions and availability, check yourself for eligibility, and then prepare the appropriate package of documents.
2. Get a national visa.
   You need to open an entry permit to Italy even if you have the right to visit the republic in a visa-free regime. The document is requested at the diplomatic mission on the same basis on which you will later receive a residence permit. You need to make an appointment in advance, bring a dossier and leave your passport. The request is studied within two months, and if approved, you will get a passport with a visa sticker.
3. Move to Italy and go to the police.
   With your passport and visa you immigrate to the Republic, after which you have 8 working days to visit the nearest police department. You submit your documents and submit your fingerprints for the production of a resident card. You can pick up the finished residence card in person at the department or receive it by mail.

You will also need to register with the municipality to live in Italy. It is from the moment of registration that your period of residence for subsequent naturalization will be counted.

How much does it cost to obtain a residence permit in Italy

In order to obtain the right to temporary residence in Italy, you have to pay for the costs of opening an entry visa, submitting a request and obtaining a residence permit card. In addition, if necessary, you pay for the assistance of an interpreter, notary, migration specialists. Approximate actual costs are given below.

Rights and opportunities of Italian residents

With Italian residency you can legally reside in the country for a fixed period of time, participate in the local public life, enjoy common civil privileges in respect of judicial protection of rights and legal interests, access to public services. Registration of a residence permit allows you to subsequently naturalize in the country, that is, to obtain the status of a citizen of the European Union with all the advantages. Also with a residence permit you can:

• visit Schengen countries without opening an entry permit for up to 3 months per six-month period in total;
• seek medical support on the basis of an insurance policy that is not available to tourists;
• open accounts in reliable banks with access to popular financial instruments;
• in most cases, be formally employed (full-time or with restrictions);
• engage in professional and/or commercial activities, if this is stipulated by the type of residence permit;
• invite close relatives to stay with you and formalize family reunification;
• expect to receive education in prestigious universities, including scholarship programs.

Reasons for refusing to issue a residence permit

From the feedback of immigrants, we can conclude that cases of refusal to issue a residence permit are not so rare in Italy. Usually, requests are rejected because of an incorrect dossier, submission of false or concealment of obviously important information about yourself. The residence permit is revoked if the reason to live in the Republic disappears. Applications for residency may not be approved also by the decision of law enforcement agencies.

Refusal to issue a residence permit can be challenged in court, but practice shows that the chances of winning such an appeal are minimal. It is better to properly prepare for the immigration procedure to guarantee residency, with which specialized lawyers can help. International law specialists of Immigrantinlaw undertake the main part of the tasks, including the selection of the current program, which minimizes the risk of rejection of the request.

How to extend your residence permit and obtain citizenship

If you still have a reason to live in Italy, you apply for the renewal of your residence card at the police station or send it by post. You need to submit the request at least one month before the current migration document is canceled. You attach a package of documents and wait for a response within 20 days. At most, the residence permit can be extended for a period twice as long as that of the primary resident card.

You can get the status of permanent resident in 5 years after moving to Italy and registering your place of residence in the municipality. You will need to prove that you have a regular income and no problems with the law. You can apply for citizenship after 10 years of total stay in the Republic. This will require learning the national language at the level of B1 and have no criminal record.

Cons of immigrating to Italy with a temporary residence card

A residence permit is a temporary document that can be revoked at any time after the reason to live in Italy disappears. It allows you to naturalize in the republic, but it takes as long as ten years, during which you need to maintain the basis for stay, learn the local language and find a permanent source of income. It is much easier to immigrate with a passport of any of the EU countries. Citizens of the European Union are equal in rights and opportunities, so after moving you can work, study, do business and live in Italy for an unlimited period of time.

Some EU countries have simplified citizenship programs. You can obtain a second passport within 4 to 12 months, without taking a language exam or demonstrating income. You do not have to live in the country before or after citizenship, as well as don`t have to renounce your current passport in your home country. It is worth analyzing the chances of participating in the simplified procedures with the help of the Immigrantinlaw international law lawyers. You can sign up for a free consultation to start the process of obtaining a second EU citizenship as soon as possible.

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About the author

Diana Weber

Lawyer of international law

Diane Weber is an international law specialist with 10 years of legal practice experience. Her portfolio includes successful stories of citizenship in different European Union countries under simplified procedures. Diana provides detailed advice and helps many people to achieve their immigration goals in a short period of time, including resolving visa issues, assisting in obtaining residence permits and citizenship in the EU countries. In her blog, Diana Weber enjoys providing readers with detailed information about the features of most popular programs for obtaining a second passport.