Skip to content According to Article 15 of the Presidential Decree no. 394, dated August 31, 1999, foreigners legally residing in Italy are required to register in the Resident Population Registry of the Municipality where they live.
How to enter Italy from abroad
Depending on whether you are EU or non-EU national, the necessary steps to enter Italy may differ:
- EU citizens only need their passport or their national identity card to enter Italy;
- Non-EU citizens, on the other hand, will need an Italian Visa to enter the Country. Furthermore, after getting the Visa and within 8 days from entering the Country, they shall also register at the Immigration Office of the place where you wish to stay in order to obtain the residence permit.
There are many types of Italian Visas depending on the activity you plan to carry out in Italy: have a look at our full list of Italian Visas available here.
Registering residence in Italy: when it is mandatory
Both EU and Extra-EU citizens who are planning to live permanently in Italy and hold a residence permit valid for more than 3 months need to enrol to the “Ufficio Anagrafe” of the Town Hall of the city where they wish to reside.
In case of EU citizens, registering residence in Italy formally constitutes a stay permit and gives them the right to legally stay in Italy.
Do residence permit holders also have residency?
A common question among non-European citizens is whether residency coincides with the residence permit.
The two procedures are, in fact, separate. Obtaining the permit does not include registering residence in Italy, and at the same time, residency does not guarantee obtaining the residence permit.
How to get residence in Italy for foreigners
Non-EU citizens
Non-EU citizens generally have to wait for the residence permit to be issued before sending the application.
Exceptions include holders of receipts for residence permit applications (secured) who have obtained clearance from the competent Prefecture for the issuance of the visa.
Italian municipalities grant the possibility to submit the application online.
The applicant must attach suitable documentation to the appropriate form to confirm the status of a foreign citizen legally present in Italy, such as a residence permit and entry visa. Proof of accommodation, such as a registered lease contract, must also be provided.
If you still don’t have a proper accommodation, you might be interesting in getting our support to swiftly secure one by availing of our relocation services.
Each time non-EU citizens renew their residence permit, they must also go to Ufficio Anagrafe to renew the declaration of habitual residence within 60 days from said renewal. In default of this, the Anagrafe will delete the residency registration.
In case of dependent family members joining the main applicant, it will be necessary to submit the relevant civil status certificate as a proof of the family relations. If such certificates are issued in foreign countries, they will have to be legalized and translated before they can be accepted by the local municipality.
If you are looking for further information, have a look at how we can support you in legalizing your documents for use in Italy.
EU citizens
EU citizens are required to register their residence in Italy if they stay in Italy for more than 90 days.
For EU citizens employed in Italy, it is necessary to present their employment contract, as well as proof of accommodation (e.g., rental contract). For EU citizens not working in Italy, proof of sufficient economic means and private health insurance covering all medical expenses in Italy is required. Alternatively, posted workers can present the S1 form.
Authority checks
Two working days after the application is submitted, the applicant receives a receipt from the competent registry office called avvio procedimento (start of the process).
Within 45 days of receipt, local police or a municipal officer may visit the address indicated in the application to verify the authenticity of the residence. This visit is random. If the applicant is not home at the time of the visit, the authorities will contact them for a new visit.
If the applicant does not receive the visit, residency is considered tacitly approved.
What to do in case of refusal of the registration application
If the Municipal Registry Office does not accept the application, it must send the applicant a formal declaration of refusal. Such declaration must indicate the reasons for this choice, such as:
- lack of suitable documents;
- negative outcome of the visit by the municipal officer;
- lack of residence permit, etc.
The applicant must then submit a new application, providing the additional documentation required by the Authorities.
Benefits of registering residence in Italy
While being a mandatory requirement, registering residence in Italy offers several benefits:
- Reduction of rates applied to bills by providers;
- Access to the Italian identity card, a document necessary for requesting the SPID;
- Tracking of the years spent in Italy for the purpose of applying for a long-term residence permit and/or Italian citizenship.
- Access to more advantagueous rates when opening a bank account;
- Apply for a long-term enrolment into the Italian Health System;
- Possibility to buy a car and/or to convert a foreign driving license into a local one;
- Dedicated permits to drive into traffic restricted areas (ZTL – Limited Traffic Zone)
These are only some of the few advantages that will allow foreigners to actively take part in the Italian day to day life.
Tax consequences from being an Italian resident
Registering residence in Italy implies relevant tax obligations and benefits. For further information, have a look at how we can support you in filing an Italian Tax Declaration and in many other tax services.
Local residency cancellation and enrolment into the AIRE register
In case you move from a city to another one within the Italian territory, you must update the residency registration. Similarly, if you permanently move out of Italy, you must de-register from the local municipality registers. Furthermore, for Italian citizens, the de-registration procedure entails also the enrolment into the AIRE register – register of Italians living abroad.