Bureaucracy in Italy

This information is for general orientation only and does not constitute legal, tax or medical advice. Always verify with the official sources cited.

EU / EEA / Switzerland

Steps

Non-EU

Steps

Consulate checklist

• Passport, Universitaly summary, statements (Italy generally does not accept cash, crypto or guarantees from non-family third parties), initial accommodation, entry health policy (about €30,000), flight booking.

Official links

Operational detail and institutional links: amounts and deadlines change, always check on the relevant portal before submitting applications or payments.

Digital documents and identity

The documents and digital identities you need for the bank, rent, healthcare, university and tax. Below, in a useful order, what they are and where to request them.

Tax code (codice fiscale)

The codice fiscale is your identifier with the Italian tax authorities: it is the first thing to get because it is needed for almost everything — opening a bank account, signing a rental contract, enrolling in the National Health Service (SSN) and at university. It is free.

Where to request it: if you are a foreigner already resident in Italy, at the Agenzia delle Entrate, the municipality (registry office) or the consulate; if you are not yet resident, you can also do it online. You only need a valid ID.

SPID

SPID is the single digital identity for accessing online public services with one username and password: INPS, the health record, the tax return, university portals and many more.

How to activate it (it is free): choose an authorised provider — called an “identity provider”, e.g. PosteID, Aruba or Register.it — enter your details, complete identification (in person, by video call, with the CIE or with a credit card, depending on the provider) and activate your credentials.

CIE and passport

Electronic identity card (CIE): the identity card in card format. You request it in your municipality of residence (usually by appointment), it costs €22.21 and is valid for 10 years (adults), 5 years (ages 3–18), 3 years (under 3). It also serves as a travel document throughout the Schengen area and, with the CieID app, lets you access online services as an alternative to SPID.

Passport: needed to travel outside the Schengen area. You request it at the Questura (online appointment), it costs about €116 between stamp duty and fees and is valid for 10 years (adults), 5 years (minors).

ISEE and social benefits

The ISEE is the “snapshot” of your family’s economic situation (income + assets): the lower it is, the more you are entitled to discounts and support. It is used to pay lower university fees, for the canteen, nurseries, energy bonuses and many other reliefs.

To obtain it you submit the DSU (Single Substitute Declaration) on the INPS portal, logging in with SPID, CIE or CNS (the enabled health card). There are three types: ordinary (the standard one), university (a simplified version for the right to study, if income is below €35,000) and current (to use if your situation has recently changed, e.g. job loss).

What you need for the ordinary DSU: the average balance of your accounts at 31/12 of the previous year, the cadastral data of any properties and those of your vehicles.

Tax return (730 and Redditi)

The tax return is used to put your taxes in order and, often, to get money back thanks to deductions. For employees and pensioners the simplest route is the pre-filled 730 form: it is usually available from 30 April, must be submitted by about 30 September and any balance is paid by about 15 October (check the year’s dates). Those with a VAT number or more complex situations use the Redditi form instead (indicative deadline 30 November).

The most common deductions (they give you back 19% of the expense): first-home mortgage interest (on a maximum of €4,000), medical expenses (above a small deductible), university expenses and rent for students living away from home (on a maximum of €2,633).

VAT number and self-employment

You need a VAT number (Partita IVA) if you carry out self-employed activity on an ongoing basis (not for a single occasional job). You can choose between two regimes.

Flat-rate (forfettario) — the simplest, designed for those starting out: a single tax of 15% (reduced to 5% in the first 5 years if you qualify), up to €85,000 of revenue per year, no VAT on invoices and light accounting. Ordinary: you apply VAT (usually 22%), keep full accounts but can deduct actual costs.

How to open it: choose the ATECO activity code, notify the start of activity to the Agenzia delle Entrate and register with the INPS Gestione separata within about 30 days. The INPS Gestione separata contributions amount indicatively to around 26% of income (check the year’s rate).

Residence and AIRE

How to register your residence once in Italy and, if you move abroad in future, how to enrol in AIRE.

Residence

Residence is the official registration of where you live, with your municipality: it is needed for the identity card, the family doctor and many other services. You request it at the municipal registry office (anagrafe) bringing an ID, your tax code and the rental contract (or a declaration from whoever is hosting you). The municipality carries out a check, usually within about 45 days; in the meantime you can generally already access basic services (check on your municipality’s website).

AIRE

AIRE is the Registry of Italians Resident Abroad. It concerns only Italian citizens living outside Italy for more than 12 months: enrolment is mandatory, within 90 days of moving. What it is for: voting from abroad, renewing documents at the consulate, sorting out your conscription status and, in some cases, obtaining tax reliefs (e.g. IMU exemption on a first home in Italy — always verify).

University and study

From admission to enrolment, through to fees, scholarships and Erasmus+ grants.

Tests and enrolment

To get into university many courses use the TOLC tests (run by the CISIA consortium); for medicine there is a national competition by the MUR (Ministry of University). If you are a foreign student, enrolment and pre-registration go through the Universitaly portal.

Fees, scholarships, PhD

How much you pay in university fees depends on your university ISEE: below certain thresholds you often pay nothing (e.g. ISEE below €22,000 for the fees — check with your university). Payments are made with pagoPA. There are also regional scholarships (ER.GO, DiSCo, EDISU…). For PhDs the calls are from individual universities and the minimum grant is indicatively around €1,195/month gross (amount updated by ISTAT).

