I had a difficult time getting the exact information of the kind of PdS I needed and how to apply for one and I needed to search tons of websites online in both English and Italian in order to get the correct information. I still didn’t get it all correct as I couldn’t find a complete list of the documents that I needed and I had to go to the Questura twice in order to get it fully processed.
So I thought I’d write it out here in case it would be useful to others in the same shoes.
What is the Permesso di Soggiorno?
One of the very first things one needs to do when arriving in Italy for a long-term stay is apply for the Permesso di Soggiorno, also known as the PdS. This is the Italian residency permit and all non-EU citizens need to apply for one if they are going to stay in Italy (or anywhere else in the EU) for longer than 90 days.
There are a number of different kinds of PdS one can apply for including: study, work, family reasons, minors, medical care, adoption, voluntary work, elective residency, and more.
How to get a Pds for the spouse of an Italian citizen
This is called Permesso di Soggiorno per coesione familiare (family unification).
Step 1: Entry Visa into Italy or Residency Permit if you are moving to Italy from another EU country
If you’re entering Italy from outside of the EU, you’ll need an entry visa for family reasons and will need to apply through the Italian consulate.
If you live within the EU and already have a residency permit for that country, you do not need a visa. As I am American that lived in London and have a residency permit for the UK, I didn’t need to get a visa. (I wasn’t entirely sure, so I went to the Italian consulate in London just to double check and they reassured me it wasn’t necessary.)
Step 2: Go to the Questura and bring the necessary documents
Once you arrive in Italy, you need to apply to the Questura in the zone where your partner is resident. As both me and D moved from London, he registered his residency at the town hall as soon as we arrived so he could get his certificate of residency.
As a spouse of an Italian citizen, you don’t need to apply with the PdS application through the post office. You can show up at the Questura with your spouse without an appointment and without an application. It seems unreal, but we did it and it worked.
You need to bring with you the following documents:
- Marca da bollo of €16 (available at any tabaccaio)
- 4 photos
- Your passport and photocopy of every page with stamps and visas (no need to photocopy the empty pages)
- PdS (if you already have one, i.e. you were already in Italy on a different type of PdS and you got married)
- Marriage certificate and photocopy – if married abroad, marriage certificate must be translated. Both the translation and marriage certificate must each have an apostille for the documents to be valid.
- Passport or identity card of Italian spouse and photocopy
- If spouse is an EU citizen, you must have a document to prove that the spouse has been registered at the Anagrafe (registry office)
- Certificate of residence of the spouse
- Declaration of hospitality validated by the local Police Department (document signed by owner of the property where you’re staying that declares that you have permission to live there)
If you were married outside of Italy, and you can do it, try to get the marriage certificate and translation both apostilled while you’re within the country of origin. It’s much easier and more cost-effective to do it there. For me, I did it during my last two weeks in London and managed to get the documents certified with an apostille within 10 days.
The first time we went to the Questura of Venezia, I thought I had all of the documents, but I was missing one thing so had to get it and then go back. The administrator gave me a list of the documents that I needed which I’ll show you here. This is like gold to me! I couldn’t find this listed on any of the sites that I looked at in both English and in Italian so I’ll add it for you here.
I was missing the declaration of hospitality, so I downloaded the form from the town hall website and then went to get it signed by the local police. Unfortunately, our town no longer has a physical police building, but officers have an office set up at the weekly market. We went there to get it signed and had a nice chat with them about life and they wished us luck.
Questura – my experience
I’ve lived in Italy before and had to apply for a PdS at both the Questura di Roma and Napoli, so I was familiar with the bureaucratic confusing hell of the immigration progress and endless waiting at the Questura. The Questura di Venezia wasn’t as bad as the one in Rome, but I was afraid of going there without an appointment. In the end it was okay. We waited a half hour in a queue outside to get in and I left my passport with the guard and was told to wait inside. We waited about 2.5 hours before we saw someone and then they completed the application for me and I signed the papers and then waited some more to get my fingerprints taken. After that, I received a temporary paper version of the PdS that’s valid for three months. I have to go back in February to get the official version, but in the meantime this will let me sign up in the registry office, get residency, and get an ID card.
As comparison, when I moved to Italy back in 2009, I applied for my PdS at the post office in July, got called to the Questura to hand in my paperwork and do my fingerprints in November and picked up my PdS in January 2010. I wasn’t able to get residency until July 2010 (for other bureaucratic reasons that’s too boring to tell here).
UPDATE (29 July 2018) – Read Part 2 of my timeline experience of getting the permesso from start to finish.
I wish you all who are going through this the best of luck and to have a lot of patience. Bring snacks, a book and crossword puzzle with you to your appointment and some tissues in case you need to use the bathroom and there’s no toilet paper.
Hey Giovanna, Thanks for that post, it was really helpful. And congratulations!
I wanted to ask something because I am in a similar position. I would like to get the permesso di seggiorno for marriage and then citizenship later on.
One issue is that I might have trouble obtaining the nulla osta required for marriage in Italy. I was wondering if I could get married in Denmark, and if international marriage certificates work if apostiled like you mention.
Next thing is, were you advised to go directly to the questura with your spouse instead of making an appointment? OR was it just chance that you got your application in so quickly?
Are you going ahead with citizenship later on?
Thanks in advance, your post was really helpful!
Hi Wanhee, Thank you!
I believe your marriage certificate issued in Denmark would be valid in Italy as long as it’s translated and apostilled.
If you are already a resident within the EU and you get married abroad, then you don’t need an entry visa into Italy (but check with the Italian consulate of the region where you reside). I’m American, but because me and my Italian partner lived in London, I had a UK residency permit as a family member of an EU citizen. I went to the Italian consulate in London to double check with them and they told me I didn’t need a residency permit and that I could go directly to the Questura without an appointment to apply for a permesso di soggiorno. I also found this document online that says that you can either apply directly to the Questura without an appointment or apply through the post office using the kit, who then issues an appointment for you (either on site the same day or through the post). Honestly, I think Italian bureaucracy is a crap shoot, so you may be told one thing and then show up and be told another thing. I’ve lived in Italy before and have applied for other kinds of permessi di soggiorno through the Questuras in Napoli and Roma which were a lot busier than the one in Venice, especially the one in Rome. I had applied through the post office for both of them. For the one in Rome, I had to wait five months before I received a letter with my appointment details. For the one in Naples, they gave me an appointment immediately at the post office for two weeks later. Depending on where you live and how easy it is to get to your Questura, you may want to apply through the post office and receive an appointment.
For the citizenship, I’ve already applied and had the application accepted through the consulate in London while I was still living there. You can read about it here. I’ve notified the consulate of our new residency in Italy and they will submit the application to the Questura here who will take it over. I don’t know how long it will take, but I’m expecting it will take about two years.
Good luck with everything!
Great blog! I’m also an American expat based in Italy (Padova). I came here on a student visa and later got permesso di soggiorno per motivi studio for about 2 years. And it just expired this past December 31, 2017. However, my Italian boyfriend and I plan to marry soon in few weeks at the city hall where we live, near to Padua.
Since our situation is similar, however, I was wondering if, in my case, I can go straight to the Questura di Padova without having to go through the post office and getting an appointment like you did? I’ll rather save the 200 euros + fees/extra cost on a new permesso di soggiorno!
Hi Sheila,
Thanks for reading and congratulations on your upcoming wedding. I think since you are already in Italy and have a permesso di giorno, you can go to the questura without an appointment. I found this document online that gives you more information: http://www.conslondra.esteri.it/resource/2016/04/81258_f_cons57DiritttieDoveriVistoDinglese.pdf. I’m not sure if you’ll have trouble since your permesso is expired, but they can give you more information at the questura. I don’t think you have to pay a fee for the permesso di soggiorno for family reasons, other than the ones for the marche da bollo, whether you apply through the post office or directly at the questura. Good luck!
Hi Sheila,
I m in a similar situation as you had. I m American holding a study visa which will expire June 1st, at the same time my nulla osta is in process for the marriage with my Italian fiancé. I m very concern with my stay in Treviso with my expired visa and Permesso di soggiorno.
Were you able to have your PdS going to the Questura at Padova?
Kindly share with me your experience in getting your PDS.
Thanks,
Coni
Hi Giovanna! Very helpful information. My husband is an Italian citizen and I have my permesso (thru marriage) for 5 years but my question is about working with your permesso as an American citizen and an Italian resident. Do you have any clarification if you have spouse visa?
Thanks so much!
Hi Laura, thanks for reading! As a family member of an EU/Italian citizen, I believe you can work in Italy or wherever you reside in Europe with your spouse. I haven’t found anything online that says what you have to do or what paperwork you need (surprise), but I imagine that once you’ve established residency and have a codice fiscale, you can start.
Thanks Giovanna! Finding your blog a very helpful starting point. We just relocated to Puglia and whew! So many overwhelming hurdles 🙂
Ah thanks Laura! Good luck with your move to Puglia. I know what you mean, we’re riding the wave of everyday madness. Each day is a new ordeal. 🙂
would you give any information i aslo applied for soggiorno from last 8 months when i am checking on wevsite polizia.distato they say that its in process
Hi Ali,
Sorry it’s taking such a long time. If it says it’s in process, then you should get it at some point. Have the vigili come to check your residence yet? They came about three months after I had applied and then I had to wait another three months until it was ready. This was the Questura in Venice, so it may be different where you’re based. X Giovanna
Hi, am Nigerian and I have the 5 year documents but my boyfriend do not have any documents,and they gave him 6months to leave how can I help him
Hi Sean, thank you for writing. I’m really sorry, but I’m not sure what you can do. Perhaps you can visit your nearest sportello unico per l’immigrazione and get more information. Good luck x Giovanna
Hi Giovanna,
I stumbled onto your blog via a Google search looking exactly for this kind of information! Thank you – sharing your experience in this regard is invaluable to others in a similar situation.
I’m an Italian citizen and my wife and I have decided to live in Italy, starting 1 April 2018. We’ve been married for 10 years, and despite all the intention of applying for her citizenship, we just “never got around to it” – complacency’s a killer! Anyway, now that we’re actually immigrating, since she’s a South African citizen she would require an entry visa. Luck would have it that she already has a multi-entry Schengen visa for family reasons, but it’s the “Short term” type, allowing her 90 days in Italy. That said, she is my wife and can prove it even with an Italian marriage certificate registered in Rome.
I realise you may not have much information about this particular set of circumstances, but do you think the shengen visa she is already in possession of will be enough for her to get the PdS per coesione familiare?
The second part of my question was, once you have the PdS, what takes precedence – the term of the visa, or the term of the PdS? I mean once she receives the PdS, does that REPLACE her requirement for the VISA? And if it does, how does leaving / returning to Italy work? Will she then be entitled to an Italian passport, or do they stamp her passport with some kind of special visa, or… ?
Much appreciate any insights you might have! 🙂
Hi Ruggero,
First of all congratulations on your move to Italy and thank you for reading! In regards to the entry visa, perhaps you can ask the consulate if her multi-entry Schengen visa is good enough? For me, I wasn’t exactly sure if my UK residency permit was enough to enter Italy to get a family reason PdS, so I went to the visa department at the consulate in London to double check (bringing in all the paperwork for the visa). They assured me that it was fine and that I didn’t need a visa and also told me that I could apply directly at the Questura for a Pds without an appointment. It may be the same for you, but if you’re nervous, the consulate can put your mind at ease.
Regarding your question about the PdS, the terms of the PdS replace the terms of the visa. The visa is only needed to enter into Italy and apply for the PdS. The last time I lived in Italy, I had a PdS for an elective residency (at the time the consulate gave me that so I could do a post-graduate internship). When I traveled, I showed my PdS along with my passport. I never had any trouble leaving or entering Italy. The UK border control was more vigilant whenever I went to the UK and they took their time looking at my passport and PdS and asked questions.
