Italian Residence Permit: a Guide to the Essentials of Relocation

Moving permanently or temporarily to another country is often accompanied by difficulties for relocants. It is necessary to understand that this is not moving to a neighboring city, but living in a new country with its requirements, other rules, mentality, language, and even climate.

Italy is an incredibly diverse and beautiful country, so moving here can be a great decision. It has a rich and interesting history, diverse climate, rich cultural heritage, incredible cuisine, architecture, and the people themselves. Italians are very open, sociable, and friendly people. They are not punctual, but they know how to relax and enjoy life.

So, you have decided to move to Italy. The team of specialists of the migration agency GARANT.IN has prepared a small guide that will help you to move to Italy correctly.

Preparing to move to Italy

It is good if you already have a ready-made step-by-step plan, but if you are one of those people who only dream of moving and do not know how and where to start, we have taken care of you and made a step-by-step immigration plan:

Immigration procedure.

It is necessary to decide based on which you will move to Italy. If you are not wealthy enough to move under the procedure for financially independent persons or you are not a major investor able to obtain a new status for investing in the Italian treasury, there are other ways of relocation. Training, employment, marriage to an Italian citizen, business. When choosing a basis, it is necessary to take into account age, language skills, profession, and other factors.
Finances. It is necessary to understand what means you will stay the first time in the country until you provide yourself with a stable income.

Employment.

If you plan to work in Italy, consider all the chances. The Italian labor market is quite volatile and only specialists who are in short supply in the country - IT specialists, top managers of different directions, and creative professionals - can safely count on a job. The rest should focus on their age. Up to 30 years of age it is optimal to move through training, after 30 - through advanced training programs.

Preliminary preparation.

It is necessary to collect money and prepare documents as early as possible - this is the collection of certificates, notarization, and checking the statute of limitations of the passport. It is desirable to take language courses, which will help in the period of adaptation. It is worth understanding that the full process of preparation and relocation can take up to 8-10 months: it is the collection and execution of documents, obtaining a visa, enrollment in a university, business relocation, search and rent of housing, etc.

Relocation.

It could be a move with a backpack and papers or a family move with moving possessions and relocating pets.

Adaptation.

The immigration journey does not end at the move but only begins. It is important to realize that this is a different country and a clear plan of action is needed - language courses, training, job search, internships, skill development.

Documents.

One of the most important items to deal with throughout the entire period of training camp. It is important to collect all valuable documents in one place - make several copies, including digital ones, have them notarized, and keep them with you all the time. It is important to leave a trusted person in your home country who can act on your behalf if necessary.

Our lawyers discuss a more detailed plan with each client at a consultation. We advise on how to prepare for the move in each specific case, help with the collection and execution of documents, and other important related issues.

Moving to Italy - important issues to be considered

Not all issues can be solved directly at the new place. Some important issues require preparation at home.

Obtaining a visa, residence permit, extensions

A visa is a permit based on which a person can enter Italy and stay in the country for a certain period. To move to Italy it is necessary to open a visa of category D, with which you can later apply for a residence permit. Visa category C is issued only for tourist and short-term trips.

To apply for a visa it is necessary to submit the following documents to the visa center or Italian consulate at the place of residence:

• A questionnaire was drawn up in English or Italian.
• Internal passport of the resident.
• An issued health insurance policy with a coverage of 30,000 € or more.
• Photographs for documents taken not more than 3 months ago.

Depending on the motive of the trip, additional documents may be required. If the applicant plans to be employed, an employment contract is required. If the applicant is going to study - an invitation to study or a mark of enrollment.

Consideration of a visa application takes about 14 days. Once approved, the permit is valid for one year. During this period, the applicant must enter the territory of Italy. On the spot, the applicant has 8 days to apply for a residence permit. To apply for a residence permit, it is necessary to apply to the local questura and submit a package of documents similar to those submitted for a visa + visa D, a document confirming the place of residence, and a certificate of no criminal record.

The residence permit must be renewed annually. This must be done 60 days before the end of the status by submitting the same set of documents as when applying for a residence permit + documents confirming the financial stability of the applicant.

Language barrier

To move to Italy and build adequate communication, it is mandatory to have at least a basic command of the national language. Italy is among the top 5 countries where it is most difficult to communicate in English. It is advisable to work on this issue before moving or immediately enrolling in a school upon arrival. In many cities, there are special free schools where foreign citizens can freely learn the language. The certificate received upon completion of training will be useful for applying for a permanent residence permit or passport if the candidate plans to continue further migration in Italy.

The labor market in Italy

As of the first half of 2023, the employment rate was 61.5%. The unemployment rate was 7.3%. This is a significant drop from the previous rate of 13.3%. Italy is always in need of qualified IT professionals, programming specialists designers, doctors, and top managers. There is a shortage of welders, construction workers, and drivers. Italy has many elderly people who need qualified care - nurses, guardians, nannies, and caregivers.
There is a very high demand for seasonal workers in the tourism sector: chefs, bartenders, waiters, hotel, and guesthouse staff. Plantations and vineyards need additional labor during the harvest season. Each year, about 350,000 workers are hired for seasonal work in the agribusiness sector.

