Italy Immigration
Temporary residence permit in Italy
Permanent residence permit
Acquisition of Italian citizenship
Elective Residency Visa
Golden visa in Italy
Visa for family reunification
Residence permit in Italy for Ukrainians
For Ukrainian citizens who plan to reside in Italy for more than three months, it is necessary to obtain a residence permit in Italy (Permesso di Soggiorno). This document is mandatory regardless of the purpose of stay: work, study or family reunification.
What is Permesso di Soggiorno?
Permesso di Soggiorno is translated as “residence permit” and gives the right to stay in Italy legally. It is the first step towards obtaining a permanent residence permit (Carta di Soggiorno).
The Italian residence permit card is an electronic document with an embedded microchip that contains your personal information.
Types of residence permits in Italy
Citizens of Ukraine who stay in Italy for more than 90 days must apply for one of the following types of permits:
- Work permit.
- Study permit.
- Family reunification permit.
- Elective Residence Visa (for financially independent persons).
- Golden Visa (for investors).
Permit validity period:
- 6-9 months for seasonal work.
- 1 year - for studying.
- 2 years - for work, family reunification or self-employment.
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How to obtain a residence permit in Italy for Ukrainians?
The application process consists of two stages: applying to the post office and visiting the police (Questura).
Step 1: Submitting an application at the post office
1. Receive a set of documents:
Within 8 days of your arrival in Italy, you must go to the post office (Sportello Amico) to receive a special application kit.
2. Fill out the application:
- All forms must be filled out in Italian.
- Buy a Marca da Bollo stamp (16 euros) at a tabaceria and attach it to the application.
3. Submit the application:
- Submit the set of documents at the same post office.
- Copies of supporting documents should be submitted with the application.
- The staff will issue you a receipt (this is a temporary residence permit) and inform you of the date of your appointment at Questura.
Step 2: Meeting at Questura (police station)
On the specified date, you must report to Questura with the original documents and the receipt.
At the police station:
- Your fingerprints will be taken.
- They will check your documents.
- They will inform you of the date of issuance of the residence permit card.
Documents for obtaining a residence permit
The following documents are required to apply for a Permesso di Soggiorno:
- A valid passport with a type D visa.
- Four passport-size photographs.
- Documents confirming the purpose of stay (employment contract, proof of study, marriage certificate).
- Certificate of health insurance (for persons not entitled to free medical care).
- Copies of all documents submitted when applying for a long-term visa in Ukraine.
Extension of residence permit in Italy
Permesso di Soggiorno can be extended depending on its type:
- For a permit valid for up to 6 months - 30 days before the expiration date.
- For permits valid for 1-2 years - 90 days before the expiration date.
The renewal process: you need to go to the post office again, get a set of documents, fill it out and submit an application.
Permanent residence permit in Italy for Ukrainians (Carta di Soggiorno Permanente)
Ukrainians who have been living in Italy for more than five years on the basis of a temporary residence permit can apply for a permanent residence permit (Carta di Soggiorno Permanente).
What does a permanent residence permit in Italy entail?
- The right to reside in Italy is unlimited.
You can live, work, study or do business in any region of the country.
- Freedom of movement in the EU.
A permanent residence permit allows you to live and work in other EU countries without the need to obtain a visa or work permit.
- Access to social benefits.
Ukrainians with a permanent residence permit can benefit from state support programs, including unemployment, maternity or disability benefits.
- Possibility of obtaining citizenship.
After living with a permanent residence permit for 10 years, you can apply for Italian citizenship.
Conditions for obtaining a permanent residence permit in Italy
In order for Ukrainians to obtain a permanent residence permit, they must meet the following requirements:
1. Residence in Italy for 5 years. You must provide documents confirming your legal stay in Italy during this period.
2. No criminal record. A certificate of no criminal record is required both in Italy and in other countries where you have lived.
Knowledge of the Italian language. You must pass an A2 or higher test. This confirms your integration into Italian society.
3. Sufficient income. You must confirm that you have a stable income sufficient to support yourself and your family members. For example, you need to provide bank statements or tax returns.
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If you have any questions about obtaining a residence permit in Italy for Ukrainians, please contact a Visit Ukraine migration lawyer. Our specialists will help you with the preparation of documents, submission of the application and provide legal support at all stages.
How to apply for a permanent residence permit in Italy?
Where to apply?
You can apply at the following address:
- At the local police department (Questura).
- At the post office (ufficio postale).
- Through individual municipalities (Comune).
Application procedure:
1. At the post office, you can get a special yellow set of documents (kit giallo) for applying.
2. Fill out the form, attach copies of the documents and submit it to the same post office. You will be given an appointment at the immigration office (Ufficio Immigrazione) at Questura.
