by Isabella Diaz Martin

You’ve probably heard the term “permesso di soggiorno” more times than you can count – maybe even before you landed in Italy. But do you know what it means, or why it matters?

What is the“permesso di soggiorno”?

The permesso di soggiorno (permit of stay) is an official residency card for non-EU nationals in Italy. It contains a microchip that holds the cardholder’s personal information and biometric data, and it legally authorises your stay in the country for a determined period.

It might sound like just another piece of bureaucracy, but it’s your key to living, studying, and staying in Italy.

Your visa got you through the airport. The permit of stay is what lets you stay.

 

How do I get the permit of stay?

Getting your permit of stay can take some time, and there are a lot of steps involved so it’s important to pay close attention to the details. Don’t worry though – we’ve put together a checklist to help you understand the process and keep track of everything along the way!

1. Get your permit of stay KIT

To start the application process, you need to obtain the permit of stay postal kit - this is a yellow folder that holds everything required for the application:

• The application form
• A list of required documents
• Instruction sheets

You will receive the KIT through the International Admissions Office. There is ONE KIT available per student.

If, for any reason, you need another one, you will have to go to a Poste Italiane that offers the Sportello Amico service to ask for a NEW kit.

 

2. Fill out the permit of stay application form

You are going to find your application form inside of the KIT. To make the process easier, we have detailed presentations on how to fill out this form, you can find the information on the dedicated area each campus website has for the permit of stay.

You will also need to fill out a payment slip following the instructions on the presentations.

Important tip: Fill out the correct form with capital block letters using a black pen. Yes – it’s a fully paper-based process.

For students living in Milan: thanks to an agreement with the Police in Milan you will benefit from a fast-track procedure during your police station appointment.
 

3. Prepare the permit of stay kit and submit

You will need to place a few documents inside of the folder along with the filled application form. For this step you will need to submit the following documents:

1. Photocopy of passport
2. Photocopy of visa
3. Pre-enrolment downloaded from Universitaly
4. Cattolica Admission Letter
5. €16 revenue stamp – you can buy this at any tabaccheria (tobacco shop)
6. Photocopy of health insurance (issued by a private insurance provider in your home country or by an Italian provider such as Welcome Association Italy (WAI)

Make sure that you send the copies of these documents. Never submit originals; after the kit is sent, you will not be able to get these back.

Important: Ensure that your health insurance coverage lasts at least 1 year; the length of your permit of stay is subject to the length of your insurance.

With your kit ready, you will need to submit it at the post office and pay the application fees specified on the presentation. Do not seal the kit yourself, they will do it at the post office.

At the post office, you will receive two important things:

1. a letter with the date and address of your Police Station appointment
2. a receipt of your application. This receipt is the document that proves you have a legal right to stay in Italy while you’re waiting for your permit of stay – make copies and carry one with you!
    

4. Go to your police appointment

On the letter you received at the post office, you will find the date of your police station appointment with the address of the station you were assigned. When your appointment date at the Police Station comes, you will have to bring more documents with you:

1. Appointment Letter
2. Application receipt
3. Passport
4. 4 passport-sized pictures
5. Health insurance
6. Pre-enrolment
7. Cattolica enrolment confirmation
8. Proof of economic means
9. Proof of accommodation

Make sure you have all your required documents with you before going to the police station. Missing any may result in having to book another appointment.
 

5. Pick up your permit of stay

When your permit is ready to pick up, you will receive a notification via SMS. Please remember to bring the receipt of your application with you when picking it up.

Beware of expiration dates: In Italy, dates are written in the day/month/year format. Remember this when checking your permesso’s expiry date.

6. Send your permit of stay to Università Cattolica

You’ll need to submit the permit of stay to Università Cattolica via your iCatt account. Do not forget to do this! Some administrative procedures may get blocked if you don’t!

This is the last step of the process and now you are officially a resident of Italy! You survived – with some bumps of the road, but you are here now! Now the only thing left is to discover the city and make it your own.

 

Our Resources

Our University is here to make your adaptation process easier, having this in mind, the International Admissions Office has a few resources to guide you through this.

• PDF presentations for each campus explaining the permit of stay application procedures from start to finish – you can find the information for each campus on our website.
• Information Sessions at the start of the semester to help students fill out the permit of stay application form. I took part in one of these and it made it so much easier! If you have the chance to, register for our information sessions.

If you have any questions, don’t hesitate to contact the International Admissions Office. Please note, however, that while they will do their best to assist you, they are not immigration experts. It’s always a good idea to double-check any information on the official websites of the police and Poste Italiane.