Italian immigration authorities have introduced updates to the residence permit application process. Effective November 11, 2024, these updates apply to applications submitted through Poste Italiane counters and aim to reduce errors and improve document management by postal staff.
Key Changes
- An expiry date (data di scadenza) has been added on the postal receipt for the residence permit application (Form 22AO). This expiry date is automatically calculated and set to a maximum of 9 months from the date the application is accepted.
- As a result, postal receipts now have a validity of 9 months. This is expected to encourage Immigration Police Offices to adhere to the legal timeline of 60 days for issuing residence permits. If the deadline is not respected, applicants may face challenges when traveling or proving their legal status in the country while their application is still pending.
What to Expect
The new postal receipt model is being introduced gradually, and not all post offices throughout Italy currently issue receipts with an expiry date.
However, there is no clear guidance on what actions applicants should take if the receipt expires before the residence permit is issued. According to the circular letter announcing the change, applicants with receipts close to expiry may need to request a new appointment at the Immigration Police Office.
Erickson Insights & Analysis
Erickson Immigration Group will continue to monitor developments and share updates as more news is available. Please contact your employer or EIG attorney if you have questions about anything we’re reporting above or case-specific questions.