3. At the meeting you need to:
- Provide your photo.
- Give your fingerprints.
- Confirm the submitted documents.
What documents are required for the application?
Ukrainians applying for a permanent residence permit should prepare:
- A valid passport or identity card.
- Italian tax number (Codice Fiscale).
- Documents confirming residence in Italy for 5 years (for example, a temporary residence permit).
- Certificate of no criminal record.
- Certificate of passing the Italian language test (A2 level).
- Income statement or bank statements.
- Proof of health insurance.
- Receipt of payment of the administrative fee.
How long does it take to process an application?
Usually, an application for a permanent residence permit is processed within 60 days. In some cases, the period can be extended up to 6 months.
For convenience, you can register on the Immigration Portal (Portale Immigrazione) to track the status of your application online.
How to obtain Italian citizenship?
Ukrainians living in Italy can obtain Italian citizenship through naturalization or marriage with an Italian citizen. The procedure depends on the grounds for obtaining citizenship, but in both cases, certain conditions must be met and documents must be submitted in accordance with the established procedure.
Italian citizenship for Ukrainians through naturalization
Naturalization is the main way to obtain citizenship for Ukrainians who have been living in the country for a long time. To apply, you need to:
1. Live in Italy for 10 years. Legal residence in the country must be confirmed by documents. This period includes years of residence with a temporary or permanent residence permit.
2. Provide financial documents. Ukrainians must present proof of income for the last three years, including tax returns. This proves financial solvency and fulfillment of tax obligations.
3. Proof of knowledge of the Italian language. It is necessary to pass a B1 level test at certified centers such as Dante Alighieri or universities in Perugia, Rome-Tre or Siena.
4. Submit a police clearance certificate. Certificates must be obtained from all countries where the applicant has lived since the age of 14 and translated into Italian.
5. Submit the application through the portal of the Ministry of the Interior. Applications for citizenship are accepted exclusively in electronic form through the ALI online platform. Paper applications are not considered.
Italian citizenship by marriage for Ukrainians
Ukrainians who are married to an Italian citizen can apply for citizenship under a shortened procedure.
1. Application deadlines:
- After 2 years of cohabitation in Italy after marriage.
- After 1 year if the spouses have minor children.
- If the spouses live outside Italy, the waiting period is 3 years (or 18 months if there are children).
2. Marriage registration. The marriage must be officially registered in an Italian municipality or in AIRE (the register of Italians abroad).
3. Knowledge of the language. The applicant must have a B1 level of Italian, which is confirmed by a certificate.
4. Online submission of documents. The application is submitted through the same ALI portal as for naturalization.
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Documents for obtaining citizenship
Ukrainians applying for Italian citizenship should prepare:
- Birth certificate with apostille and translation into Italian.
- Certificate of no criminal record from the countries where the applicant has lived since the age of 14.
- Tax returns for the last three years.
- Certificate of residence (stato di famiglia, storico di residenza).
- A copy of the residence permit.
- Certificate of Italian language proficiency (B1 level).
- Receipt of payment of the state fee (250 euros).
How long does the process take?
The Italian Ministry of the Interior considers applications for citizenship up to 48 months. Ukrainians can speed up this process if the documents are submitted without errors and the deadlines for completing the procedures are met.
Why is it important to prepare the documents correctly?
Ukrainians wishing to obtain Italian citizenship often face difficulties due to improper paperwork or insufficient knowledge of the procedures. To avoid delays, it is important to:
1. Legalize all documents in accordance with Italian requirements.
2. Make sure that all translations are done professionally and certified.
3. Submit the application in advance to have time to correct any mistakes.
How to apply for citizenship?
Ukrainians apply through the official ALI portal of the Italian Ministry of the Interior. The procedure involves:
1. Registration of an account.
2. Uploading all the necessary documents in digital form.
3. Paying the state fee and receiving a receipt.
4. Tracking the status of the application online.
An Italian residence visa by choice is a type of Italian long-term visa. This is the type of Italian visa you should apply for if you want to move to Italy permanently and have enough funds to support yourself. These funds cannot be obtained from active work during your stay in Italy, but rather from savings, investments or pension.
This means that if you are applying for an Italian residence visa, you cannot take up any job in Italy.
After obtaining your visa, you can enter Italy, where you will need to immediately apply for an Italian residence permit. This is a permit that actually allows you to live in Italy for longer than 90 days.
