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Visas, migration and life abroad

Italy for foreigners

Renewing an Italian permesso di soggiorno, what an expired permit still allows, visa approval rates, police checks, and why the citizenship clock can reset.

11 articles tagged Italy

Articles tagged “Italy”

A foreigner's documents in Italy

A foreigner staying in Italy long term needs a permesso di soggiorno, a residence permit issued by the police headquarters (Questura). An expired permit does not always mean lost rights if the renewal application was filed on time.

Italian citizenship comes through naturalisation after a long period of lawful residence or by descent from Italian ancestors, and gaps in registered residence can restart the count.

After entering on a national visa, the permesso application must be filed within eight days, usually through a post office using a special application kit. Work permits for non-EU nationals are issued within annual quotas set by the decreto flussi. Naturalisation requires ten years of lawful residence for non-EU nationals and four for EU citizens. In 2025 Italy sharply restricted citizenship by descent for descendants of emigrants born abroad.