Any non-EU citizen, who wishes to stay in Italy for more than 90 days, must apply for an Italian Residence Permit (Permesso di Soggiorno) when they arrive in Italy along with a long-term Italian visa. Regardless of your reason for being there (such as work, short and long-term education, or research), you must apply for a residence permit for Italy if you are staying for more than 90 days.
Permesso di Soggiorno means “residence permit”. It is the document you need to get to stay in Italy for a long time. The residence permit card is electronic and contains a digitally stored microchip and magnetic stripe (similar to credit cards) that contain your personal information.
For detailed information, you can check our “Accommodations for Students in Italy” article.
How to Get a Residence Permit in Italy?
You must have a valid reason to obtain a residence permit for Italy. For example, if you get acceptance from Italian universities, you can get a residence permit as a student.
Who Can Apply for a Residence Permit in Italy?
Technically, anyone, who fulfils the conditions for entering Italy and will stay for more than 90 days, can apply for a residence permit in Italy. If you are a citizen of a non-EU country, you must first apply for a long-term Italy visa that allows you to enter Italy from your home country.
You can get a residence permit for Italy only after you reach Italy and make the necessary applications to the Italian authorities.
In order to apply for Permesso di Soggiorno, you must first obtain a visa for a long-term stay in Italy. The corresponding period is 90 days. In other words, if you stay in Italy for 90 days or more, you must apply for a residency permit.
You can also check our “What is Codice Fiscale” article.
Where to Apply for Residence Permit in Italy?
When you reach Italy, you need to apply for a residence permit at the post office. Then, on the date given to you, you must go to the nearest police station to your address and provide a fingerprint.
Things You Need To Pay Attention
- You must apply for a residence permit within 8 days after entering Italy.
- While in your country, prepare the documents required for admission.
- After submitting your documents, make sure to take note of the dates given to you and try to make your transactions on those dates.
- Depending on the transaction density at the point you apply, the dates given may be long after. In these cases, again follow the given date.
- Keep the appointment documents given to you after the application.
Also, you can check our “University Education without Admission Exams in Italy” article.
Extending
We have stated that students who will receive education in Italy have to apply for a permit as soon as they reach Italy. Generally, the one-year residence permit must be renewed before the expiry date. At this point, we recommend our students apply at least 1 month in advance. In this process, a bank statement showing that you have enough money to sustain your life for a year and other documents related to your studentship is requested.
Traveling with Ricevuta
“Ricevuta” is a word you will hear a lot in Italy. The word that can be translated into English as a receipt is usually used to express the application receipt given to you after your residence permit application. After you go to the police station (Questura) on the date determined with this receipt and give your fingerprint, you can get your residence permit card when it is ready.
Moreover, you can check our “Transportation in Italy” article.
Travelling with Ricevuta, on the other hand, is frequently asked by international students studying in Italy. You can travel easily between ricevuta with Italy and your country. There is usually no problem in entering other Schengen Union countries from Italy. However, as your official residence permit in Italy to return to your country from other countries that do not yet have or may have difficulty in going to Italy a transfer from these countries. At this point, we advise our students not to travel to other countries until their residence permits are issued.
Please read our article on “Places to Visit in Italy“.
Student Work Permit in Italy
In Italy, students have a 20-hour work permit per week. You can contribute to your budget by working at the same time while studying in Italy. However, in order to find a job in Italy, it is crucial to have a good command of Italian. Also, individuals studying in Italy can apply for a 1-year job-seeking permit after training. If they find a job, their residence permit is converted into a work permit.
You can read our “Study University in Italy” article.
Erasmus Residence Permit in Italy
As we mentioned before, anyone staying in Italy for more than 90 days must apply for a residence permit. Students who come to Italy for Erasmus education generally need to apply for a residence permit since they stay in Italy for more than 90 days. They can apply for a residence permit from the post offices in the city where they study.
How long does it take to get a residence permit in Italy?
After applying for a residence permit in Italy, you can usually get your residence permit card within 4-5 months. This period varies according to the density of the city and the institution you apply. Since the Italian bureaucracy is slow, we recommend that you apply as soon as possible.
Furthermore, you can review our “Italy Education Consultancy” article.