Erasmus+ (indicative grants)

Erasmus+ is the European programme that gives you a monthly grant to study a period abroad. Indicative amounts (study 2024–2026): high cost-of-living countries €600–700/month, medium cost €500–600, lower cost €400–500. Top-ups are possible based on the ISEE or for disability.

Residence permit (operational detail)

If you are non-EU, the residence permit is the authorisation to stay in Italy beyond your visa. The visa (type D for study, work, family, etc.) is requested first at the Italian consulate in your country.

The first permit: once you arrive in Italy, within 8 days of entry you fill in the “kit” you collect at the post office, with a revenue stamp, the contribution and the documents (passport, visa, proof of accommodation, of financial means, insurance if required and university enrolment if you are a student). Indicative costs: handling fees, a €16 revenue stamp and the contribution (check the updated amount on the official sources).

Renewal: to be done before expiry (ideally 60 days before); the receipt counts as proof of regularity while you wait for the new permit. After 5 years of continuous legal residence you can request the EU long-term residence permit (income, accommodation and Italian at A2 level are required — check the requirements).

Recognition of foreign qualifications

If you studied outside Italy, sooner or later you will need documents proving the value of your qualification, to enrol at university, take part in competitions or practise a profession. The main tools are:

• Declaration of Value (DV): a document issued by the Italian embassy/consulate in the country of study that describes the qualification and its value in the system of origin.
• CIMEA comparability statement: a faster, more digital alternative to the DV, recognised by many Italian universities (ENIC-NARIC network).
• Sworn (certified) translation: an official translation of the documents into Italian, with legal value.
• Legalisation or apostille: a stamp certifying the authenticity of the foreign document (the apostille applies between countries party to the Hague Convention; otherwise consular legalisation is required).

Getting help: CAF, patronati and help desks

You do not have to face bureaucracy alone. In Italy there is a network of often free assistance services for the most common procedures:

• CAF (Tax Assistance Centres): they help with ISEE/DSU, the 730 form, bonuses and deductions. Many services are free for the citizen.
• Patronati (e.g. INCA, ACLI, INAS): free assistance on pensions, NASpI, INPS procedures and, in many cases, residence permits.
• Help desks for foreigners / immigration of municipalities and associations: guidance on residence, permits and family reunification.
• International relations offices and welcome desks at universities: designed specifically for international students.

Conversion and types of residence permit

The residence permit is tied to a reason (study, work, family…), but in some cases you can convert it when your situation changes. The most frequent case for students is the switch from a study permit to a work permit at the end of studies, if you find a job and quotas are available. Other useful permits to know:

• Awaiting employment: to look for work after the end of a job or studies (check the duration and requirements).
• Family reasons / reunification: to reunite with a spouse and children, income requirements and suitable accommodation are needed.
• EU long-term: after 5 years of continuous legal residence, with income, accommodation and Italian at A2.

Towards citizenship (notes)

For those planning to stay long term, Italian citizenship can be obtained mainly by residence (generally after 10 years of legal residence for non-EU citizens, less in some cases), by marriage/civil union with an Italian citizen, or by descent (ius sanguinis). The procedures are long and the requirements (income, knowledge of Italian at B1 level, no criminal record) are updated: it is a horizon to keep in mind from the start, because every year of legal residence counts.

Glossary of essential acronyms

Italian bureaucracy is full of acronyms. Here are the ones you will come across most often, gathered in one place:

Sources

• Universitaly — universitaly.it
• Visto per l’Italia — esteri.it
• agenziaentrate.gov.it
• Trova ufficio territoriale — agenziaentrate.gov.it
• PosteID — Poste Italiane — poste.it
• SPID — Register.it — spid.register.it
• SPID — Aruba — aruba.it
• SPID — AgID — spid.gov.it
• Dove usare SPID — spid.gov.it
• CIE — Ministero dell’Interno — cartaidentita.interno.gov.it
• CieID — app — cartaidentita.interno.gov.it
• Passaporto online — Polizia di Stato — poliziadistato.it
• Passaporto — informazioni — poliziadistato.it
• DSU e ISEE — INPS — inps.it
• ISEE precompilato — serviziweb2.inps.it
• Diritto allo studio — MUR — mur.gov.it
• Elenco CAF — MEF — finanze.gov.it
• Ricerca codici ATECO — codiceateco.it
• Residenza — Ministero dell’Interno — interno.gov.it
• istat.it
• AIRE — Farnesina — esteri.it
• CISIA — TOLC — cisiaonline.it
• Test medicina — MUR — accessoprogrammato.mur.gov.it
• pagoPA — pagopa.it
• Dottorati — MUR — mur.gov.it
• Erasmus+ Italia — erasmusplus.it
• Erasmus+ — Commissione UE — erasmus-plus.ec.europa.eu
• Permesso di soggiorno — Polizia di Stato — poliziadistato.it
• Permesso — Ministero dell’Interno — interno.gov.it
• Kit postale — Poste — poste.it
• Portale Immigrazione — portaleimmigrazione.it
• Stato pratica permesso — questure.poliziadistato.it
• Soggiornante di lungo periodo UE — interno.gov.it
• Attestati di comparabilità — CIMEA — cimea.it
• Cittadinanza — Ministero dell’Interno — interno.gov.it