Requirements for obtaining a residence visa in Italy
When you apply for a residence visa in Italy, you must have a package of documents confirming your eligibility. The requirements for documents to obtain an Italian residence visa are as follows:
- Proof of sufficient financial resources to support yourself without work. You must have a minimum of 31,000 euros per year if you are applying alone and 38,000 euros if you are applying as a married couple. This amount is increased by 20% for each dependent coming with you. Remember that you are not entitled to work with the chosen residence visa, so you must prove that you can support yourself in other ways, for example, through a pension, rent, property income, income from participation in equity or a share in a company, etc.
- Proof of housing. Before moving to Italy, you need to find a suitable place to live. You can prove that you have sufficient housing in Italy either by means of a rental/lease agreement or a document confirming the purchase of housing.
- Proof of health insurance. You must purchase international health insurance before you apply for a visa. It must cover 30,000 euros per year and all medical expenses in each EU member state.
- A valid international passport. It must be valid for at least three months after the visa expiration date and have two blank visa pages.
- Visa application form for a long-term visa to Italy. Duly completed, dated and signed.
- Passport size photographs. They should be 35 mm x 45 mm, on a white background, and your face should occupy 70-80% of the photo.
- Civil status documents. For example, a birth or marriage certificate, depending on the circumstances.
- Certificate of no criminal record from your home country.
How to apply for an Italian visa for selective residence?
As in the case of other types of Italian visas, you must apply to the Italian embassy or consulate in your country. The application process is as follows:
- Make an appointment at the Italian embassy or consulate in your country that is responsible for your jurisdiction.
- If there is no Italian embassy or consulate in your country, you can apply at the embassy/consulate of another Schengen country with which Italy has concluded a visa outsourcing agreement or at a visa application center.
- Download, fill out and sign the visa application form for a long-term visa to Italy.
- Gather all the necessary documents.
- Show up on the appointed day in person and on time, having all the necessary documents with you.
- Pay the visa fee.
- Wait for your visa to be processed.
- If your visa is approved: Travel to Italy and apply for a residence permit.
Temporary residence in Italy on the basis of a visa for selective residence
Within eight days of your arrival in Italy, you must apply for a temporary residence permit (permesso di soggiorno). The process of applying for a residence permit in Italy is as follows:
- Obtain a set of documents for applying for a residence permit from the local post office where you will live.
- Fill out the application form and submit it (along with photocopies of all required documents) to the post office. There you will receive a receipt and make an appointment for the next stage of the residence permit application process - to the Questura.
- Go to the local Questura (police headquarters) and provide the originals of all required documents. You will also be fingerprinted and asked a few questions.
- Wait for the processing. The Questura will inform you when your residence permit card is issued.
- Receive your Italian residence permit card.
You are eligible for an Italian investor visa if you are a non-EU citizen and are over 18 years old.
You can apply for an investor visa by investing
- 250,000 euros in an innovative startup
- 500,000 euros in a limited liability company
- EUR 2,000,000 in government bonds, or
- make a charitable donation of 1,000,000 euros or more
The process of applying for an Italian visa
1. Obtaining a Nulla Osta
Firstly, you will receive a nulla osta - a certificate of no obstacles issued by the Italian Visa Committee for Investors, the legislative body of the Italian Golden Visa.
You will receive the certificate within 30 days after submitting the completed application.
To apply for this certificate, you need to fill out several forms online and attach the required documents to the platform. You will do this by scanning them.
The documents can be in Italian or English. If all your documentation is in English, you will not need to make official translations or apostilles.
The documents you will need to submit are as follows
- Passport, for your personal identification.
- A certificate stating that the funds you intend to invest in Italy are your own and have been acquired legally.
- CV (European version of a resume).
- A police clearance certificate confirming that you have no final or pending criminal charges.
- A description of your chosen investment method (maximum 1,000 words) and confirmation that the intended recipients have given their consent, for example, the startup's stakeholders have agreed that you will invest in their company.
- A statement that you are indeed going to invest the required minimum amount.
- A statement about which municipality you would like to settle in after arriving in Italy.
- You will need to set up an electronic signature so that you can send your application. There are instructions on the platform on how to take care of the electronic signature.
The Investor Visa Committee will then check your documents and evaluate your application.
2. Obtaining a Golden Visa for Italy
The next step is to apply for and receive the actual Golden Visa to Italy.
Keeping in mind that nulla osta is valid for six months, you must apply for a visa within this period.
Find the nearest Italian embassy or consulate and submit the following documents to obtain an investor visa:
- A copy of your nulla osta.
- Proof that you have accommodation in Italy. A confirmed hotel reservation is sufficient.
- An income statement for the previous fiscal year. You must have enough money for yourself and your family. Currently, the amount per person per year is approximately 8,500 euros.
- Passport photo.
- A valid passport.
- Proof of residence in your country.
Again, all these documents must be in Italian or English.
3. Obtaining a residence permit
The main purpose of the investor visa is to obtain a residence permit, and once you have the visa, you are free to enter Italy and apply for residence.
