Skip to content The EU law establishes that a foreigner who has lived legally in an EU country for an uninterrupted period of five years can obtain the status of long-term resident. Directive 2003/109/EC determines the terms for conferring and withdrawing such status.
Long term visa for Italy
What is the long term stay visa for Italy?
The Italian residence permit is a document that allows non-EU citizens to legally stay in Italy. Applicants must not confuse it with the visa. A visa is a permission to enter Italy for a specific purpose and during a specific timeframe.
The visa must be obtained before arrival, while the residence permit is applied after entering Italy. The competent Italian Immigration Office will issue a residence permit to those wishing to remain in Italy for more than 90 days, assuming they meet the eligibility requirements.
There are several types of Italian visas available for non-EU citizens. The validity of the Italian residence permit will depend on the reason of entry. Italian standard resident permits normally have a validity of one or two years.
Long term residence permit Italy
According to EU legislation, certain categories of citizens may receive long-term residence status which results in a permanent residence permit.
Italy has implemented Directive 2003/109/EC through legislative decree No. 3/2007. The decree has modified article 9 of legislative decree 286/1998 (Consolidated Immigration Act). Furthermore, it added article 9-bis which regulates the legal status of holders of long-term residence permits issued by other EU member states.
Accordingly, non-EU citizens who have continuously resided in Italy for 5 years and meet certain other requirements, can obtain the long-term residence permit.
How do I get a long-term residence permit in Italy?
The long-term residence permit must be applied for in person at the local post office by submitting the application form (in Italian “kit postale”) and the supporting documents.
Following the application submission, the applicant shall visit the local immigration office in person to submit their biometrics. Finally, on a further appointment, the authorities will release the final residence permit.
Minimum income
Applicants shall demonstrate the availability of a minimum income not less than the annual social security benefit. For the year 2026, such amount corresponds to €7,101.12.
One can include family members in the application but, in such case, the minimum income shall be increased of the 50% for each family member, in addition of the main applicant’s income.
Eligible family members
Eligible family members are those mentioned by article 2 of legislative decree 30/2007 as an implementation of Directive 2004/38/EC. The family member category includes the married spouse, dependent minor children, dependent adult children who are permanently unable to provide for their own basic needs, or dependent parents who do not have other family support in their country of origin.
In case of family members, it will be also necessary to produce a certificate of housing suitability. This document proofs the availability of a suitable accommodation that meets the minimum standards set by regional law for public housing and the health and hygiene requirements certified by the local health authority responsible for the area.
Finally, with a note of September 6th, 2019 which refers to the ruling of the Court of Justice C-469/13, the authorities clarified that minor children of holders of a long-term residence permit shall in any case legally reside in Italy for at least 5 years before they can receive the same permit.
Application requirements
What are the requirements to apply for the residence permit?
In addition to minimum income requirements, applicants shall demonstrate a minimum Italian language proficiency.
Italian language test
According to article 9, paragraph 2-bis of decree law 286/1998, long-term residence permit applicants shall demonstrate a minimum Italian proficiency equal to at least the A2 level of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages approved by the Council of Europe.
Applicants can demonstrate the required level of Italian proficiency in different ways, for instance:
- With an A2 level Italian proficiency certificate issued one of the recognized certification bodies
- With a qualification obtained in Italy
- By demonstrating current enrolment at a legally recognized Italian university, a doctorate or master’s degree
- By attending or demonstrating attendance to an Italian language course center that will release a proper language certificate
- By recognition of Italian language proficiency within the scope of credits earned for the integration agreement
- By proofing that the first entry to Italy occurred pursuant to specific cases set forth by article 27 of the immigration law
In case applicants cannot demonstrate the Italian language proficiency in none of the above means, they will have to seat a test at the local prefecture of the province of residence.
Finally, are exempted from the obligation to proof language proficiency the following categories:
- Minor children under 14 years old
- Applicants with certified limitations to the ability to learn a new language due to their age or to disabilities
Continuous residence
The long-term residence permit can be issued to applicants who have possessed a valid Italian residence permit for at least 5 years.
Absence from the national territory for more than six consecutive months or for a total of ten months within the five-year period considered prevents the completion of the minimum stay required to submit the application unless such absence was due to the need to fulfill military obligations or to serious and documented reasons.
Moreover, according to article 9, paragraph 7 of decree law 286/1998, the long-term residence permit can be revoked, once obtained, in case the holder stays out of the territory of the EU for a period of twelve consecutive months.
Which residence permits can be converted into the long-term permit?
The long-term permit is not issued to foreigners who are staying in Italy on student permits or short-term residence permits.
However, the period of stay on a student permit counts in the calculation of the five years of residence required to obtain the long-term status. On the contrary, periods of stay for temporary reasons or for the performance of diplomatic or state representation functions do not count.
Criminal records clearance
The authorities won’t release the permit to persons considered as a threat for the state. Accordingly, applicants shall include a criminal records clearance in their application for the long-term residence permit.
They shall request such certificate from the Italian national register (casellario giudiziale) which contains data on judicial and administrative measures relating to each individuals. Application shall include the general criminal records certificate and the pending charges certificate.
For more information, check our article on the types of Italian criminal records certificates available.
Advantages and rights
How long is the long-term residence permit valid for?
Once obtained, the long-term resident status is permanent. Article 9, paragraph 2 of decree law 286/1998 clarifies the distinction between long-term resident status – which is permanent – and the validity of the residence permit certifying that status.
The residence permit validity is of ten years, in line with other identification documents issued by Italian authorities.
What rights do long-term residents acquire?
Long-term residence permit holders receive a specific legal status, which provides them with additional rights compared to those granted to non-EU citizens holding standard residence permits.
First of all, long-term status holders can engage in any type of employment or self-employment within the state territory, except for those activities that the law explicitly reserves for Italians or prohibits to foreigners. Furthermore, they must not sign the residence contract for the performance of subordinate work.
Secondly, they can engage in public recruitment competitions, excluding those for positions involving the direct or indirect exercise of public authority or concerning the protection of national interests (i.e. magistrates, military).
Finally, they can benefit from social assistance and social security benefits as well as those related to healthcare, education, and social services and those concerning access to goods and services available to the public, including the procedure to obtain public housing.
Mobility within the European Union
Foreigners holding long-term resident permits issued by other EU member states may apply to reside in Italy for a period exceeding three months, for the purpose of engaging in subordinate employment or self-employment, in compliance with the other conditions provided for by national legislation. They can also attend courses of study or vocation training.
In such case, they shall submit the application for a residence permit within three months of entry into the national territory. They are not subject to the entry visa. Furthermore, the requirement of actual residence abroad for the issuance of work authorization is waived. Italian authorities issue these authorization within the specific quotas established by the annual flows decree.
The Italian authorities will communicate the permit release to the EU state that issued the original long-term resident permit.
For stays of less than three months, instead, it is sufficient for the foreigner to submit the declaration of presence.
Family members of long-term resident permit holder issued by another EU member state may also enter Italy without a visa. They may obtain a residence permit for family reasons provided that they meet the legal requirements for family reunification.