Tesserino STP
In Italy, all people have the right to healthcare, even those without documents and without a permesso di soggiorno (residence permit). People who do not have a permesso di soggiorno can obtain the tesserino STP to access treatments and health services.
What is the tesserino STP?
The tesserino STP is a document that allows people without a permesso di soggiorno to use the Servizio Sanitario Nazionale – SSN (National Healthcare System).
It is called tesserino, which means “card” , but in reality it is a paper sheet with a code written on it (the codice STP). When asked for your tesserino STP, you must show your paper sheet with the code.
With the tesserino STP you can get:
- urgent care (in hospital or at the ambulatorio (clinic)), i.e. if you are in life danger;
- essential care (in hospital or ambulatorio (clinic)), so for diseases that could cause problems for your health over time;
- ongoing care, i.e. the care you need for long-lasting illnesses.
In particular, access to all necessary care for pregnant and maternity women and children under 18 is always guaranteed.
IMPORTANT: even if you do not have a permesso di soggiorno, you can use the services of the national health system without being reported to the police. No doctor, nurse or member of the administrative health staff can report you to the police for not having a permesso di soggiorno. Access to healthcare is your right and does not depend on your regularity on the Italian territory.
You must request the tesserino STP from the Azienda Sanitaria Locale (Local Health Authority) of your city.
If, on the other hand, you need urgent care and you do not yet have a tesserino STP, you can request it from the ambulatorio (clinic) or the pronto soccorso where you receive treatment.
To obtain the tesserino STP you must have been in Italy for at least 3 months. In theory, you can get the tesserino even if you don’t have a passport or identity document, but in some regions it is mandatory to show a passport or identity document to have it.
To request it, you will need to fill in a form with your personal data (such as name, surname and nationality) and sign it.
The tesserino STP is free.
Even the care you will receive when you need it will be almost totally free. You will only have to pay a contribution, i.e. a ticket, like other people living in Italy. All people with the tesserino STP fall into the lowest income bracket, so they pay the lowest possible ticket.
However, if you are in financial difficulty and do not have the money to pay for the ticket, you can get an esenzione (exemption- that is, do not pay). This type of esenzione is called X01. To obtain it you will need to submit a self-certification form, called “autocertificazione di indigenza”, where you state your economic situation. You can request this form, fill it in and hand it in at the desk where you get your tesserino STP.
The autocertificazione di indigenza is valid for 6 months, like the tesserino STP. After 6 months, you must submit a new autocertificazione di indigenza at the counter where you applied for the tesserino to continue to have the X01 exemption.
The tesserino STP is valid for 6 months.
It can be renewed and you can renew it at the ambulatorio / desk of the Azienda Sanitaria Locale (Local Health Authority) where you made your first request.
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