How to apply for permesso di soggiorno

To apply for a permesso di soggiorno (residence permit), you must go to the Questura or at a post office of Poste Italiane, depending on the type of permesso you are applying for. In this article you will find all the rules to follow and other information about the documents you need to apply.

After your arrival in Italy you have 8 days to apply for a permesso di soggiorno. Some types of permesso must be requested at the Questura of your city. Other types of permesso must instead be requested at the Sportello Amico di Poste Italiane.

The permesso to be requested at the Questura are:

  • Business
  • Cure mediche
  • Gare sportive
  • Giustizia
  • Invito (when you are invited to Italy and hosted by an Italian resident for a period no longer than 90 days)
  • Protezione speciale e casi speciali
  • Persone con meno di 18 anni (all people under the age of 18 must apply to the Questura for any type of permesso)
  • Status di rifugiato (only for first application, not for renewal)
  • Status di apolidia (only for first application, not renewal)
  • Vacanze lavoro

The immigration officers of the Questura will give you the forms that you will need to fill out to request the permesso. Find here the Questura closest to you

Instead the permesso that must be requested at the Sportello Amico di Poste Italiane are:

  • Adozione
  • Affidamento
  • Attesa occupazione
  • Missione
  • Motivi familiari
  • Motivi di lavoro autonomo, stagionale e subordinato
  • Motivi religiosi
  • Motivi di studio e formazione
  • Ricerca scientifica
  • Richiesta della carta di soggiorno per cittadini extracomunitari
  • Richiesta della carta di soggiorno per cittadini comunitari (optional)
  • Rinnovo dello status di rifugiato (rinnovo)
  • Rinnovo dello status di apolidia (rinnovo)
  • Tirocinio o corso di formazione
  • Turismo

You must apply to the Sportello Amico also in cases of:

  • Update of the carta di soggiorno (change of address, change of passport or other important changes)
  • Conversion of the permesso di soggiorno (into other types of permesso)
  • Duplicate (if you need a copy of your permesso)

At the Sportello Amico you will have to fill out the kit, which is a large envelope with a yellow stripe with forms inside, and send it. You can fill out the kit yourself and send it immediately afterwards, or you can pick it up and go to a patronato or to the Comune’s immigration office to get free help in filling out the forms.

To send your request you need:

  • passport and visa with which you entered Italy (and a copy of both)
  • request form
  • documents specific for the permesso you are applying for (click on your type of permit to find out what they are)
  • 4 recent passport-sized photos
  • a € 16.00 marca da bollo (stamp), which you buy in tabaccheria
  • a receipt of payment (make this payment to the post office with a bollettino) of
    • € 40 for a permesso valid from 3 months to 1 year
    • € 50 for a permesso valid from 1 year to 2 years
    • € 100 for a permesso valid for longer than 2 years
  • receipt of payment of € 30.46 to print your permit (make this payment to the post office with bollettino)
  • payment of € 30 for sending your request (only if you apply at the post office)

Some people do not have to pay € 40 / € 100. These are:

  • people under 18 (minors)
  • apolidi (statelessness people)
  • richiedenti asilo (asylum seekers)
  • people who have obtained some type of international protection ((status di rifugiato, protezione sussidiaria ou protezione per casi speciali)
  • people who request a duplicate, conversion or update of their still valid permesso di soggiorno
  • people who are in Italy for medical reasons and their carers

At the end of your application procedure you will be given a receipt, which everyone calls a “cedolino“. The cedolino is the document that will allow you to stay regularly in Italy until the day of your appointment at the Questura to collect your real permesso di soggiorno. Always carry it with you all.

On the cedolino you will find:

– your request number. If you want to check the status of your request, enter the request number in this portal.

– the date of the appointment at the Questura for your identification (photos and fingerprints). It is an important step in your application because the Questura, by law, must have your photos and fingerprints in order to issue your permesso di soggiorno.

After identification, you will receive an SMS with the date of your appointment at the Questura to collect your permesso di soggiorno.

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