Thanks again for reading! Giovanna
I’m so angry! I’m Scottish and I have been going back and forward to Italy since 2004… Being a member of the EU….I have worked in many cities. I actually took residence in 2011 as I was fed up always going around with my British passport in my pocket. I got a permanent residence in Italy document….but I think it became invalid as I had gone to another city….now I’m back in Scotland….and England has taken Scotland out of Europe with stupid Brexit… I should be returning to another city in March to teach.. I teach mostly private and in private schools…all I see on TV now is that British people can only stay no more than 60/90 days? What do I need to do if I need to declare I want to stay longer for work/live? Can someone give me advice? This is only for working permission…pds.. I’m a single guy .. I had a carta di identita…but I’ve lost this and it’s probably invalid now?? Help me pls with any info… Thank you
Hi Paul, I understand your anger. I’m devastated about the UK choosing to leave the EU. I’m afraid at this point, if you no longer have residency in Italy (meaning an established address with a comune), then in order to live and work in Italy you will need a visa. This article from yesterday’s Guardian has some more info about travel in Europe for Britons. x Giovanna
Hey Giovanna, Thanks for that post, it was really helpful. And congratulations!
First sorry for bad English but I need some information from you and I hope you will guide me very good . First I am Pakistani and I got marry with Italian (my wife ) in July 2017 and after long process as you said same i got appointment for PDS . They took my fingerprints in November but still I am waiting for PDS . But they said you will get 2 years family member PDS.
So my questions are
1: How much more they will take time for give me PDS ?
2: what process I need do for get italaian citizenship ?
3: we want move in England and for that I need visa for England and if they give me 6 months visa for England after if I stay there more and I can be get italaian passport?
4: if we live in England 6 months after how much time I can apply italaian passport?
I hope you ll understand my questions
Waiting for your answers . Thanks
Hi Raja,
I’ve sent you an email trying to answer your questions, but there’s a lot of information on the Italian consulate websites that explain eligibility and the process of applying. I’m still waiting for my PdS as well and I don’t know how long I will have to wait. Good luck, Giovanna
Hey Giovanna,
Thank you so much for sharing your experience. It is very informative and helpful. My situation is very similar to yours, and now I’m about to apply for my as spouse of an Italian citizen. Also I’ll be applying my PdS through the Questura in Venice. I have two quick questions, if I may:
1. Have you received your PdS yet? I wonder how long this process usually takes.
2. After you submitted your applicaiton, have you experienced Italian police come to your physically address to check that whether you and your husband have indeed been living together? I have some concerns regarding this because I plan to go back to France to move my stuff by car (I had been living in France before I decided to get married and move here in Italy), and therefore I won’t be away for two or three weeks after I apply for the PdS. I don’t know if that would be a problem.
Thank you in advance for any insights that you could share with me regarding the foregoing.
Hi Michelle,
Welcome to Italy! When I went to the Questura, they gave me a temporary paper PdS on the spot, it had a stamp with a date for 3 months later and they told me I had to come back before it expired to pick up my PdS card. I went back just before it was due to expire but it wasn’t ready, so they stamped it for another 3 months. I have to go back in mid-May and hopefully it will be ready by then. So my answer would be it takes 3-6 months to receive the card. When you go back to the Questura to pick up your card, I recommend going on a Wednesday afternoon. The queue will go by a lot faster as Wednesday afternoons are only for people who need to pick up their PdS. For your second question, the Questura doesn’t come to your residence to verify your address. The dichiarazione is good enough for them. Once you get the PdS (the temporary paper one is fine) you need to go to your local comune where you live and apply for residency. Show them your PdS and either a rental agreement or dichiarazione d’ospitalita and they will then send the local police to stop by and verify your address. (The lady that came to visit actually wanted to see our bedroom and closet full of clothes). Once they come and verify your address, you can then go to the comune and get your carta d’identita’. So if you have to go back to France or a few weeks, then you can go to the comune afterwards to apply for residency. The comune will let you know when you should expect someone to stop by. For me, they came by the following week. But if you live in a big city, it could take a lot longer. x Giovanna
Hi Giovanna
Could you please help me with my situation. We are married couple. My partner is Italian citizen and I am from india. I got the visa for italy which is family visa valid for 6 months for 90 days. I am in Italy and I have applied for residence permit from questura. I have submitted all the documents together with 4 photo and 16€ stamp. They have taken my fingerprints and signature. They gave me a small green colour rectangular paper attached with my photo and stamp on it. Can I travel with this paper to my country and back to italy after 1 month? The police said it’s ok to travel. On this small paper I don’t see any expiry date. It’s just have a date of the day when I applied.
When will I get the residence permit ?
Can I start to work and live in Italy now or I need to wait to get my residence permit?
Kindly reply.
Thanks
Hi Amol,
From what you described, it sounds like you were given a receipt that says that you have applied, but that your PdS isn’t ready yet. There are facebook groups that talk about this often (Americans in Italy, Ultimate Italy) and apparently you can travel with a receipt and re-enter Italy without any problems. You may or may not have some trouble if you travel to other countries within the Schengen area as they may not recognize the PdS receipt, but if you fly India/Italy you shouldn’t have any trouble. A few years ago I traveled with my PdS receipt and I was fine. You should check out the facebook groups as they can give you a lot more information on this. As far as when you will get the PdS, I can’t say as every questura is different. I waited 8 months before I collected mine.
I’m not sure when you can work yet, you’ll need a codice fiscale for that, but I think you’ll need to establish for residency at your comune and get your tessera sanitaria for that. I think in order to do those things, you’ll need your PdS first. If you go to your comune, I’m sure they would be able to give you some information. Good luck! x
hi Giovanna,
Thanks for that post, it was really helpful indeed.
I am an Australian, my spouse works in Milan, and i will have to apply for the permit to stay in Italy.
I want to know when apply for the permit, do i need to show my birth certificate ?
I have my marriage certificate apostilled , but not the birth certificate….
please advice, thank you
DEB
Hi Deb, I received your email too and replied. x
what is the processing time for carta di soggiorno familiare ue for spouse and kids of italian citizen
Hi Sandra, I’m not sure about the processing time when kids are involved. Every region is different. I haven’t applied for a carta di soggiorno so I don’t know. x
Dear Giovanna,
I am a non EU citizen married to an Italian. I am awaiting my PS from Ufficio Immigarzione Napoli. I wanted to ask you if you had any specifi problem when you resquested you PS at Napoli that slowed the process? Now, it’s almost 3 months that I went to Questura Napoli to hand in my paperwork and do fingerprints…
Do you have any suggestion?
Thank you very much!
Greetings from Napoli!
Hi Alejandra! Greetings from Ischia! I’ve applied for my Pds from the Questura in Venice and I’m still waiting for my card and it’s been four months. When I applied through Napoli, I believe I waited four months for it to come through. When I applied through Rome for my first PdS, I waited 6 months before I got the appointment to process my paperwork and fingerprints and then my PdS arrived a month later. I think every region is different. I hope it works out soon. x
Hi thanks for your blog
I have Italian residency
Can my American husband also qualify for Italian residency/permesso di soggiorno by being married to me?
Hi Giovanna
Thank you for taking the time to write all of this valuable information for everyone in need. I am currently based in Le Marche region and unfortunately it is not possible in this region to go to the questura with your Italian spouse and obtain a PdS. Sadly I found this out the hard way and we tried nearly every questura in the region 🙁 in Le Marche you must get an appointment but you don’t have to do this through the post office, there is a number to call here that you book an appointment with (I thought I would just write this comment for others that may be in this region and needing the documentation)
Nevertheless thank you so much for providing the list of documentation needed, it has been a great help!
Hi Alice, wow thanks for letting us all know! It’s so hard to get the information that you need and every region is different. I’m so glad that you found the information useful none the less. Good luck with everything!x
Hi thank you for writing this. I’m curious if your kids now if this process also applies to someone like me? I have Italian residency and I’m a British citizen. I’m married to an American who wants acquire residency here too. Do you think we can just go to the Questura as well?
Hi Manu,
I’m not sure if you can go directly to the Questura. You can try, the worst they will do is turn you away and tell you to apply via the post office. x
This is so incredibly helpful! Thank you from the bottom of my heart for posting this.
Hi Michelle! You’re welcome! I’m so happy it’s useful. x
It has been wonderful reading your responses to question. First I would say thank you for those wonderful information. I’m married to an Italian woman im from non EU country but I had my visa and currently am living in italy. Please advice me on the process to go. Is it PDS I need to apply for first or applying for a residence.pls a await your response thanks.
Hi James,
Thanks for reading. You can’t establish residency without your PdS. Applying for your PdS is the first thing that you should do upon entering in Italy. should first apply for your PdS. x Giovanna
Thank you for your support. I AND my wife went to immigration office to apply for the PDS and we have been given all documents to present.. we also asked how long should I wait before applying for citizenship the immigration man said after 5 year. I am wondering if it’s the new law because from what I heard and what I read online it’s after 2 years because I’m here in italy living with my wife. Please kindly let me know if you know about this waiting 5 years before applying for citizenship. We got married outside Italy and next month 27th makes it one year. I was wondering if the immigration man said it because my wife is much older than me…lol.. Please let me know about your experience on this. Thank you.
Hi James,
I’ve written about my experience applying for Italian citizenship on my blog and you can scroll below to find it. I haven’t heard of any new law about citizenship via marriage requirements and it’s quite likely that the immigration man might had given you the wrong information. If you check the Italian consulate website from where you’re from, you should get all the correct information that you need. Good luck!
Hi James..hope you are doing good in Italy and your Pds and future citizenship application goes through smooth..
I have read on countless websites and Giovanna has rightly pointed out as well: If you are married to an Italian citizen you require 2 years of residency in Italy to be able to apply for citizenship application. The 2 years time start from when you marry with Italian citizen. If you have a child of your marriage, the time period halves i.e. you could apply for citizenship after 1 year from marriage. I have strong feeling the immigration person either did not understand your query correctly or maybe he was not aware of rules?
Good luck!
Thank you for your respond. Today 30/04/2018 I submitted my documents at the immigration headquarters of Turin to apply for my resident permit. I was told in 2 months time it should be out for collection. I will inform you all once I get the PDS. I asked again how long I should wait before applying for citizenship and the officer said 2 years from the date of my marriage….Thank you all for your information was right about the time frame.
Thank you for your respond. Today 30/04/2018 I submitted my documents at the immigration headquarters of Turin to apply for my resident permit. I was told in 2 months time it should be out for collection. I will inform you all once I get the PDS. I asked again how long I should wait before applying for citizenship and the officer said 2 years from the date of my marriage….Thank you all for your information was right about the time frame. Here is the website of the immigration office. http://www.poliziadistato.it hope it might be of help to those who wishes to find out more info
Hi James, congratulations on the PDS. I applied for the PDS in Venice and it’s been 6 months and it’s still not ready. I have to go back in July to see when it’s ready.
Hello everyone I want you all to know after applying for psd,after two months of applying start to go to the qustura to check and always ask why it’s not out yet. Mine was about the same home waiting after 3 months ‘nothing ‘ until I and my italian wife started going to the qustura to ask why the delay and after few weeks of our complain my pds was ready. Mine came out 5 months after I applied at Turin immigration. I wish you all success those awaiting for pds.
I stumbled onto your blog via a Google search looking exactly for this kind of information! Thank
I wanna ask some questions which state like this… How can someone get married to am Italian citizen .
