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Request of residence permit issue/renewal

RESIDENCE PERMIT

If a student holds a visa for study purposes and stays in Italy for more than 90 days, he/she must request a residence permit.  If he/she does not complete his/her studies before the residence permit expires, he/she will have to request the renewal of his/her residence permit.
The residence permit is issued to foreign citizens coming from Extra EU countries who attend a course – university or training course – In Italy, after they were granted a visa for study purposes from the Italian Embassy or Consulate in their country of origin or residence. Every year, a limited number of places is available for International students who want to enrol in University or training courses in Italy, in relation to the maximum number of visa for study purposes that can be granted.

Issue and renewal

When you enter Italy with a visa for study purposes, you must submit your request of residence permit to the competent Questura, through the kit available in any Post Office.
The first residence permit for study purposes, issued to university students who entered Italy with a visa – including students attending a master or Phd course – has a limited duration, usually corresponding to the entry visa expiration.

  • You must submit your first request of residence permit within the first 8 days from your arrival in Italy, whereas you must submit your request of renewal within your residence permit expiry date.
  • The receipt of your request of issue/renewal entitles you to enjoy all the rights related to the possession of a residence permit and certifies that you correctly submitted your application but, unlike the residence permit, it does not allow you to travel to another Schengen area country.

The owner of a residence permit for study purposes (university or training) is allowed to:

  • travel to the other Schengen area countries for a period shorter than three months without fulfilling any formal obligation;
  • submit application for family reunion;
  • be registered with the National Health Service;
  • have a part time job like Italian citizens, provided that he/she does not work more than 20 hours per week;
  • enjoy all the welfare benefits deriving from a regular contract of employment.

Main steps

After filling in the form contained in the residence permit kit, you will have to go to the post office and send it. The Post Office will fix an appointment for you to go to Questura where you will be fingerprinted. After being fingerprinted, you will receive a code allowing you to check the status of your application.

Documents required for the issue of a residence permit for study purposes:

  • The Kit for the request of the residence permit, which can be collected for free at the Post Office
  • Copy of all the page of your passport showing personal information and of all the pages carrying stamps of border authorities
  • Copy of the certificate attesting the enrolment in the course of study
  • Copy of fiscal code (if you have already obtained it)

Documents required for the renewal of a residence permit for study purposes:

  • The Kit for the request of the residence permit , which can be collected for free at the Post Office
  • Copy of all the page of your passport showing personal information and of all the pages carrying stamps of border authorities
  • Copy of the certificate attesting the positive result of at least one exam for the first renewal and of at least 2 exams for the following renewals
  • Copy of the health insurance policy (valid in Italy for the time of validity of the residence permit) against disease and/or accidents *
  • Copy of the documents attesting the availability of appropriate financial means for the time of validity of the residence permit *
  •  Copy of the expiring residence permit
  • Copy of Italian fiscal code

* in case of documents issued abroad, they need to be legalized and translated into Italian by the Italian Embassy or Consulate in the issuing Country.

COSTS FOR THE RESIDENCE PERMIT ISSUE/RENEWAL:

  • € 16 revenue stamp (to be purchased at any tobacconists’)
  • € 70,46 cost of the electronic residence permit, valid up to 1 year (pre-printed postal payment slip)
  • € 30 cost of the acceptance of the request for the residence permit issue/renewal (to be paid at the post office when you submit the filled kit)

Note: The International student who enters Italy for the first time and applies for the issue of a one-year-long residence permit must subscribe the integration agreement. The integration agreement is a measure taken to enhance the integration of foreign citizens in Italy.
University students are exempt from attending the test of knowledge of the Italian language and civic
Culture and life in Italy.

EU students, who have been staying in Italy for more than 3 months, must apply at the Civil Registry office in order to be registered and receive a certificate confirming their stay.

Italian National Police

Issue and renewal instructions


Last update 21/02/2024