The residence permit (Permit to Stay) is a title that authorises the stay of a foreigner in the territory of the Italian State and documents the regularity of this stay: it is a mandatory document for medium or long-term residence requests in Italy. Non-European citizens and stateless persons, i.e. persons without citizenship, must apply for a residence permit for a medium or long-term stay in Italy. This condition does not apply to citizens of European countries The residence permit (Permit to Stay (Permit to Stay) allows to carry out the activity directly indicated in the permit (Permit to Stay) itself, provides access to the rights and services necessary for foreigners, as well as registration in the registry lists and subsequent obtaining of an identity card (la carta d’identita) and a tax code (Codice Fiscale) with which it is possible to request health insurance, open a bank account, etc.

When and under what circumstances is a residence permit requested?

A foreigner who intends to stay in the territory of the Italian State, even for a short period and even if the purpose of the stay is tourist, must request a residence permit within 8 working days of entering Italy. The amendment of Law No. 161 of 2014, in fulfilment of Community directives, established that foreigners who hold a residence permit (or other authorisation entitling them to stay) issued by a Member State of the European Union and valid for staying in Italy, must declare their presence to the Migration Service at the If all the data are in order and legal, the foreigner will be given a receipt for the acceptance of the declaration of his/her stay. Those foreigners who do not comply with this law may be fined from 103 to 309 euros and may not be allowed to stay in Italy for more than 90 days. Otherwise, a deportation order will be issued against him/her. The most common types of residence permits are:

• Maintenance;
• adoption;
• religious reasons;
• elective residence;
• study (for a period of more than three months);
• mission;
• political asylum (renewal of document);
• vocational training;
• waiting for the return of citizenship;
• self-employment;
• employment;
• sub-seasonal work;
• family reunification.

How to apply for a residence permit?

Foreigners who wish to stay in Italy for more than 3 months must apply for a residence permit (Permit to Stay). To obtain a residence permit, the following documents must be submitted:

• a completed application form;
• a passport (or other equivalent travel document) valid with the relevant entry visa, if required;
• a photocopy of this document;
• 4 passport photos, identical and recent;
• a €16.00 stamp;
• the package of documentation required for the requested residence permit;
• payment of a fee between 80 and 200 euros (depending on the type and duration of the residence permit).

The Migration Police may organise further investigation and, in some cases, request additional information deemed necessary to clarify the situation.

Where to apply for a residence permit: Immigration Service of the Police Headquarters (Questura).

The application for the issuance (or extension) of a residence permit must normally be submitted to the Immigration Service of the Police Headquarters. The competent place is determined according to the foreigner’s place of residence. When requesting the granting or extension of a residence permit, the foreigner is obliged by law to undergo a dactyloscopy (fingerprinting procedure). The procedure is scheduled at the Police Department when the foreigner submits the application for a residence permit. After the photodactyloscopic examination, the Police Department gives the foreigner a copy of the request with a stamp of the office, which states the date of the request and indicates the day on which the residence permit can be obtained. Until the granting of the residence permit, this copy of the request is the document that proves the regularity of the foreigner’s stay in Italy and he/she is obliged to keep it and present it at the Police Headquarters at the time of obtaining the residence permit

Procedure for requesting a residence permit: mail

Applications for the issuance or renewal of a residence permit for non-European Union foreign nationals falling under the following types of residence permits must be submitted through post offices using a special envelope with a yellow stripe. This type of envelope is available in almost all post offices and Municipalities. Requests, for the following types of residence permits, can be submitted at post offices:

• Maintenance;
• adoption;
• religious reasons;
• elective residence;
• study (for a period of more than three months);
• mission;
• political asylum (renewal of document);
• vocational training;
• waiting for the return of citizenship;
• waiting for employment;
• EU RESIDENCE PERMIT;
• self-employment;
• employment;
• sub-seasonal work;
• family reunification;
• minor family with children aged 14-18 years;
• Staying at work in special cases (article 27 of Legislative Decree No. 286/98);
• stateless person status (extension);
• conversion of residence permit from one type to another: employment, self-employment, family reunification, study, chosen place of residence;
• duplicate residence permit;
• renewal of residence permit – EU residence permit (inscription of children).

The foreigner must take the free yellow envelope and fill it in, carefully following the instructions attached to it. In addition to the completed application form, the following documentation must be submitted:

1) passport or equivalent document (valid), for identification by postal operators; 2) a receipt from the post office for the payment of €27.50 for the printing of the electronic form of the residence permit; 3) an A4 photocopy of the same identity document (note that only the pages containing the holder’s personal data and visa entry and exit stamps are required); 4) an A4 photocopy of all further documentation required in the instructions for your type of request.

The set must be delivered in an open envelope to the post office. Once the necessary documentation has been verified, a letter will be printed with the date and time of arrival at the Police Headquarters (Questura).

How much it costs

The costs associated with the issuance of the residence permit are as follows: – stamp duty 16.00 euros; – 30 euros to the post office operator at the time of sending the registered letter; – 30.46 euros for the cost of the electronic residence permit if the residence permit is required for more than 90 days.
To these costs is added the payment of a contribution, the amount of which is set from a minimum of €80 to a maximum of €200 (by decree of the Minister of Economy and Finance in agreement with the Minister of the Interior), and namely: – €80 for a residence permit of more than 3 months and less than or equal to one year; – €100 for a residence permit of more than one year and less than or equal to two years; – €200 for an EU residence permit, for long-term residents or in the case of company managers or highly qualified employees.This contribution should not be paid in the following cases:

• foreigners regularly present in the territory under 18 years of age;
• minor children travelling for family reunification;
• foreigners who enter Italy for medical treatment and their guardians;
• application for asylum, subsidiary protection, humanitarian considerations;
• foreigners requesting the renewal or conversion of a valid residence permit.

Term of validity of the residence permit

The duration of a residence permit not issued for work reasons is the same as that of an entry visa. The duration, however, cannot be:

• more than three months for visits, business and tourism;
• more than one year, depending on the course of study or duly certified training; however, the authorisation shall be renewed annually in the case of multi-year courses;
• higher than specifically documented needs, in other cases authorised by law.

In future articles, we will discuss each type of residence permit in more detail. Stay tuned for updates.