The visa is valid for two years, so you should plan to obtain a residence permit in Italy during this time.
After you arrive in Italy, you will need to visit the local police station, called Questura, to apply for a residence permit on an Italian investor visa. This must be done within eight business days of arrival.
You will need to pay approximately $100 USD, present a passport photo and all the usual identification documents. It is a simple process.
This permit will be valid for two years, and the time will start counting from the day you legally enter Italy with your visa.
Once you have applied for your residence permit, it is time to fulfill your obligation and make an investment.
If you fail to do so within three months, your visa will be revoked and you will be required to leave Italy.
Visa extension
You will need to apply for an extension, provided you have kept your initial investment in full.
If you do not, your residence permit will be canceled and it will be impossible to renew it. You will have to go through all the procedures again.
After renewal, your permit will be valid for another three years.
In general, after five years you will be able to obtain a permanent residence permit. And if 10 years have passed, you will technically become eligible for citizenship through naturalization.
Requirements for obtaining a family visa to Italy
Family visa for Italy is a type of Italian long-term visa, also known as national or D-visa. It allows the holder to enter Italy for a stay of more than three months and join a family member already residing in Italy.
After your family member receives a family reunion visa to Italy, they can enter the country and apply for a residence permit in Italy. This is a permit that allows them to legally reside in Italy with you.
Who is eligible to join you with a family visa to Italy?
You can apply for the following family members to join you in Italy with an Italian family visa:
- Spouse.
- Children under the age of 18. Your spouse's children are also taken into account, as well as children born out of wedlock, if the other parent agrees.
- Dependent children over the age of 18 who are unable to provide for themselves for health reasons.
- Parents over 65 years of age who are dependent on you and have no other children to take care of them.
How to apply for a family visa to Italy?
Your family members must apply for a family visa to Italy at the Italian embassy or consulate in their home country.
Get a Nulla Osta authorization.
However, before they can apply for a visa, you must obtain a permit in Italy that will allow them to join you.
This is called Nulla Osta and it is basically a permission from the competent Italian authorities allowing your family members to join you in Italy. You must apply for a Nulla Osta at the Italian Immigration Service (Sportello Unico per l'immigrazione). If the immigration service issues a permit, they will send it electronically to the relevant Italian embassy or consulate, where your family members will apply for a visa.
Requirements for obtaining a family visa to Italy
When applying for a family reunion visa, you and your family members must provide several supporting documents. You must also be able to fulfill several conditions regarding residence and financial income if you want to bring them to your place in Italy.
When your family members apply for a family visa to Italy, they must provide:
- Original and copy of the Nulla Osta.
- A copy of the residence permit (or identification card if you are an Italian citizen) and passport.
- A completed and signed application form for a long-term visa to Italy.
- Passport-size photographs.
- Passports that are valid for at least three months after the visa expiration date and have at least two blank pages.
- A statement from you (an Italian resident) stating that you want to bring your family members with you and that you meet the requirements for family reunification established by Italian law.
- Proof of family relationship.
- Proof that you have sufficient necessary funds and suitable accommodation to host your family members.
- Receipt of the paid visa fee for Italy.
- Confirmation of booked airplane tickets.
- If the minor is traveling alone: written permission from the other parent authorizing the child to travel to Italy.
- If you are bringing your parents to Italy:
1. Original birth certificates.
2. Proof that your parents are dependent on you (e.g. money transfers).
3. A written statement from your parent(s) stating that they are dependent on you.
In addition, there are several other conditions that you must fulfill to be eligible to bring your family members with you.
Financial requirements for a family visa to Italy
Financial needs cannot be lower than the annual social assistance amount. You must earn at least €5,830.76 per year and then have 50% of this amount for all family members who will join you in Italy. So, if your spouse and one child join you, you must have 11,661.52 euros.
You must also have an apartment big enough to accommodate all your family members.
Time to apply for a family visa to Italy
As for the visa itself, the processing time ranges from three weeks to several months. However, this can be affected by various factors. For example, if there are no available appointments, your family members may not be able to apply immediately. Furthermore, if there are any missing or incorrect documents in their application, they will have to resubmit them, so the processing time will be delayed.
Add to this the time it takes to obtain the Nulla Osta (which can vary from 4 to 12 months), and it may take about a year for your family members to be able to join you in Italy.
After obtaining a family visa to Italy
Once your family members receive their family reunification visa from the relevant Italian authorities abroad, they have six months to enter Italy. Once they arrive in Italy, they have eight days to apply for a residence permit in Italy (permesso di soggiorno). They can do this at the local police station (Questura), where they will receive an application kit with all the necessary forms.