How long does it takes for a nor EU citizen who got married to am Italian citizen apply for citizenship after marringing to an Italian.
How long does it takes also to get an Italian document after marry to Italian citizen ..
And what are the necessary things needed to put in for marriage to an Italian citizen from a person who’s not an EU person ? Thanks I strongly wait for your prompt response….
Hi Chico,
Thank you for reading. There is a lot of information online that tells you how to go about marrying an Italian citizen. I’m not familiar with the steps you have to take if you live in Italy, but if you and your spouse live in Italy, you can apply for Italian citizenship after two years. If you and your spouse live abroad, you are eligible after 3 years. If you two have children, then you are eligible after 6 months. For the rest of your questions, I don’t know, but I’m sure you can find them online. Good luck! x Giovanna
Am so glad to see a kind person like you, God bless you, my ?is i am leaving in Italy and my wife is leaving in Spain and we got married in Nigeria we are non eu citizens, and we have kis all resident in Italy ,now my wife want to saty with me in Italy , how can I apply for her pdf
Hi, I’m not sure which PdS you need to apply for, it may be the one for coesione famigliare. You can check the Portale Immigrazione for more information or you may visit the sportello unico per l’immigrazione of your local prefettura. Good luck with everything! x
We are now based in UK I wanted to know how I can apply for PDS in UK .
Hi Giovanna
I am short of words to really say how thankful and indebted I feel having read your amazing blog. It literally took me a few months and hundreds of google searches and webiste reads before finding a page which finally put lot of my questions and anxiety to rest. Indeed the information and your responses to questions are worth weight in pure gold 🙂
I hope you can shed some light on my query as well which relates to future Italian citizenship application.
I am non_EU citizen and got married with my Italian national spouse in India in July 2017. My wife has stayed in Italy after marriage and visited India to stay with me couple of times staying around week/two weeks on each occasion. She did not register in AIRE in India because her visits were very short in nature. I have recently applied for entry visa to Italy and awaiting decision while my wife is residing in Italy. I am also very happy to say we are expecting our first child soon.
In the circumstances I am wondering when (roughly the month/year) I will be eligible to apply for Italian citizenship application? My concern is though we married in July 2017, we have not stayed together as I have been in India and she being in Italy apart from her brief visits to India.
I understand from information you have given in blog that I will need to apply for Pds when I enter Italy and will be given a temporary Pds paper followed by a permanent Pds. If I am eligible for citizenship application, could I apply for citizenship application while in possession of a temporary Pds? Your valued comment/suggestion is highly appreciated.
Many thanks..
Khadim
Giovanna a quick supplementary question here please..you mentioned ” Declaration of hospitality validated by the local Police Department (document signed by owner of the property where you’re staying that declares that you have permission to live there).
My Italian spouse had provided Declaration of Hospitality for purpose of my entry visa. At the time she shares the house with other family members. The rental contract for this house is in name of her parents and my spouse is mentioned as one of family members living there. So is she supposed to ask landlord to write some statement that landlord is ok that my spouse could accommodate me at the address? This statement would be a separate piece of paper or should be written on declaration of hospitality? And this declaration/statement then need to be signed by local police? Ahh I am confused 🙁
Hi Khadim,
Ahhh, the perpetual confusion regarding Italian bureaucracy. Perhaps, the landlord could sign the declaration of hospitality themselves? Or perhaps the person who holds the rental contract (either your spouse or their family member) could sign the declaration of hospitality and have it validated by the local police? You could bring along the contract with you in order to validate it, in case they asked? When I went to the questura, they didn’t question whether my mother-in-law who signed the declaration owned or rented the property, nor did the local police question it when we met with them to have it signed. She was hosting me and that was good enough. Plus my partner’s residency was registered at the same address so they didn’t ask any questions. Unfortunately, going to these appointments is like Russian roulette and they could throw in a reason why something is not valid or that you need to bring in another document with you. Hence, I would, just to be safe, have a copy of the rental contract with you just in case they ask any questions. I keep originals and photocopies of all the documents I’ve collected in a folder and bring it with me to every appointment just in case someone asks me for something. Good luck!
Hi Khadim,
You are eligible for Italian citizenship through marriage after 3 years if you reside abroad, 2 year if you live within Italy. If you have a child then the time you have to wait is divided in half, so 1.5 years if you reside abroad and 1 year if you live within Italy. I’m not sure what would be the case for your situation and how long you would have to wait to apply for citizenship. It seems that the longest you would have to wait upon moving to Italy would be one year, but possibly sooner since you’ve been married since July 2017. The applications for those applying from abroad or within Italy are different on the Farnesina website, so I’m not sure what you would need exactly to apply. Sorry I can’t be more help and good luck!
Giovanna..you are a star..thanks a lot 🙂
Hi Giovanna,
I love your blog – Thank You!
I’m a US/Italian dual citizen – my married same sex spouse and I are finally ready to start the process of moving to Italy.
Any advice if we should just go through the very tedious checklist of applying for his citizenship or just getting a Permesso di Soggiorno per coesione familiare..
Can we use a ESTRATTO PER RIASSUNTO DELL’ATTO DI MATRIMONIO instead of the marriage certificate?
Thanks so much – looking forward to our adventure.
Hi Dave,
Thanks for reading and congratulations on your upcoming move to Italy! For the permesso di soggiorno, I needed to supply my marriage certificate (with an apostille) and a translation (with an apostille). For the citizenship, I only needed to supply the estratto per riassunto dell’atto di matrimonio because our marriage had already been registered with the consulate and the comune in Italy where my spouse is from. Good luck with everything!
Hi Giovanna,
Thanks for sharing your experience and through this blog lot of my doubts are clear now.
I have a question that I hold an Indian passport) and my boyfriend is Italian but we both live in London and want to get married in Italy soon but would like to continue to live in London and i would like to apply for spouse visa, will i still be able to work in London on Italian spouse visa? (as my work permit is expiring next year)
secondly, to get married in Italy town hall what kind of documents are required for Indian nationals. any help would be appreciated.
thanks
Ani
Ani..if you have a valid UK work permit at the time, consider marrying in London. After marriage, you could apply to UK Home Office for a residence permit, being spouse of EU national, under EEA regulations in the UK. Once approved by Home Office, you will get 5 years residence card. You are free to choose any employer or be self employed or do business in UK on this residence card. You can also travel to Italy with your husband without need of any visa once you have this residence card under EEA regulations.
If later you wanted to apply for Italian citizenship, you could always register your marriage in Italy.
Thank you for responding Khadim!
Ani, I agree with Khadim. I married my Italian spouse in London and processing the paperwork and getting a residence card was pretty straightforward (especially compared to doing things in Italy). I’m not sure how of what you need to do to get married in Italy and then reside in the UK, but for the UK side, I’m sure you can find the information you need on the home office website. x Giovanna
Hi Giovanna..my situation is I am Italian National and my wife is Non-EU national. She will reach Italy in couple of days on family spouse visa obtained by my wife abroad. Does she need any private health insurance at the time she applies for first PdS? She won’t be registered with healthcare when she arrives in Italy..Your response is much appreciated..thanks
Hi Ameer, I believe as an Italian citizen, your wife can enroll in the national health service for free. As soon as she has her PdS and gets her residency, she can go to the ASL office to sign up for a tessera sanitaria. That’s what I did, and while my PdS is not ready yet, I have a temporary paper PdS that expires in 3 months. I brought that PdS to the office and showed them and they gave me a tessera sanitaria that lasts the same amount of time as the PdS. Congratulations on your wife’s upcoming arrival! x Giovanna
Hi
Thank you for the informative article. We have some questions please. 1. When your husband registered his residency at the town hall after you arrived for him to get his certificate of residency what documents did he took with. My fiance have an Italian passport as well as a codice fiscale. This is however her 1st time in Italy. 2. To get the declaration of hospitality signed by the police what is the minimum period we need to book accommodation for. We will book on Airbnb and was thinking of booking a month in Pescara. 3. Is the owner oblige to sign the document. Thank you in advance
Hi Paul,
I think he just took his passport and codice fiscale. As he had been registered at the same comune before he left Italy, he didn’t have much to do. He told him that he was back at his old address and the officials came the following week to check that he was at that address. They then sent him his certificate by post. Your fiance may need to bring a rental agreement or dichiarazione di ospitalita’ or something similar to her appointment to show that she has lodging at that address. 2. I think you would need to have long term accommodation in order to get residency. 3. For either a rental contract or dichiarazione di ospitalita’ the owner needs to sign the document. For the dichiarazione, you need to have a photocopy of the owner’s carta d’identita’. Hope this helps! x Giovanna
Thank you very much
Thank you Giovanna,
Really informative article.I am an Indian citizen married to Italian in India .I have got my PDS for five years .But still we are working in India.I am a resident in Rome.But I didn’t take carta identita( long waiting for an appointment in Rome ) and tessera sanitaria.I would like to know ,1)how long it takes to apply for Italian citizenship.
2) is it necessary to get carta identita and tessera sanitaria to live in Italy.
3) What are the procedures to renew this PDS which is expiring on 2021?
Thank you very much .
Hi James,
1) Italian citizenship can take at least two years and possibly more. You can read more about it on my website, I wrote a separate blog post about it. The comments also have a lot of information about when you’re eligible to apply (after 3 years of marriage if you leave abraod, after two 2 years if live within Italy).
2)Yes, they’re both necessary. You can’t do much without them and I believe you are required to carry the carta d’identita’ with you at all times. The tessera sanitaria grants you entry into the national health care system. It also has your codice fiscale on it which is something you need.
3) I’m not sure about the renewal procedures for the PdS. I believe they may be different for the type of PdS you have. You’re probably on the same PdS as me, but I haven’t had experience with renewing. But for most of them, you would need to apply with the kit via the post office and then wait for an appointment at the questura. It’s probably similar to what you did for the first time getting the PdS.
Hope this helps! x Giovanna
Thanks Giovanna! Thank you very much for the reply!
Dear Giovanna,
Thank your for a very informative article. I do, however, have a few questions and wonder if you could help us.
Mind you I have searched the Italian consulate website and found no precise information on the matter of my concern. I also have email, for no avail, and since the consulate in São Paulo, Brazil only answers by email.. it gets complicated.
I am Brazilian in a civil union with an Italian citizen. We live in São Paulo ( and he is registered at AIRE as a resident in Brazil ). Our civil union has been registered with the italian authorities and recognized at his comune.
We have decided to move to Italy next July/August to live and work.
My questions:
– Would I need a previous visa ? or I can enter with a tourist visa and than apply for a permeso di soggiorno ?
– Once I apply for a permeso di soggiorno, what other documents do I need to apply for work ?
– Do you have a list of documents one should bring when moving to Italy ?
Thank you in advance for your time.
All the best
Carlos
Hi Carlos,
1) I’m not sure about the visa thing. Quite a few people have asked this question. I’m not sure as you are married if you can enter on a tourist visa or if you need a special visa to enter Italy in order to live there. The consulate would be the best place to ask. It wasn’t entirely clear to me from the London consulate website, so I went there in person with the application form filled out and asked them. They told me that since I had already an EU residency permit granted by the UK, then I was okay to enter Italy. 2) Once you apply for a PdS, you need to then establish residency, get your carta d’identita’ and then sign up at the ASL office for a tessera sanitaria and codice fiscale. 3) In my post, I have a list of documents that you need to bring to you to the questura to apply for the PdS. In that list, you need your certified marriage certificate and a photocopy. If you were married abroad, that certificate needs to be certified with an apostille. The certificate needs to be translated by a certified translator approved by the consulate of that region and also certified with an apostille. You must bring photocopies of them too.
