LumenHow many days do I have to apply for a residence permit (permesso di soggiorno) after arriving in Italy?
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Italian law requires you to apply for a residence permit (permesso di soggiorno) to the questore of the province where you are within eight working days of entering Italy. Staying without applying in time, unless the delay was due to force majeure, is a ground for expulsion by the prefect.
Key facts
| What | The law says | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Deadline | Within 8 working days of entering Italy | D.Lgs. 286/1998, art. 5(2) |
| Where | To the questore (police headquarters, Questura) of the province where you are | D.Lgs. 286/1998, art. 5(2) |
| What it covers | The activities in your entry visa, or those allowed by the rules in force | D.Lgs. 286/1998, art. 5(2) |
| Biometrics | You are photographed and fingerprinted | D.Lgs. 286/1998, art. 5(2-bis) |
| If you don’t apply in time | Ground for expulsion by the prefect, unless the delay was due to force majeure | D.Lgs. 286/1998, art. 13(2)(b) |
| Already hold a permit from another EU country | Declare your presence to the questore within the same 8 working days; fine EUR 103–309 if you don’t | D.Lgs. 286/1998, art. 5(7) |
What the law requires
Article 5 of the Consolidated Immigration Act (Testo unico immigrazione) says the residence permit must be requested from the questore of the province where you are within eight working days of your entry into Italy. The permit is issued for the activities your entry visa covers, or that the rules in force allow.
If you stay without having requested the permit within that deadline, article 13 lists this as a case in which the prefect orders expulsion, case by case, unless the delay was caused by force majeure.
How you file it
The Polizia di Stato’s guidance says some permit types are requested at the post office with the application kit (an envelope and two forms), and the rest directly at the Questura; it publishes a list of each. People who entered with a visa for family reunification or employed work go to the Sportello Unico per l’immigrazione at the Prefecture, where staff fill in the request, which the applicant then sends by post. The guidance also says Patronati and Comuni that offer the service can fill in the application for free.
If you hold a residence permit from another EU country
The law requires you to declare your presence to the questore within the same eight-working-day deadline. The fine for not doing so is EUR 103 to 309.
Related questions
- What it costs: see the Polizia di Stato’s list of fees (marca da bollo, postal charge, electronic permit, contribution).
- How long the decision takes: the law sets 90 days from the application (art. 5(9)).
Sources
- Decreto legislativo 25 luglio 1998, n. 286 (Testo unico immigrazione), art. 5 (current text, Normattiva) checked 2026-10-25
- Decreto legislativo 25 luglio 1998, n. 286 (Testo unico immigrazione), art. 13 (current text, Normattiva) checked 2026-10-25
- Polizia di Stato: Come dove e quanto costa (permesso di soggiorno) checked 2026-10-25
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