The Electronic Residence Permit In Italy: A New Format

The electronic residence permit in Italy was introduced in December 2006. The permit, which is indispensable for non-EU citizens living in Italy, replaced its paper version and benefited from it. In 2021, the Italian Ministry of the Interior implemented a regulation from the European Union that finally standardized the electronic permit. The new version of the permit replaces all previous ones, increasing the level of security of the document, and consequently of its beneficiary. For the benefit of our non-EU members, today we will discuss the electronic residence permit and the evolution of the title. Index

• What Is An Electronic Residence Permit
• What Happened In 2021?
• What About Minors?
• What Happens If I Already Have A Residence Permit In Paper Format?
• What Does The New Electronic Permit Look Like?

 

What Is An Electronic Residence Permit

To stay in Italy for a long period, it is mandatory to apply for a residence permit. Depending on the reason for the stay in Italy, the documents that the non-EU citizen must provide to the competent authorities vary. Until recently, the residence permit was in paper form and only in some Italian police headquarters, the new permit has been introduced in electronic format. Starting from November 2015, all Italian police headquarters compulsorily issue the electronic permit, which complies with EC Regulation No. 1030/2002, as amended by EC Regulation No. 380/2008.

What Happened In 2021?

In 2021 there was a further evolution of the title that accompanies every non-European citizen who stays in Italy for more than ninety days. The European Union, in order to cope with increasing regular and non-regular migration flows, felt the need to create a single model of electronic residence permit. It is true that since 2015 every Police headquarter issued an electronic permit, but each EU country issued a different model. To remedy this multiplicity of formats, the European Union decided to standardize the models of residence permits, also improving the security levels of the title.

What Changes?

The new electronic permit will look like an electronic ID card and it will be equipped with a radio-frequency chip. This chip will store the personal, biometric, and fingerprint data of the holder. This system offers the highest safety standards and facilitates data verification by authorities throughout the European Union. The image of the face will remain in black and white, created using Laser Engraving technology, which will make it less susceptible to forgery. Finally, as a guarantee of authenticity, the electronic title will be produced by the Poligrafico e Zecca dello Stato, the Italian institute that coins money.

What Does The New Electronic Permit Look Like?

The new electronic permit contains all the essential information that allows the authorities to recognize the foreigner. Thus, the first side of the document shows:

• country code;
• machine-readable symbol;
• type of permit;
• type in another language;
• document number;
• card access number;
• surname and first name data;
• gender;
• nationality;
• date of birth;
• type of permit;
• expiration date;

On the other side of the electronic permit, in addition to other bureaucratic information, there is the chip containing the biometric information of the non-EU citizen. A new model that keeps your information and title safer all across Europe.

What About Minors?

What about the minors between six and fourteen? Until 2016 it was enough for them to be included in their parents’ documents thanks to the “minor annex”. It was a complementary card that was an annex to the family member’s permit. It wasn’t a valid title for staying in Italy or crossing borders. From the age of 14, the minor had to apply for a residence permit. From 2016 onwards, the foreign child requires an individual residency permit as long as it also appears on the parent’s title. Only from the age of 18 onwards he can apply for a residence permit other than family reunification.

What Happens If I Already Have A Residence Permit In Paper Format?

No problem: all those who applied for a residence permit after 10 November 2015 have the new electronic permit. For those who, on the other hand, hold the previous permit, it will be automatically replaced during the renewal process. The procedure for renewing the electronic residence permit is always the same:

• send the postal kit;
• receive the permit receipt;
• wait for an appointment at the police station for the photodactyloscopic survey.

Then all that remains is to monitor the progress of the application from the Immigration Portal.