Hope this all helps and good luck with the move! x Giovanna
Hi,
After tons and tons of research, your post is the only post that makes sense to me.
I am a Non EU citizen, I recently got married to my husband and now I want to apply for the Pds. I am currently living with him in Italy on a tourist visa (Schengen Visa) which expires soon.
My question is what is the procedure to apply for the residence card to stay back in Italy with him. Also can i apply for the pds while I am in Italy with a tourist visa.
He is a resident in Milan but we live in Sicily because his work is in Sicily.
thanks
Hi Wafa..I’m taking chance to advise on your situation. I hope Giovanna will also add her suggestion when she gets to see your question.
Depending on where you got married with your Italian spouse, there are two possibilities. 1. Assuming you got married in Italy and its registered in comune where your husband is resident, you should be able to apply for PdS while on valid schengen visa. You will need to visit local questura, get list of documents required to file PdS application and start the process. 2. If you got married abroad, you will need to have your marriage registration documents stamped by Ministry of Foreign Affairs and then legalised by Italian Consulate of the country in which your marriage was solemnised. These legalised documents are required at the time you apply for Pds in Italy.
As you’re aware, you could stay a total of maximum 90 days in one go on a schengen visa, you should carefully plan it.
Hi Wafa,
Thank you Khadim for answering. I’m not familiar with what you need to do to get married within Italy and if you need a special entry visa in order to get married. (I know you do in the UK and in the US, but the Schengen area may be different.) Khadim seems more knowledgeable at this part then I am. Good luck with everything! x Giovanna
Hi Giovanna,
I had a quick question after reading your blog – can you speak to coming directly from the US as a US citizen married to an Italian citizen after getting married in Italy last year. We are planning a permanent move to Italy in a few months…
Do you know if I still need a PdS before I arrive? I’ve contacted the Italian Consulate in NYC but have not received a reply yet, so I wanted to send a quick note…
Dear
I search a lot and I also email the European union website so my question is I married with Italian national and I m non eu citizen. So I can move to france with my wife and I also register there and I know I apply the resident card of France through my eu spouse
My question is when I get the france carte de segorno period 5 year so am I able to apply for the Italian citizen as they mentioned if I live abroad I can apply after 3 year ?
As I know if I apply in France they will take my italian permesso di soggiorno and give me france carte sejour .so in this case am I able to apply citizen .I search a lot and didn’t find any information related to if I live abroad? ?
I don’t know how can I live abroad more then 3 month. I didn’t understand this rule .
Hi Malik,
I believe that you can always apply after 3 years of marriage abroad through the Italian Consultate in the City, where you reside with your spouse, and she should be enrolled on AIRE, in order to check your application. You have to check all the documents required through their website, which is pretty much as Giovanna clarified them on the post, best of luck in everything.
Hi Michael,
I’m not sure, but I believe from the US, you need an entry visa to come with your spouse to live in Italy. Once you arrive, you need to apply for your PdS at the Questura and I believe when you apply they will want to see your entry visa. The reason for this would be that you need to show that you’re allowed to enter and stay in Italy over 90 days (the amount of time that’s normally allowed for US citizens travelling to the Schengen area). I would ask the Consulate if you need an entry visa to go to Italy to double check. I don’t think getting the visa is that complicated for spouses of Italian citizens and it’s free. Hope this helps. x
Hi Giovanna, thank you for documenting all this information.
I’m in the process of getting all the paperwork ready for the PdS, I married an Italian citizen and am wondering about how you know about this step here: “As a spouse of an Italian citizen, you don’t need to apply with the PdS application through the post office. You can show up at the Questura with your spouse without an appointment and without an application.”
Is this documented anywhere that I can print out and bring with me? My wife is worried that we go to the office and waste time, she wants to fill out the post office application and make an appointment (but they are not available till Sept. in Treviso) Thank yo for any insights.
Hi Erick,
I understand your predicament. I found some information in English on the consulate website (look at no. 3) http://conslondra.esteri.it/resource/2016/04/81258_f_cons57DiritttieDoveriVistoDinglese.pdf. I also went to the consulate in London to double check that I didn’t need an entry visa (as I already had an residency permit to live in the UK as a family member of an EU citizen) and asked them if I could go straight to the Questura. They said yes. I went to the Questura di Venezia, still not sure if they would turn me away, but they didn’t and I saw someone. I was still turned away because I was missing a document, so I had to go back the next day and I was issued a paper version of the PdS that was valid for 3 months. I could then establish residency, get my tessera sanitaria, and open a bank account. All within that first week. After 3 months, I went back and it wasn’t ready, so they renewed it for another 3 months. I went back again after the 3 months and it was still not read and they renewed it for 2 months. I checked the Questura website and saw that my permesso is ready, so I will go back tomorrow to pick it up (after 8 months of my first appointment). Unfortunately, since there is very little clear information out there and people have different experiences based on the questure e personnel, it’s hard for me to tell you exactly what you should do. All I can say, based on my experiences so far, that even if you try to avoid wasting time, it’s impossible to avoid. Sometimes things work out and you’re pleasantly surprised, and sometimes it doesn’t. Good luck with everything! x
Hi Giovanna,
Thank you for your quick reply, fingers crossed for you tomorrow!
Hi Giovana I want to ask somthing I am married to italian for 5 years but I was leving abroad and now I am resident in Italy been here for 4 months I am not shure if I can apply for cizitenship or I have to wait 2 years?
Hi Armando,
As far as I know, the law is that if you live abroad you are eligible for Italian citizenship after being married for 3 years with your Italian spouse, if you live in Italy you are eligible after two years. So since you’ve been married for 5 years, you can apply whether you live in Italy or not. If you register yourself on the Ministero dell’interno website and look at the citizenship section, you can complete the online application for Modulo A for those that are resident in Italy. Good luck with everything!
Armando hope you’re doing good!. Did you apply for citizenship so far? Please advise if you found out you are eligible to apply now or must wait for 2 years residence in Italy? Grazie Mille
Dear Giovanna,
Thank you very much for sharing such detailed information! I have a question regarding how long it took for you to actually receive the permit. I believe I submitted my application (also for family reunion reason) in April at the same questura as you did. They gave me a piece of paper with 3-month validity and asked me to go back when it was about to expire. So I went back two weeks ago, and it turned out the permit wasn’t ready yet, and they extended the validity of my temporary permit (that piece of paper) by stamping on it. I asked them how long I still had to wait, and they told me that it depends. My question is, in your case, how long did it take for you to finally get your permesso di soggiorno? Thank you again!
Hi Ryoko,
I waited 8 months and visited 7 times before I received the official PdS. I just wrote a post about it yesterday and gave a timeline here: http://www.limonatalounge.com/part-2-getting-a-permesso-di-soggiorno-spouse-italian-citizen/. They police may come to visit your place to check on your residence as part of the PdS process (even though they didn’t tell me that when I applied). x Giovanna
Hi Giovanna,
Many thanks for the info. I want to move to Italy with my family .I am Italian living in Argentina and have an unregistered partner since some years (no marriage and no civil union) but we have a child of over two years. The name of his father is on his Italian passport. Do you know of any similar case who processed the PDS or carta de soggiorno through its own child (and if you do .. the passport of the child would be enough proof or they would require a birth certificate? Many thanks!
Hi Lia,
I’m afraid I don’t know of any examples of a parent getting a PdS through a child, but I believe it would be a similar process. I think the best place to ask is the consulate. Your partner may need to apply for an entry visa in order to live in Italy, so the consulate will be able to tell you how to apply and what to do when you arrive in Italy. Hope this helps. x
Hello,
I got married to my Italian girlfriend year Oct and I apply pds since January 2018 still now no result yet.
My PDS is not yet out and my region was Casarta.
They kept given us diff stories like the person in charge is sick or not around for 8 months now.
I’m just tried
Hi Jefe,
I know how you feel, I’m so sorry you’ve had to wait so long. I waited 8 months to get my permesso this last time. Have they visited your residence yet? I think every questura works differently, but they didn’t tell me that someone would come to check our home and one day in March a vigile arrived and said that they were sent by the questura. I hope you get it soon.
Hi Giovanna,
Very help post, thank you for taking the time to explain all of this! My Italian partner and I were married last month in Scotland (where we currently live) and plan to move to Italy about a month before my current UK resident permit expires (in a year). We are trying to register our marriage with the Italian consulate in Scotland to help us when we move to Italy. I know it is slightly off topic, but we can’t get any information about proper procedure. Any insight would be great. Below is the only information about this, from the consulate website. It does not appear that we need an ITALIAN translation of the apostilled marriage certificate, but it is unclear and the registration form asks what Italian city hall we are registering with, would this be Edinburgh (where we live) or my partner’s hometown (an actual Italian city hall)
To register a marriage
please fill out the application form (click here) (form must be signed by both spouses);
attach a full marriage certificate (long form) in original (not photocopies) completed with the ‘’Apostille’’ (click here);
attach a photocopy of both spouses’ valid ID;
IMPORTANT: please be informed also that in case of a marriage occurring in a foreign country other than the United Kingdom, you must obtain a proper legalisation and translation for your marriage certificate. Said legalisation and translation can be provided only by the appropriate Italian Consulate or Embassy located in the relevant country (for instance : Pakistan – Embassy of Italy in Islamabad);
Hi ML, Congratulations on your wedding and thank you for reading! I’m glad you find it helpful. To register your marriage with the consulate, your partner needs to be registered with l’AIRE so they’ll have them on file. You’ll be registering your marriage with the comune where your partner was resident in Italy before they left (presumably their hometown). The consulate will send the marriage certificate to the comune and the comune will send your partner a letter to say that their civil status has been updated. When we registered our marriage at the consulate in London, we had to provide a translation in Italian of our marriage certificate. Here’s the link to the London consulate marriage registration page where it says that the Italian translation is needed. https://conslondra.esteri.it/Consolato_Londra/en/i_servizi/per_i_cittadini/stato_civile/registrare-matrimonio.html When we did it, I found a standard form online in which I translated the marriage certificate myself. It didn’t need to be certified or legalised, so I didn’t use a registered translator. Maybe you can provide a translation anyway, even if the consulate doesn’t say you need one. I find that with Italian bureaucracy, the more documents you can give them, the better it is, so they can’t come back to you and ask you for more info, taking more time to get the thing done. Good luck with everything x
Very helpful, thank you. I know you are answering a million queries like mine, but I just had one more question after going to the consulate today. Were you able to work while waiting for your PdS? According to EU law, I should be able to, but the person at our consulate appointment was unsure. Thanks!
Hi ML, I was able to continue with my job and work remotely so it didn’t seem an issue. The only thing is that as soon as I applied for my permesso, residency at the town hall and enrolled in the health care system (all within a week), the government sent through my health card and tax code number. So I assume the same thing will happen to you if you apply directly through the Questura and they give you a temporary PdS while you wait for the official card to be ready. I was able to register for all of the above with the temporary PdS. x
Thank you for your advice. Great blog, I am looking forward to reading more about your adventures in Ischia!
Ciao Giovanna 🙂
Firstly i wanna thank you for this wonderful and most helpful blog!!!
i hope that you could provide me your input for my simple queries, i am non-eu but married to my italian spouse.
i need to start my PDS process and i was wondering if you could let me know how much did you had to pay at questura for PDS (family re-unification)?
what would be the process to request for long term residency permit (do i need to take a new appointment or use the same appoint of PDS to try and apply for residency permit instead of PDS) and how much do you think the fees could be for the same?
