All About the Residence Card for Italy

The residence card (Card for short) is a document that has undergone a great transformation in recent decades. For this reason, Welcome Association Italy, which has always been involved in assisting foreign nationals, has decided to take a closer look at this issue. Until Legislative Decree 30/2007 came into force, the Card allowed non-EU citizens to reside permanently in Italy for periods longer than five years. Because of this peculiarity, the document was called “unlimited residence card”. Legislative Decree 30/2007, however, enacted a total transformation of the title. Let’s review this transformation together. Index

• Residence Card: What Is It?
• How to obtain it?
• Card and long-term residence permit: what changes?

Residence Card: What Is It?

Since the entry into force of Decree No. 30 of 2007, this Card has taken on a completely different meaning from its previous function. Today, the Card is a title that can be claimed by EU citizens and/or family members of EU citizens who want to stay in Italy for more than ninety days. It is easy to see how the change in function is radical. Before decree, the title was a prerogative of non-EU citizens, after decree, it became a document reserved for EU citizens. Before decree it had unlimited validity, after decree it became valid for five years.

How to Obtain It?

The residence card, therefore, has been transformed into a title that regularizes EU citizens who intend to stay in Italy for more than ninety days. This document can be requested by:

• Spouse of an EU citizen;
• Children of the spouse under the age of 21;
• Children of the spouse over 21 years of age, if they are dependents of the EU citizen;
• Parents of an EU citizen;
• Grandparents of an EU citizen.

The application, to be submitted in the competent Questura, involves several documents including:

• Valid passport;
• Cocument attesting parentage (original and photocopy);
• EU citizens identity documents.

The first issuance of the permit is valid for five years, while from renewal onward, the Card acquires unlimited validity.

Card and Long-Term Residence Permit: What Changes?

The confusion between long-term permit and residence card is mainly due to the fact that the old Card had the same function as the current permit. Having established this difference, we can proceed with the distinctions between the two titles.

1. The Card is a title reserved for EU citizens staying in Italy for more than ninety days. The long-term permit, on the other hand, can only be requested by non-EU citizens.
2. The Card is valid for five years and then unlimited, while the long-term permit is valid for ten years and renewable;
3. The two titles have different requirements.

How to Obtain a Long-Term Residence Permit

Welcome Association Italy union is committed to simplify the arrival and stay of EU and non-EU citizens in Italy. To avoid unpleasant misunderstandings related to the unlimited Card for our non-EU readers, we report the requirements for obtaining a long-term permit:

• Declaration of actual residence in the national territory for at least five years;
• Lease or purchase contract of suitable housing in which you reside;
• Personal or family income above the annual social allowance (equal to €5954);
• No criminal record;
• Passing an Italian language test with a level of A2 or higher.