Non-EU family members, who accompany or join the European Union citizen, who lives or moves to Italy, can apply for a residence permit as family members of a European Union citizen at the competent Immigration Office for the area. The EU residence permit for a family member of a European Union citizen is valid for 5 years. The residence permit is issued proving of being a relative but without the assumption of coexistence with the EU citizen; in fact, only its presence on the territory is an essential requirement (European Court of Justice ruling of 30 March 2006, no. C10/05).
The recent Circular of the Ministry of the Interior n.400.B / 2021/1 Div./I Section, has provided for the issuance of the residence permit in electronic format starting from August 2nd, 2021. This document will replace the paper model in use for this type of residence permit. Starting from that date, it is possible to forward the request for the issuance/renewal of the residence permit by filling in and sending a postal kit to the Post Offices in charge.
Residence permits issued in paper format remain valid until expiration or replacement with another document and, in any case, no later than August 3rd, 2023 (date by which the update must be requested via an application to be sent by postal service).