Grazie mille
Alex
Armando hope you’re doing good!. Did you apply for citizenship so far? Please advise if you found out you are eligible to apply now or must wait for 2 years residence in Italy? Grazie Mille
Off late 6000+ resident permits and citizenship requests (for all migrants/refugees) were cancelled after Salvini’s plea, the new wait period for citizenship has been extended to 4 year and the process is more sensitive as chances of application getting rejected is high.
Earlier the wait period was 2 years + 2 years for individual married to italian in italy with guaranteed citizenship papers, now its 2 + 4 years with no guarantee.
I’ve applied for PDS last month, still waiting……..
Giovanna,
Thanks so much for your blog! My wife is a dual citizen of Italy and Canada and I am a citizen of Canada only. My wife moved to Canada in 2006 and now, we plan to move to Italy in late 2019. It will likely be a permanent move. I have a secure job as a consultant with only one client – a US company based in Boston. I would like to continue working for this client while living in Italy. In other words, I will be bringing my job with me. I would have no Italian or European clients and would not be displacing an Italian. My wife should have no problem moving back as an Italian citizen. The question is more about my situation. Given that I will be ringing my job with me, what kind of visa will I need?
Art
Hi Arthur, thank you for reading! I brought my UK job with me as well and as a family member of an EU citizen, you are allowed to work and live in the EU. As soon as I applied for residency in Italy, I received a card with my tax code from the tax department. That’s all I had to do to notify the government. Although I receive a paycheck from my employer, I need to file my taxes myself in Italy next year. You could speak to a Italian accountant to get more info, I spoke to a UK/Italy accountant for advice and information on what to expect. Also, in terms of visas, please read Liz’s comment on this post on 11 October. Apparently, the Italian consulates in the US told her and her American friends that you don’t need a visa to enter Italy with your spouse. Good luck with everything!
Hi Giovanna, great post! I can relate! Just FYI, because it looks like a lot of people are asking, you definitely do NOT need a visa to enter into Italy to be with your Italian spouse. I’ve just gone through the process in Rome, and so have a lot of others of my American pals here, and nobody came with a visa. You just show up with your documents and apply directly at the Questura (your marriage needs to be registered in Italy and all those other things), but no visa required. But anyone who contacts his or her Italian consulate to ask can get this info directly from them, as I did from mine before I left for Rome. And I was living in/a resident of the US at the time.
(The law even allows foreigners who have been living for a long time ILLEGALLY (clandestini) in Italy to marry and then receive the carta di soggiorno! Those folks definitely don’t have visas.) Happy I’ve found your blog!
Hi Liz, Thank you so much for your comment! That’s really helpful to everyone. Hope you’re enjoying Italy and Rome x Giovanna
Hi Liz and Giovanna,
This is precisely the question that I am trying to answer. I have two follow up questions:
1. To register your marriage, did you do that in Italy or the US. And, was your marriage certificate translated to Italian and apostilled?
2. Which consulate here in the US were you dealing with?
Thanks in advance SO much for your answers!!!!
Lauren
Hi Lauren,
To answer your questions:
1) REGISTERING THE MARRIAGE – I dealt with the consulate in London as I lived there and got married in London, but I think the process is the same at all the consulates. If you live abroad, your Italian spouse needs to be registered with l’AIRE (which is the entity that oversees all Italians living abroad). If your spouse is registered with l’AIRE, then both of you can do all that you need to do through the consulate – like register your marriage, births of children, renewal of passports and identity cards, etc. We registered our marriage at the consulate in London who then notified the town in Italy where my partner is from where it was formally registered. You can find instructions on how to do that on your consulate website. I can’t remember exactly what we did, but it wasn’t that complicated.
2) For the translation and apostille of the marriage certificate – I did that right before we moved to Italy. I did it through London, which the apostille and translation process is a little bit different. However, I got an apostille on the original marriage certificate. I had the certificate translated and also got an apostille for that translation.
Since I had already applied for Italian citizenship and knowing already the rules for translations and certifications (my US documents originated from NY State), I followed the same procedure. Which is: Hire a translator that is in the jurisdiction of the consulate that covers the region where you reside. For example, if your consulate is the Italian consulate in New York City, then you should hire a translator based in the tri-state area. You should then follow the rules of getting an apostille for a document in New York State (which is: get it notarised in New York City and then get the notary signature certified by the county office and then send it off to the state apostille office for the apostille).
Good luck with everything! x Giovanna
Hello.
That’s really informative Bolg. Thanks for sharing a lot of Information. I have got one question.
I am Non EU , married with Romanian girl, in Italy, how long I have to be wait for Italian citizenship? I have read married with Italian is 1-3 years. But if Non EU married with European( Not Italian)
Thanks
Amad
Hi Amad,
If you and your spouse live in Italy, you have to be married for 2 years before you apply for citizenship. If you are married to an EU citizen (not Italian), then you could apply for citizenship based on Italian residency. I’m not sure how many years though you have to be a resident in Italy if you’re married to an EU citizen. I believe it’s at least 6 years, but could be as long as 10. Hope this helps!
Hello,
I’m a non-EU citizen about to marry an Italian and I have surmised from your post that it should be legally possible for me to work in Italy once I have established residency and obtained an Italian tax code number from my commune office, even with a temporary PdS.
Could you share the procedure at the townhall, such as the documentation required, whether an appointment was required, were you able to confirm residency and obtain the health card and tax code number on the same day; if not, how long did it take?
Thanks,
Chin
Chin Yi
Hi Chin, When I went to the town hall to get my residency, I didn’t make an appointment. I brought my temporary PdS and dichiarazione d’ospitalita (or your rental contract if you have one) to show that I had a place to live. They then sent an official the following week to my residence to confirm that I lived there. Then my residency was confirmed and my codice fiscale was sent to my place. I went to the health centre (ASL or USL in some regions) to register for my health card and I brought the same documents with me (PdS and dichiarazione d’ospitalita’). This was all done in a small town in the province of Venice so depending on where you live it could be different. If you go to the town hall, they could either see you right away or have you make an appointment. For me, all of my paperwork was processed in about a week — although my official PdS wasn’t ready until 8 months later.
Hi Giovanna,
Thank you so much for your reply! My partner was told by his questura (in Crema) that when we submit the application for the PdS, we will be issued a receipt which will not state the purpose of the PdS, and hence, it would not be possible for me to work in Italy until the official PdS is approved and issued (which may take up to 8 months!). I am not sure whether this receipt is the same thing as the temporary PdS you mentioned. Any idea? Did you receive this temporary PdS the first time you applied (as opposed to a renewal)?
Thanks,
Chin
Hi Chin,
The temporary PdS is something different. If you apply through the post office using the postal kit, they give you a receipt until you’re called in for an appointment at the Questura (which can take a long time). But I was told by the consulate in London that as I’m requesting a PdS via marriage, instead of applying through the post office I could just go directly to the Questura without an appointment and apply on the spot. As soon as I arrived in Italy, I went to the Questura di Venezia and although I had to wait a long time to be seen, I gave them my documents and they issued me a temporary paper version called a permesso di soggiorno in cartacea. I often receive very very little or conflicting information about these kinds of things from bureaucrats so if you don’t mind wasting half a day waiting in line, you could also just show up at the Questura anyway before applying through the post office. The worst they can do is turn you away. I still had to wait 8 months for my official PdS, but in the meantime I was able to get residency, and receive my work and health cards. Good luck with everything! x
Hello Giovianna
Thank you for such a wonderful post.m want to ask you some question if that will be alright with you.l am an italian citizen l got it through birth.My spouse has gone to the Questura, taking fingerprint everything was done.So we needed to heck it online if the PdS is ready.They came to where we lived but we weren’t around so they came the other time and met my husband and they ask of me ,l travelled at that time.Since then there is nothing on the website when we track it.And l don’t know what is going on.He has gone to questura to ask them but they keep saying is not ready .I am afraid maybe they have reject him. I don’t know what to do.Do you have any advice or information to provide.Thank you
Hi Elisabetta, The same thing happened to me and I didn’t find anything on the website until the permesso was ready. For months it said that the number didn’t exist. I applied in November and they came to our place to check where we lived in March and at the end of May I checked the website and it finally said that the permesso was ready. I know it’s all unknown and a long wait, but I’m sure it’s all going to be fine. If they’ve accepted the paperwork and have just told your husband that it’s not ready yet, then I’m sure it’ll be fine. Good luck with everything! x
I have the Italian Permesso di Soggiorno five years residence permit but my wife doesn’t and i want to travel to Germany after out Commune marriage for honeymoon. Please can she travel with me without any problems?
Hi Giovanna,
Do you know hat documents I need to bring to ‘renew’ my 5 year spousal permesso di Soggiorno. My husband is an Italian citizen. We have lived here 5 years but lived in Australia most of our lives and our Italian is not very good, sadly.
Thank you and kind regards,
Hi Ingrid,
I’m sorry, I wish I knew what documents you need for the renewal, but I don’t have experience with that yet. I assume you’ll need to show that you’ve been living in Italy for the entire 5 years, so perhaps copies of your rental agreement, some document from the comune to say that you’ve been a resident, or any tax return forms? Maybe there’s someone else here who can give some advice? Good luck with everything! x
Hi Giovanna,
My husband is Italian and I have a Carta di soggiorno which was renewed once in 2014 (after 5 years). I have to renew it again this year. I have lived in Italy continuously and I was wondering if I have to renew the Carta every 5 years, or does it become permanent at any point?
What are the documents that I shall need to submit?
Many thanks and regards
Hi Sanjukta, Thanks for writing. As far as I know, if you have a carta di soggiorno for family members of an EU citizen (or an Italian citizen), it is valid for 5 years after which when you renew it, you receive a permanent Carta di Soggiorno. You can find more information here (in Italian). “Quando i documenti richiesti sono stati presentati, la questura rilascia una carta di soggiorno in formato cartaceo con la validità di 5 anni, dopodiché, al momento del rinnovo, sarà rilasciato una “carta di soggiorno permanente per familiare di cittadini europei“. Ricordiamo che questo documento viene rilasciato ai cittadini extracomunitari con lui conviventi o a carico. Intanto, il soggiorno deve essere stato regolare e senza interruzione per tutti i 5 anni.” I haven’t had to renew my carta di soggiorno yet, so I don’t have any experience in the documents that are needed for renewal, but maybe one of the other readers can give some advice? All the best, X
Hi,
This is definitely the best article about the PdS online! Thank you for putting this together. I’m hoping that the list is the same in Siena as in Venice. I’m non-EU and I want to make sure I have all the documents before I leave my home country. Right now in the process of registering the marriage to my Italian husband at the Embassy here. Bureaucracy sucks! Just wanted to know, about the health benefits. You mentioned that you can register for that soon after applying for PdS. Is that still correct? I am pregnant and we’re planning on having the baby in Italy. I want to make sure I can find a doctor and start going for my scans as soon as I file the PdS (within 8 days of arriving) so that I have enough time to get used to the OB before the baby comes. Thank you again for the fabulous article. Anu
Hi Anu,
Thanks so much for reading and absolutely YES! Bureaucracy sucks. I can give you some advice based on my own experience, but please be aware that it may be different in the region and town where you apply and could also even depend on the person that helps you. I was issued a temporary PdS when I first applied (this had all my info, photograph and stamps and acted like the real thing until the real one was ready). I went to the Questura without an appointment and was able to see someone that day. With that temporary PdS I was able to get my residency and then apply for my health card that same week. Based on the comments here, some people have gone to their questura without an appointment and were told to apply through the post office, so it may happen to you, too. Depending on what region you apply in, you could wait a few weeks or even months before you get an appointment at the questura. (When I applied for a PdS in Rome in 2009 I waited 6 months, but when I applied for a PdS in Napoli in 2011, I waited 2 weeks). I’m not sure if in the meantime of waiting for that appointment, you will be able to apply for residency or get into the health care system. Since you are pregnant (congratulations!), I suggest getting private health insurance if you want to make sure that you are covered while you are in Italy. Even if you are able to get into the Italian health care system quickly, like I was able to do, you may have to wait a long time to get an OB appointment depending on where you reside (a big city vs a small town) and may be forced to go privately anyway. I don’t want to discourage you, but what I’ve learned is that it is incredibly difficult to time anything with Italian bureaucracy. My best advice would be to make plans as if you weren’t going to get insurance right away and then be pleasantly surprised if you do get it quickly. Congratulations and good luck, x Giovanna
Oh lord. Please help me. lol
Here’s my situation: My partner is a dual-citizen living in the US with no residence in Italy. I am an American citizen. We live together here in the United States and are married. We are looking to move together to Italy permanently. We are both extremely confused about the process and can’t seem to find any answers.
