Permit of Stay a.k.a.Permesso di Soggiorno, is a required document for anyone staying in Italy more than 90 days to apply for the Permesso di Soggiorno within the next 8 days of your arrival. Base on my experience, applying for the Permesso di Soggiorno is a long process but, possible.

What you need:

Passport
Registration Application
Postage Stamp (ask for “Marca di Bollo” that costs 16 euros)
Receipt for your appointment to the Questura (do NOT loose this doc.)
Gather all of your documents (the same docs. you submitted to get your visa)
Make copies B&W and color (1 set for you, Questura, School & Postale Italiene)

Step 1: Meet with your school advisor

First, I met with the school advisor to personally talk about the necessary details that are needed before starting the process. I did this the 2nd day of my arrival. Two things that they will happen. They will ask you to register for an appointment with Poste Italiane and Buy a stamp.

• To register you have to go to the Post Office a.k.a. “PosteItaliane”. The building is in yellow and blue color. See here: http://www.poste.it/ufficio-postale/sportello-amico.shtml

You’ll need your passport w/ your visa information, a copy of your passport and visa, a copy of your health insurance, a copy of your codice fiscale (if you have it), an Italian number and your postage stamp.

• Buy the “Marca di Bollo” postage stamp before you go to the post office. It should cost 16 euros at any Tabacchi store. They don’t have it in the Post Office, I have no idea why.

Step 2: Appointment Day

Go to Poste Italiane and get a waiting number when you enter from the yellow ticket machine. The machine is usually close to the entrance/exit door and the system will also show at least 5 different categories to choose from (at least mine did) and they’re all in Italian. Find “Permesso di Saggiorno”. Some Post Office’s will have this category and some don’t. The first time I went to a Post Office, it didn’t have this selection and I had to translate everything on my phone to find the correct option. It was a drag but, I selected the one closest to a Permit of Stay information.

At the counter, present your ticket # and ask for the Permit of Stay application. He/She should know what it is and they will hand you a huge envelope with a stack of documents inside. Depending on time, you can fill this out on the same day. For me, I came back the next day in order to make sure I had everything filled out and/or had all of the proper documents I needed.

Step 3: Filling Out the Application Forms

On the application, there are about 8 pages. Make sure you fill out all of the necessary information including the 3 different sections for the postage (see image below). I forgot to do this at first and it created some difficulties in person because of the language barrier. Luckily, someone next to me spoke English and she translated everything. Without her, I don’t know if I would be able to process the application alone 😦

Cost for the application: 139 euros.

Step 4: Dropping Off the Application at Poste Italiene

Bring your completed application on your next visit to Poste Italiene along with your passport and visa documents. Hand the Permit of Stay application to Poste Italiene and once this is processed they will give you an appointment date for Questura. The wait for the appointment is usually 2-weeks.

Step 5: Questura Appointment Day

On your Questura appointment day, bring everything from your passport to visa documents, your appointment printed paper and recript that the Post Office gave you and copies. You will likely have to wait between 1-3 hours depending on the police officer.

For me, my appointment was re-scheduled on my first visit at a much later date than I wanted. I’ll spare you the details but come prepared, be extremely patient and you should be ok.

Step 6: Permit Of Stay Process

When the police officer finally takes your finger printing and all, the actual process takes less than 30 min. All they do is take your information down, enter it in the system and take your fingerprints. Once this is completed you will be asked to return in a month to pick up your card. At least, this is what they did with me. Also, they will usually send you a text message once your card is ready (fyi: they never called me) or you can check the status online via Questura .

Step 7: Picking Up Your Card

When your card is ready to be picked-up, check your Questura’s location time and date because it varies from one location to another. The way the Permit of Stay is usually done is that the morning shifts are for processing your information (applying for your card) and then the afternoon is for picking up the Permit of Stay cards. I’m not 100% sure if this holds true for all of the Questura locations so, make sure to ask.

Also, the line to wait for picking up your card is the same waiting time as when you process your card for the first time. Unless, the police recognises you or is nice enough to give your card right away which is, what happened to me. Then, you can get your card at a faster speed. Good-luck! 🙂

Step 8: Re-newing your Permit of Stay is exactly the same.

Go to Poste Italiene, pay the same price, fill out and submit the same documents except you select “renewal” and go to your appointment date/location for Questura. The best thing to do is ask your school for guidance regarding renewing your Permit of Stay.

During your meeting with Questura you can either renew or switch your Permit of Stay for a Work Permit of Stay. This is a whole different process and it’s done at a different location with a different appointment date.

Step 9: Congratulations!

Smile. Whether it took 3 or 5 months, you finally have your Permit of Stay card and that’s all it matters.