If you feel that your rights are being violated by your employer, you can always seek help from a trade union or patronage - Italy strictly enforces labor laws.

Renting a home

Italy has a rather specific rental market. Often the contract is concluded for 2-3 years. If after a while the tenant decides that he does not suit the living conditions, the annulment of the contract will be quite expensive.

In Italy it is quite expensive to rent housing, it is not uncommon for Italians to live with their parents for a long time. In small villages and towns to live cheaper, you can rent a small house for 400/500 €. The main part of the cost falls on utilities. The approximate average cost of housing is 10 € per square meter. Sometimes it is simply difficult to find a small apartment, as the market is full of offers to rent 4-5 room apartments with a meter from 120 square meters and above. In tourist areas, the main housing stock is designed for tourists and is not used for long-term rentals. Demand exceeds supply, prices are inflated several times.
Another of the difficulties that a tenant faces is the law that protects the tenant. If a person stops paying rent, it is difficult to evict him, especially if he has minor children. Some cities or provinces have regulations that make it illegal to evict a tenant during the heating season.

Opening a bank account

A bank account is a prerequisite for moving to Italy. Employers simply will not hire you without a bank account to pay your salary. Some financial institutions offer special accounts for non-residents, but not all payments can be credited to them.

The rules for opening a bank account, the list of documents, conditions, and peculiarities of the procedure may differ not only between banks but even between branches of the same financial institution. To do everything according to the rules, you need to contact the bank branch before your visit and clarify all the conditions.

Most often to open an account you need:

1. Tax number obtained in Italy (codice fiscale).
2. Proof of residence - rental or purchase/sale agreement.
3. Certificate of residence.
4. Compliance with anti-money laundering conditions.

Keep in mind that Italian banks are quite bureaucratic organizations and you may have to wait from several days to several weeks to open an account.

Car and driver's license

In large cities, public transportation is very well developed, but if you choose to live in the provinces or suburbs, it will be difficult without a personal car. To buy a car, you need a local license (Russian licenses are valid for a year from the moment of registration/registration in Italy), which can be obtained after studying at a driving school. To save money, you can apply to the transport department (motorization), where it is allowed to pass the exam without going to a driving school, but you will have to drive a certain number of hours with an instructor.

The rules of the traffic code (Codice della Strada) state that a foreign citizen who has come to Italy must:

1. within two years exchange his/her license for an Italian one if he/she comes from any EU country;
2. within 4 years exchange his/her license for an Italian one if he/she comes from a country that has concluded a license exchange agreement with Italy;
3. within one year, if the resident comes from a country that does not have a license exchange agreement with Italy. It is necessary to translate them into Italian, certify them, and after one year take the exams at the driving school.

The peculiarities of the local market are such that it is easier to buy a new car than a used one. It is important to register the car in the Office of motor vehicles, transfer the transportation tax, and put in the notice of the Italian Automobile Club.

When driving, in addition to your driver's license, you must have a technical passport (carta di circolazione) and an active insurance policy (certificate di copertura assicurativa). Failure to have the policy may result in the confiscation of the car.

Educational institutions for children

When moving with a child, it is necessary to pay attention to the choice of school for education. In Italy, children from the age of 6 must attend school. Pupils are accepted in any educational institution, if there are free places. When enrolling in school, the administration will require a certificate of vaccination (libretto vacci
nazioni). If there is a Russian certificate with the vaccination calendar, it will be accepted, provided that the document is translated into Italian.

Medicine and insurance

Italy has a universal system of medical access - every citizen has the right to use medical services free of charge or without excessive financial burden. The country has implemented a public and private insurance system.

After moving to Italy and obtaining a residence permit, the applicant has the opportunity to issue a sanitary card (tessera sanitaria). Without it, it is impossible to use free medicine for residents. With a sanitary card, the patient can choose a family doctor, and receive referrals for consultations to other specialists and prescriptions for medicines.

This year it is planned to increase the amount of the annual payment for the use of insured medicine:

1. for foreign residents regularly residing in Italy with a residence permit for study - from 149 € to 700 €;
2. for foreign residents living in Italy under the Au Pair program - from 219 € to 1200 €;
3. for residence permit FNL - 2000 €.

By taking out insurance, many medical services can be obtained free of charge. Without insurance or if you do not want to wait in line, you can go to a private institution. The cost of receiving a private specialist starts from 120 €, and the average check is about 20% of monthly income.

Italian residence permit - privileges for holders

A short-term residence permit allows you to:

1. Conduct labor activity or manage your own business, if it is provided by the type of issued residence permit;
2. formalize the status of a resident;
3. issue personal documents - tax number and identity card;
4. receive medical care with a ticket sanitario card;
5. bring his/her family to Italy;
6. qualify for social benefits;
7. receive unemployment benefits (except for seasonal workers);
8. move freely within the Schengen area for 90 days out of 180.

If you need help to move to Italy, please contact the licensed agency GARANT.IN. Together we will choose the optimal basis, collect and prepare the necessary documents, settle current issues at home, and help to close several important moments in Italy - renting or buying a home, obtaining a residence permit card, business relocation, obtaining a TIN, opening a bank account, searching for an educational institution. Many years of experience allow us to solve issues of any complexity.