A few other things to know: We are looking to move to Rome, though his citizenship is based out of Palermo, as is where we have to have the marriage recognized via AIRE via our local consulate.
I understand we need to register the marriage with AIRE via our local consulate. That’s not a problem. I have all the requirements for that. But once that clears and we want to move, we don’t know what is required of me. From what I understand, I need an entry visa in addition to my passport.
First question: What type of entry visa do I need?
In order to apply for a PdiS once we arrive in Rome, I understand that I have to go to the questura where my partner is a resident within 8 days of arrival. Two issues: Though his citizenship is filed through Palermo and Palermo is also where our marriage has to be certified, we will be moving to Rome. Furthermore, despite having citizenship, my partner has never resided in-country on a long-term basis and thus has no permanent residence (we will be finding an apartment upon arrival in Rome).
Second question: Do I need to fly to Palermo to apply for the PdiS?
Third question: How does apply for the PdiS without my partner having established residency?
Thank you ahead of time for your assistance. It is more than highly appreciated!!
Hi Josh,
Thanks so much for reading. I’ll try to answer questions or at least point you in the right direction.
1. Do you need an entry visa into Italy and what kind?
I would double check with the consulate as I’m sure they could tell you whether you need a visa or not. If you go to one of the Facebook groups like ‘Americans living in Italy’ or ‘Ultimate Italy’ and search for your question (or ask it yourself if you can’t find it), someone may have had a similar experience as you. Some people have mentioned in the comments on this post that they’ve spoken to a lawyer who told them that they do not need an entry visa. Now, as with most things online and especially with things that involve immigration and Italy, I would double check the answer yourself with the consulate or an immigration lawyer rather than rely on other people’s experiences. It wasn’t clear to me either whether I needed an entry visa or not so I went to the visa office at the consulate in London to double check if I needed a visa and they said no as I already had a residency permit in the UK therefore I was already allowed to travel within the EU as a family member of a EU citizen.
2 and 3. Do you need to fly to Palermo to apply for the PdS? How do you apply for the PdS without having established residency?
The very first thing you need in order to apply for your PdS and for your partner to establish residency is to find a place to live. It doesn’t have to be in Palermo. When you apply for your PdS, you’ll need to show that you have a place to live, either a copy of your rental agreement or a dichiarazione d’ospitalita’ if you’re staying at someone’s house (i.e. a family member or friend). For example, if you both want to move to Rome, you will need to first find a place to live in Rome and then apply for your spouse’s residency and your PdS. This is important because the Questura that has issued you your PdS may come to your home to check on your residency (as it happened with me. I was issued a temporary PdS and I didn’t receive my carta di soggiorno until they verified my residence. They didn’t visit until 4 months after I applied for the PdS.) Once you have your PdS (either your temporary or permanent one), you will then have to apply for residency in Rome and get your carta di identita’. Your partner, as an Italian citizen, can immediately apply for residency in Rome as soon as you both have a place to live. The comune of Rome will then notify l’AIRE about the residency and your partner’s l’AIRE residency will then be cancelled.
If you get a rental agreement, make sure both of your names are on the lease as this will show that you are both living together. It makes things a lot easier.
Hope this all helps and good luck!
Hi
This is an amaizing blog and I hope I will find the answer to my compliacted case?
I have the Italian nationality from my mother. I have been living in Saudi Arabia and the US my whole life and I have been married to A syrian man for 14 years now, we have three boys. He never applied for the Italian citizenship. Is there anyway that he can get a residency or permit just to be able to work as a freelanser photographer in Europe and pay tax. Unfortuanly because I have some obligations I will not be able to move to Italy anytime soon. But I are thinking about in the future. My kids are already going to the Italian international school in Saudi Arabia.
Thank you
Hi Sara,
Thanks for reading! As far as I’m aware, the law is that as a family member of an EU citizen, your husband would be allowed to live and work within the EU country in which you both reside. So I don’t think your husband would be able to work as a freelancer on his own. In order to get my residency permit in Italy, I had to show our marriage certificate and prove that I had a place to live. The Questura then sent someone to come to our home to check that we both lived there and he took photographs of both mine and my partner’s ID cards. I’m not sure how it works in other countries. I suggest you join one of the expat Facebook groups like Simply Italy or Ultimate Italy and ask your question there and see if someone else has had a similar experience. These groups aren’t for asking legal advice on immigration matters (I would only rely on a lawyer for that as people tend to give conflicting and wrong information or only information that applied to themselves), but if you want to gather some general information they are a great place to start. Good luck! x
Hi good morning
I have got some questions.
Basically I am Pakistani citizen living in Italy and soon I am gonna get married with my Romanian girlfriend she is living in Italy as well.
So my question is what is whole process of marriage in Italy to get pds I mean they require any work or other type of things
And second thing is can I go to London without visa with my wife after pds received by questura
If I can go then how long I can stay there.
Hi John,
I don’t have any experience with getting married in Italy and the documents that you’ll need. However, there are facebook groups like Ultimate Italy and Simply Italy that may be useful to you and there may be somebody there who ask you for information. In regards to what visa you need to travel to London, I’m not sure what kind of entry visa you would need as a family member of an EU citizen. I would check the British Embassy website as things may change after the Brexit date on 29 March. Best of luck, x
They changed the law and now a spouse has to pass a B1 CLIS proficiency test in order to become an Italian citizen if you are married to an Italian Citizen. I was going to apply for Italian Citizenship through marriage in January 2019 – that’s when my husband got his Dual citizenship Italy and US. When we retire in 2020 we were going to move to Italy from New York, However, Italy changed the law on December 4, 2018 and now a spouse has to pass a B1 CLIS proficiency test. Since I know absolutely NO Italian, it will take me at least 2 years to study to pass this test. I was going to learn Italian naturally when I moved there. Now I have to learn it in New York in a review course. Your website was helpful to let me know that I can still live in Italy for longer than 90 days when my husband and I move there to retire. Leave it to the Italians to add more rules and roadblocks on people who want to move to their country due to their Italian ancestry.
Hi M, I’m glad you found the website useful. It’s a bummer about this new language rule as there’s not a whole lot of information out there yet and it doesn’t seem clear yet on at what stage you’ll need to submit the certificate. My experience from living in Italy is that there are rules and roadblocks everywhere that can hold you up in anything that you do here, for both immigrants and Italians. In that regard, Italians don’t discriminate. On the plus side, in your case, you can still move to Italy with your spouse and then apply for Italian citizenship over there when you’re ready. A B1 level is lower intermediate, so you may find you could pass the exam before you move to Italy next year, or at the very least, get a head start. Good luck with everything! x
Dear Giovanna, thank you for the information you have provided. My husband and I have been searching for weeks on the internet for the exact process of me to obtain a Permasso di Soggiorno and we were so confused with the process. Thanks for outlining the steps.
We reside in Australia and my husband has an Italian passport. We will be travelling to Italy in May 2019 for an extended holiday of 6 months and we have been desperately searching for the process of for me to stay during this period. without any issue. We are currently in the process of obtaining a copy of our translated marriage certificate which is registered in Santeramo in Colle, Bari.
With regards to the Declaration of hospitality that needs to be declared at the local police station, we will be staying at various locations, although predominately based in Puglia, do you know if I provide paid receipts of all our accommodation would that suffice?
Are you able to advise me the approx price to obtain the Permasso di Soggiorno?
with thanks
Hi Anna,
I’m sorry, I don’t know if I have any information that can help you. In my experience, I needed to show them that I had a place to live in order for them to visit our residence and check that we were really married and living together. We both had to be there when the police came and they took photographs of our ID cards. I’m not sure how it will work if you are only visiting Italy. May I suggest you join the facebook group Ultimate Italy and ask your question there? There may be someone who has done something similar and can share their experience with you. Good luck! x Giovanna
Thank you for sharing this information.
Thanks for reading. x
Dear Giovanna
Thank you for your helpful information. My situation is a bit different. I am a non-Eu resident who has an Italian student visa but my husband does not have any visa. I will be appreciate if you help me how can apply for his visa. I want to have him in Italy.
Hi Mona, I don’t have information about how your husband can join you on your student visa. Perhaps you can join one of the Facebook groups such as Ultimate Italy and ask your question there? x
Ciao Giovanna,
Your sharing and helping with information is amazing! Thank you! I have a question, my husband has dual citizenship with Germany and the US and I am US. In 2010, we moved to Italy as we have an apartment there. At the time, I had to go to the Consulate in Miami first to obtain a family Visa and then pursue PdS (Carta di Sogiorno) via the Questura. I received my PdS in 2011 and it was valid for 5 years, but I had to return to the US for work purposes. Now it is 9 years later and we wish to return to our home in Italy. Here is my question, if we go to the same Questura, would we need to present the documents all over again or would they have them on file from my first PdS or Carta? I sent an email to the Consulate about the process and they said the laws have changed and I would need to contact the Questura and I would not need a family Visa. If I am understanding this correctly,.. the Consulate in Miami stated that I could go to Italy without a Visa and just register at the Questura as soon as I get there. I would be given documentation to state that I am in the process of obtaining my PdS. I do not have documentation of that e=mail to reference as Comcast (internet provider) had a power outage and I lost my e-mail. Does any of that sound familiar to you? Also, do you recall the documentation that is needed. I have an copy of my apostilled Marriage Application and a certified copy of my marriage certificate with the seal. I don’t recall if there is anything else I would need. Your help would be greatly appreciated!
Hi Linda, I’m not sure about whether you need a visa or not to enter into Italy like you did last time. Other people in these comments have said that they didn’t need a family visa, but I’m not a lawyer so I don’t want to give you the wrong information. I didn’t need one, but I was already a resident within the EU and they took a copy of that page in my passport when I applied for my PdS. However, you can join one of facebook groups such as Americans in Italy or Ultimate Italy and ask your question there and I’m sure you can better information from more people. In terms of applying, I believe you’ll have to apply again as your previous one had expired and you’ll need to show them that you have somewhere to live so the police can come and visit you (a separate visit from the one when you apply for residency at your comune.) All the documents that you need are listed in the post above. I hope this helps and good luck! x Giovanna
Hello dear friend thenk you for these perfect advice.. actually me and my husband we went to questura and they even didnt open the door .. they refered us to the post office and now we got the appointment for 3 month later .. funny . I wanted to ask if you may know any way to change this appontment date ??
