Permesso di Soggiorno
The Permesso di Soggiorno (PdiS) is your most important document if you are a foreigner in Italy. It can be translated to Permit to Stay. Many places (online and in books) translate this as a residency permit which gets very confusing as there is also residency through the comune but this is something else. The PdiS is not just for those who are planning on moving to Italy but for anyone who will be in Italy for more than 8 days. Basically, every foreign national needs to register at the police station. If you are staying in a hotel or vacation rental, they should register you themselves (this is why they record the information on your passport when you check in). If staying with family, friends or at your own residence, they you need to go to the local questura and do so within 8 business days of arriving. Do not assume that because your passport is not stamped that you have more time.
As of March 25, 2007:
BACKGROUND
On December 11, 2006, new procedures were instituted throughout Italy for the issuance and renewal of "permesso di soggiorno" (for non-EU citizens) and "carta di soggiorno" (for EU citizens).
The new procedures came about as of a result of a collaboration between the Italian Ministero dell'Interno and Poste Italiane and Anci. The key element of the change in procedures is that the process for the issuance and renewals of permessi and carte now begin at the Postale (Post Office) rather than at the Questura. Officials announced that the new procedures would result in the elimination of queues at the Questuras and the issuance of the permessi/carte in 20 days.
The implementation of the new procedures have created a number of new problems. The most significant is an enormous backlog. By March 23, 2007, there were 383,000 of the new "kits" submitted to the Postale, of which 20,000 were at the Questuras awaiting final processing, and only 5,000 of the new permessi had actually been issued.
NEW PROCESS
It should be noted that there are differences in the process depending upon whether you are a non-EU or EU citizen. It should also be noted that there are different rules for different permessi types. Therefore, it is best to always refer to the Italian government's http://www.portaleimmigrazione.it website for information and access to official resources. Even so, there are conflicts of information between this website and the instructions that the trained Postale workers have. If you still have questions you can post them at http://www.expatsinitaly.com forum under Bureaucratic Situations.
The new process, for many (but, not all!) permessi types, begins with a visit to a local post office where you will pickup a "kit". The kits are free. Two kits are available, for non-EU and EU citizens (see Note 1). The kit contains two modules (in some cases one has to be completed, for others both). The kit contains instructions for completing the forms (only in Italian); English instructions can be found on the http://www.portaleimmigrazione.it website. Instructions are also provided on what additional documents are to be included to support your application.The forms are machine readable so completing them requires care (approximately 65% of the forms submitted thusfar are not machine readable).
You can complete the forms yourself. There are also various organizations that are available to assist you. At the present time one kit is being required for each person over 14 years of age.
Once you have completed your kit(s) you must go to a specified Postale office. DO NOT SIGN or DATE your kit beforehand; this must be done in the presence of the Postale employee. The employee will review your kit and if everything is in order you will be permitted to mail it. The cost (in Euro) per kit is: 14.62 (bollo)+ 27.50 (permesso)+30 (postage). The bollo should be acquired before you go to the post offfice; you can pay for the permesso and postage at the Postale.
For each kit you will be given several receipts. Its' very important that you save these as they provide the proof that you have applied. One of these includes a user id and password that will enable you to check the status of your kit at the website.
Once your kit(s) has been mailed it will be processed and the next step will be that you will receive a letter indicating when your appointment is to appear at the Questura to submit 4 photographs and to be fingerprinted; or, if there are any open questions to answer them. Subsequently, you will be informed again as to when you should return to pickup your new permesso/carta which is a digitized card.
Note 1: apparently EU citizens go also go directly to the Questura: "La presentazione dell'istanza di richiesta di rilascio e rinnovo della carta di soggiorno per cittadini dell'Unione Europea tramite Ufficio Postale è facoltativa. La richiesta può essere presentata indifferentemente anche presso l'Ufficio Immigrazione della Questura."
OFFICIAL WEBSITE
The http://www.portaleimmigrazione.it website is the official website with instructions and information on the new process. As changes have been occurring in the process since it was announced it's best to use this website as the main source of your information.
An Overview of the website:
1) the website is in Italian and English
2) the "Contacts" button is disabled, you cannot not send an email
3) click on "The New Procedure" to find the latest information
4) there are two telephone numbers you can call: the "Call Center" at 800.309.309 and the "Contact Center" at 848.855.888. These two centers operate differently:
The Call Center is an information delivery service in Italian and English. By choosing different options you can hear pre-recorded messages explaining different aspects of the procedures. It is not possible (I believe) to speak to a person at this number.
The Contact Center is manned by operators although none that I have spoken with speak English.
5) the Call Center has an option as to advise you as to where you can get help; the address of the nearest office that renders assistance is sent to you via an SMS message after you've entered your telephone number.
6) On the lower right side of the website is the button STRANIERI. Here you can enter your user id and password (do not insert the dash) and you see the status, in Italian, of your kit.
7) On the left side of the website is a section named SEARCH STRUCTURE. by selecting Uffici Postali, and province, city, etc., it will tell you the nearest authorized Postale office to submit your kit.