Grazie mille
I am Non EU , married with Romanian girl, in Italy, how long I have to be wait for marriage i have 6 months permesso di soggiorno . What she neet the dacuments and what i need.. is that possible she send me her dacuments and i applied for marriage in registrar office and when they give me marriage date then she come and we get marriage and after she go back and i applied in romanian embassy a visa???? Please tell me everything
Hi Mohsin, thank you for writing. I’m really sorry, but I don’t know how to help you. I didn’t get married in Italy, so I don’t know what documents you would need. The best thing to do is ask someone in the comune where your wife lives or speak with a lawyer. Or perhaps you can get information from your nearest Sportello unico per l’immigrazione. Good luck x Giovanna
Hi Giovanna,
Excellent post – thank you for putting this information together.
I am exploring how to move my family to Italy in the next few weeks (July 2019). I am UK citizen and my wife is a Russian citizen. We’ve been married over 20 years. Our teenage son is also a Brit.
My intention is to apply for the 5 year temporary residency for myself and my son as EU nationals, and for my wife to obtain the same residency as a Non-EAA spouse of an EU national.
I think this is generally a straightforward (but bureaucratic) process for EU nationals with immediate family members who are non-EAA nationals.
However, I am concerned that, as of June 2019, due to the imminent threat of Brexit in October 2019, there may be some different rules for Brits making new applications for the 5-year temporary residency status in Italy.
Also, my understanding is that we would first need to commit to a rental agreement before submitting our application for temporary residency. Is that correct? (I am wary of committing to an agreement of one year if there is a risk that, being a Brit, I may not be able to follow the usual process taken by other non-Italian EU nationals seeking residency in Italy).
Any info you may have on this would be really very helpful. If this has become a grey area, are you able to recommend us a good immigration lawyer who may be able to help us navigate the process?
Many thanks again for all the great info in this post!
Paul
Hi Paul,
Thanks for reading! I’m not sure what will change after Brexit happens, everything seems so up in the air. It was reported a few months ago that British nationals will be able to continue to reside in Italy after the Brexit. The facebook group Ultimate Italy is a great resource for immigration lawyer recommendations and you can also ask your question and see if someone can share with you their experience of moving their family and non-EU spouse to Italy. Good luck with your upcoming move! x
Hi Giovanna!
I’m happy to have stumbled across your post.
I am a Swiss citizen who will be moving to Venice for a job. My husband is Jordanian so I will be applying a Permesso di Soggiorno for him. I have no idea if I can process it in Italy while he is waiting in Jordan. At least I can prepare the documents from the requirements that you shared.
Unfortunately, I don’t know anyone in Italy so I will be figuring everything out once I get there I guess.
Hi Andrea,
Congratulations on your upcoming move to Venice. I’m not sure if you can process the PdS application while your husband’s still in Jordan. But once you get to Italy, you can go to the Sportello unico per l’immigrazione to get more information. They may be able to help you or at least point you in the right direction. You can also join the facebook group Ultimate Italy and ask your question there, it’s a great forum and you can get some advice from there. If you need a lawyer, the group can also recommend some to you. Good luck with everything!
You’re an idiot. Honestly. There is so much information on here that doesn’t have anything to do with married spouses. Most of the information you give is for people that have married outside Italy and who are also not Italian. Why would they be getting a permesso di soggiorno if they are not married to an Italian? If they are European they don’t need to receive this. Americans are already the most ignorant of the world. I always wonder why Italians would ruin their country by marrying Americans. Maybe your lemon tree has dropped too many lemons on your head. Because your article is useless. If anyone is looking for reliable information, get help from an Italian, not a foreigner who has no clue about bureaucracy in Italy.
This response to Giovanna’s extraordinarily helpful and amazingly practical post is so so so stupid ! What is wrong with you? Socrates would laugh in your face if he reads your crass and ignorant response. Come on ! Who calls someone who is kind and helpful an idiot unless he is an idiot. I love Giovanna’s lemon trees. They are so bright and beautiful and make everyone smart. I think you are responding to this post so poorly because you didn’t get squeezed enough. Or you didn’t drink enough lemonade. Try a glass. Come back and apologize. Giovanna, who is an American (and Italian, in case you didn’t get it), is one of the smartest people I know. She is so impressive, has three Masters degrees. What do you with your ignorant life but respond ignorantly to this exquisitely beneficial post by Giovanna? It has helped so many people ! Just scroll through 140 (minus yours) comments and see for yourself.
Thank you for your kind words, Vi.
Hello,
Do you need the apostille stamps if already married in Italy?
Hi Maria,
The apostille is only for documents that are issued abroad, so if you have a copy of your Italian marriage certificate certified by the comune in which it was issued than you should be okay.
Hi Giovanna,
Thank you for your response. Also, don’t listen to the guy from the last comment, you are very helpful! He’s probably not even married.
Ha! Thanks, Maria 🙂
Hello! I am an American citizen marrying an Italian citizen in a few weeks and we want to take my Permesso ASAP. I have accepted a job offer but I can’t start until I have the permesso.
We live in Milan and when we called the Questura they said we need to make an appointment online to take the Permesso but there is literally NO INFORMATION anywhere on their websites and the internet in general is completely useless. If you or anyone else can please help us find how to make an appointment we would really appreciate it, we are so stressed!
Hi Mychelle, I searched the Prefettura di Milano website and I came across this link to make an appointment. Would this help you? Otherwise, you should join the Facebook Group Ultimate Italy and you can ask your question there. It’s a nice group and they can be quite helpful. x
Hi Giovanna,
Thank you so much for compiling all of this information, it is very helpful. I am wondering how long the permesso di soggiorno per coesione familiare is valid for? (how often must it be renewed?
Also is it possible for an American citizen to live permanently in Italy with their Italian spouse on the permesso di soggiorno? Or is it required to apply for citizenship? Does this affect one’s ability to work in the country?
Thank you so much in advance!
Hi Mia,
I was issued a 5 year carta di soggiorno as the spouse of an Italian citizen. However, I’ve read in other forums others have been issued a two year PdS that they then have to renew. I don’t know why there is a difference in validity, I think it depends on the questure and whoever is taking care of the application. After 5 years of living in Italy, you can apply for permanent residency in Italy. As the spouse of an IT citizen, the PdS/Carta di soggiorno permits you to work in Italy.
You are eligible to apply for citizenship via marriage after two years of marriage if you live in Italy and 3 years of marriage if you live abroad. The time is cut in half if you have children.
x
Hi Giovanna, your post is just soooo valuable for the people in similar situation, Thank you so much for sharing!
I am non eu citizen, and my husband is British. We plan to move to Italy, which means I need to apply for PdS as well. I could see it was a very lengthy process, from July to January the next year. I’m wondering were you allowed to work during this period?
Thank you very much in advance!
Hi Sacha,
I continued my London job when I moved to Italy and worked from home, so I kept on working. I later declared my earnings when I filed my taxes. When I first went to the questura, I got a temporary paper-version of the PdS while my paperwork was being processed. This allowed me to go to the comune to get residency and my carta d’identità, get my codice fiscale, and sign up for the healthcare system. I’m sure your employer will want to see your PdS, carta d’identità and get your codice fiscale when you get hired, so as long as you have these things, you’ll be able to work. Depending on where you live, it may take some time to get all of these documents so if you don’t have them all, it may be difficult to find a job. It’s not necessarily true though depending on the type of job you find and how they pay you. Good luck! x
Hi, Giovanna, when you presented your marriage certificate to the Questura, was it “freshly” issued/apostilled, i.e. within 6 months? I am told that marriage certificates are considered expired by Italian authorities if their issue date is more than 6 months in the past.
Hi Aleka, I’ve heard from other people that some questure request that the marriage certificates needs to be issued/apostilled within 6 months of applying. I had done gotten mine done two weeks before we moved back to Italy, so mine was ‘fresh’. To be on the safe side, I would try to do yours within 6 months as well because you never know. Unfortunately, the rules can be interpreted differently from questura to questura and comune to comune.
Hi Giovanna, thank you for the post, I have issues similiar to this, I am non EU I have being living here 2.5 years with PDS short term.
I wanted to get marry with non EU, she will come here as tourist and Is it possible we get marry ?
Ciao Giovanna! Having read both parts of your loooong, harrowing quest for a residency permit, I’m sorry it was such a pain, but grateful to you for sharing it as it’s extremely helpful. I’m a US citizen who currently resides in the UK with an EU family permit, but I’m planning to move to Italy with my Italian husband sometime this year. You mention in your article that it’s not necessary to apply for a PdS if you have residency in another EU country, but do you know if you can you still enroll in the healthcare system and open a bank account? Thanks in advance for any guidance you may have and keep up the great work on your blog!
Hi Meghan, Thanks for writing. You absolutely need to apply for the PdS once you enter Italy. In my post I said that the Italian consulate in London told me that since I already had if you already have an EU family permit from the UK, I didn’t not need an entry visa for Italy. Even though I had the permit from the UK, but I needed to apply for a PdS once I moved to Italy. The PdS is the most important document that need. You need the PdS in order to establish residency, open a bank account, enroll in the healthcare system, get a driver’s license, etc. Good luck with everything! x Giovanna
Hi Giovanna,
I’m in the process of moving to Italy (my wife is Italian), and your blog is helping me a LOT. Thanks so much for this super helpful and detailed content. Please keep up with the amazing work.
I have the same feeling that there are a bunch of information online that doesn’t match with each other.
Quick question: do you know if it’s required knowledge of the Italian language (B1) to get the Permesso di Soggiorno? (for a spouse of an Italian/EU citizen, motivi familiari).
I know it’s required for citizenship, a many people told me that it’s also required for the Permesso. Thanks a lot!
If anyone else knows it will be hugely appreciated. Thanks.
Hi Matheus, Thanks for writing! The BI certificate is not necessary for the PdS/CdS for the spouse of an Italian citizen. I believe there is a language requirement for other types of PdS (such as the the PdS UE soggiornanti di lungo periodo), but I did not have to provide any language certificate for my PdS. If you’d like to hear other people’s experiences, I could join the facebook group Ultimate Italy. x Giovanna
Thanks for replying, Giovanna!
Is it a group owned by Damien Farrel? Thanks for the recommendation, I will join this group.
This is fantastic! Do you know if this is same process for sane sex married couples?
Hi Kobie, I’m not exactly sure, but I think so. Italy recognizes same sex couples and a partner can get Italian citizenship via marriage, so I assume that this would be the same. xx
Hi Giovanna!
Thank you for this wonderful post. You’ve given all the answers I’m looking for. I was just curious if I would be able to apply for the PdS while I’m IN the country with a tourist visa? Keep in mind I’m married to my italian spouse!
Many thanks,
Saina
Hi Giovanna
Just read you got your citizenship . Congrads that’s great news . I wanted to edit my last comment to add it but I couldn’t 🙂
Hi Farana! Thanks, but I’m still waiting for my citizenship. I have my carta di soggiorno (aka residency permit) but I’m not an Italian citizen yet. After three years, I’m still on stage 1. Augh! x
Hello there! Thank you so much for your information here, especially with respect to applying for the PdS. I do have a question and would be so grateful if you could answer: having received your 3 month PdS were you automatically entitled to work in Italy?
I have a crazy story. I am Canadian living outside of London and have UK residency. I was formerly living in Rome with my UK spouse which allowed me to be granted a permisso Di soggiorno for five years. In theory, it is still valid until 2021, but I do believe that I will need to reapply for one as my husband has just accepted a job in Milan. I have also been offered a job, but clearly I have been away for awhile and just wanted to clarify your automatic entitlements as a holder of a PdS. Clearly, I was able to work on it as well but originally arriving in Rome I had another visa before a PdS.
I hope this makes sense! I appreciate your feedback!!
Hi Naomi, You can work on your temporary PdS, as long as it’s the paper one and not just the postal receipt. To be able to work, you just need to get your codice fiscale from the local agenzia delle entrate (tax office) and apply for a codice fiscale and show them your temporary PdS and carta d’identità. Good luck with everything! x
Ciao Giovanna, thank you so much for putting together this blog! It’s so hard to find clear, reliable information about Italian bureaucracy online, it’s just so complicated. I have one question about your process: What is the difference between the document proving registration at the anagrafe and the certificate of residence? I (EU citizen) just registered at the anagrafe and got a receipt, will I receive the other document automatically or do I need to apply for it seperately?
Thanks again and good luck for your citizenship!
Hello Giovanna,
First off I want to thank you for creating this website and helping give such great, helpful information. I truly appreciate it! 🙂
My partner (who is Argentine, I’m American…and we are currently living in New Zealand) is working on getting his Italian citizenship recognized through his family heritage. As the process is much faster in Italy than Argentina, we are planning on going to Italy to do the process.
My question to you, and I hope this is the right place to ask it, will both of us have to get the Permesso di Soggiorno when we enter Italy? As he is not yet a recognized Italian citizen, I’m not sure if there are specific partner visas for our type of situation until his Italian citizenship is recognized.
Warmest regards,
Lauren
Hi,
Thanks for putting this blog together, it is very useful. I have a question. I’m an Italian citizen, currently living in Mexico with my wife who is Mexican. We are retired and plan on moving to Florence Italy early next year. In order to get the carta di residenza for my wife, is it better if I go to Italy by myself first, so that I can rent a house and change my residency from the last comune that I lived in, or can we both go together and start the process? In other words, do I have an 8 day deadline to go to the questura to apply? if so, I wouldn’t have enough time to get the necessary documentation to prove residency and have a rent contract.
Thanks
Tom
Hi Tom,
I’m not sure if the 8 day deadline applies for this situation, I don’t have direct experience with that. But if you were to go first to rent a house with a registered lease in both of your names and then come to Italy with your wife, you could then apply for residency when you first arrive and then go to the questura with your wife to show that you have residency and a legal registered lease in both of your names. That would probably be the easiest and most straightforward way. If you wanted to get residency before you and your spouse move to Italy, depending on where you reside, you may have to sit around for a few weeks (or even months if you live in a big city like Rome for example) before the police come to confirm your address. Hope this helps and good luck! x Giovanna
A new decree signed by the President of Italy reduces the term from 4 to 3 years!!
https://www.fanpage.it/politica/mattarella-firma-il-decreto-immigrazione-abrogati-i-decreti-sicurezza-di-salvini/
Hi,
This has been soooo damn helpful! Thank you, it’s impossible to find this info online. Just wanted to ask a quick one, was your marriage certificate from the UK or somewhere else? In the Italian list below your list it says Stati extracomunitari, which means non- EU states, and just wondering whether I need to get mine Apostille as its a UK certificate and for the next 7 weeks we are still in the EU and im going to apply in two weeks. Cutting it very fine, damn 2020!!
Thank you in advance, from one panicked Australian.
Pel
Hi Pel,
Thank you, I’m glad you find this helpful! My marriage certificate is from the UK and I had both the certificate and translation legalised. I would definitely have these both legalised, this proves that these documents are certified for international use. With Italian bureaucracy, the more you have the better as you never know how the person you talk to is going to interpret the rules so you’ll want these documents to be perfect. I was able to get both the translation (first notarised, then legalised) and marriage certificate legalised during the last two weeks before we left London. Good luck wiht everything! x
Thank you for such a useful guide. We are British, and my husband and I are retiring in Italy and although I have Residency, his has been stalled possibly due to covid delays in processing paperwork.
However to keep it moving I now need to renew the health insurance plan we were told we needed to get. Did you also need to show this document as part of the process please?
Advice welcomed.
Betty
Sir
Do I need to have my residency in my comune before I go for my PdS appointment?
Hi VP, you need to apply first for your PdS, but your spouse should already have residency in the comune. You’ll also need to present at the PdS appointment either a rental agreement or declaration of hospitality to show where you live. x Giovanna
Hi there,
Thank you so much for your helpful post. I truly do not understand the apostille situation:
Hes italian, we were married in the US, I know I have to get the certificate translated and apostilled, then the translation to be apostilled to. I guess.
My question is, everywhere I look I see that I need an ‘official’ or ‘notarized’ translation which in turn needs to be apostilled, and these are super expensive, and require 2 different services: 1 that I mail to the US for the apostille of the original and the other that I get done here in Milan for the apostille of the translation, right? I dont know that they’ll apostille a translation in the states.
Is there any official statement which says that its ok to translate it yourself and then get it apostilled, as you did? And isnt the apostille of the original supposed to eliminate the need for a translation (and further apostille)?
Im so confused and after spending hours on the internet you’re the only person I think can help me on this!
Thank you so much,
Arezu
Hi Arezu,
In this case, you’d want to make the translation as official as possible. One of the exasperating parts of Italian bureaucracy is that you never know who you’re going to get and what mood they will be in on that particular day, so you’ll want to go above and beyond, even if the end you don’t need it. The danger is that if they don’t accept it because it’s not official, they’ll turn you away and the PdS process will be delayed even longer, pushing back all the other things you’ll need to do once you get the PdS. This isn’t to scare you, it’s just a crap shoot with these kinds of things.
For me, I followed the translation guidelines based on the Italian Consulate in London website for the citizenship via marriage application. Those translations went directly to the department of immigration in Rome, so I figured I’d follow those same guidelines for the PdS application. We got married in London, so I chose a translator that was recommended on the Italian Consulate website. They required the translator to be based in the jurisdiction of the Consulate. The translator attached to the translation certifying that she was the translator. I then went to a lawyer in London who had the translator’s signature on file so I could get it notorized. I then sent the document to get a UK apostille (called a legalisation in the UK). The whole process took me two weeks and I paid for the translation (£30), notarization (£50), legalisation/apostille (£30).
For the translations of my US documents for my citizenship application, I had them translated by a translator within the jurisdiction of the New York Italian consulate. He was based in New York City and sent me the translations already certified and notarized. To get the apostille on those documents, I had to take those translations to City Hall to get the notary verified by the county clerk and then I sent them to the New York State apostille office. The translations and apostilles were not that expensive to do in person while I was visiting the US, but then I paid a lot in Fed Ex fees to have the apostille office send it back to myself in London.
I hope this helps. You may find others out there who did it differently and were able to submit their applications. But I tend to err on the side of caution with these kinds of things in order to avoid long delays as much as possible.
Good luck! Giovanna
Hey 🙂 Thankyou for your post, was really informative, but I am so new to this and need some information, is that ok?
I am from England, my partner is an italian citizen, and now brexit has happened, we cant all come and go as we please, especially with covid.
We have been together for 1 year, and are serious about our relationship. We aren’t married, and was wondering what I would need to do in order to stay here with him? Is there a specific visa or something I’d have to get as we arent married? Would love if you could pass on some information x
Hi Ciara,
I’m not aware of a specific visa you can get as a you’re not married. There may be a civil partnership visa if you can register that, but if not, then the other options for non-EU citizens are a work-visa, self-employment visa, student visa and elective residency visa. The work and self-employment visas are really difficult to get and are based on a quota system. The easiest one to get is a student visa if you want to sign up for classes at a language school or do a program at a university. Good luck with everything! x Giovanna
Giovanna,
Thank you so much for this invaluable information, which is helping me (Italy citizen who has been living in South Africa) and my spouse (South African citizen) plan for our upcoming move to Italy.
Just one question about this point you made:
“As both me and D moved from London, he registered his residency at the town hall as soon as we arrived so he could get his certificate of residency.”
What did your Italian spouse need in order to register his residency at the local town hall? Passport and anything else? Did he receive his residency certificate immediately?
Grazie mille,
Daniela
Hi Daniela,
Thanks for writing! Davide went back to his comune where he had residency before to get his residency back. I can’t remember what he brought. I think it was his passport and carta d’identità, but it was easy and straightforward since he was already in the system and he was residency address was his family home. Good luck with your upcoming move! x Giovanna
My husband is intending to apply for his Italian citizenship to be recognized (juris sanguinis/by descent) in his grandfather’s comune. I understand that he will be permitted to stay in Italy for as long as necessary in order for his application to be processed. How can I come with him? I do not qualify for Jure sanginis, but I understand there is a “family permission” or something like that where if an individual is legally resident in Italy (i.e. my husband as an applicant for citizenship) that their spouse/minor children can come live with them in Italy during the citizenship process. Is this correct? If so how do I find out the details of how I can pursue this? Thanks!
Hey Giovanna,
I am with everyone in the comments in saying this blog post is a life saver! I moved to Rome with my wife who is an Italian Citizen. She has her Codice Fiscale Number (from when she lived in Bologna years ago, we’re waiting for a new card from the Tax Office/Agenzia Entrate). We are living in an Air BnB and just found an apartment to move into. I have 2 questions.
1) You say “As a spouse of an Italian citizen, you don’t need to apply with the PdS application through the post office.” But then in the list you reference the PdS. I am guessing that is for anyone that does not have a spouse as an Italian Citizen, so I am except…Hopefully 🙂
2) My wife is an Italian Citizen but has not established residency but is in the process of doing that as we just found an apartment. I keep reading about an 8 day window for me declaring my residency. I am passed the 8 days. Is this bad? We have retained the services of an agency to assist us and we are waiting on the final contract for our apartment which will have her name on it. I am under the impression that we have to get the apartment contract before we can move forward with anything else. Is this correct?
Thank in advance for your amazing information and all of the time you spent to put it all together in an a succinct way!!
Best,
Adam
Hi Adam,
Thanks so much for writing, I’m so glad you find this useful. I’ll try to answer your questions.
1) I applied back in 2017 at the Questura di Venezia, at the time I was able to show up without an appointment and get seen. As the spouse of an It citizen, I did not have to apply with the PdS kit through the post office. However, each region and comune do things differently and because of covid you may need to make an appointment. My advice is to either call or email the questura or even show up without an appointment and see what happens. I’ve found that with all things bureaucratic, prepare yourself for an all-day affair and/or a multi-trip task.
2) About the 8-day window, technically it’s the law, even for tourists who are just passing through. Perhaps you’re Airbnb rental is proof enough of residency declaration if anyone were to contest that, but I don’t see how or why anyone would. The questura wants to see your wife’s residency in order to process your PdS, so yes, you need the apartment contract and your wife’s residency at the comune first before you can apply for the PdS. The apartment contract in both of your names will satisfy the questura’s requirements.
Hope this helps and good luck with everything!
All the best,
Giovanna
Thank you SO much for this. It’s so hard to find this information especially under covid. Do you know what the process is if one is not married but has a de facto certificate from overseas? And question number 2: can you work once the process is done? I read conflicting reports about that. Again, thank you for this!
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Meu docmento paroblma uno Nero 2000 paghato chaly contrao no beny parfawory help
Hello,
This is Parmis and I’ve just moved to Italy from a non-Eu country as a university student. I would like to know if it is possible my husband come to Italy as well?
Thank you in advance.
Parmis
Hi, Parmis. I am not sure but I think the University should be able to send a letter to the embassy to process your husband’s visa and permit when in Italy. Inquire with the admin of the university. This link could also help you understand more: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1925471364415128
Hi – Thank you for your useful article. My wife and I have run into a roadblock as our marriage certificate has her maiden name and not her current legal name (which is in our passport). We have tried everything (U S Embassy declarations / Comune declarations / Provided old passports etc…) but Questura don’t accept that she is the same person. They are sending us back to get a declaration from an Italian consulate in America – which seems bonkers.
I got my Italian residency secured just before Brexit and my wife is trying to get hers based on being married to me.
Any ideas for help would be hugely appreciated.