On arrival in Italy: residence permit (permesso di soggiorno) for phd candidates

Non-EU candidates, enrolling in a phd degree, who are intending to stay in Italy for more than 90 days must apply for a residence permit.

Application procedure

  1. Filling in the application
  2. Preparing the documents
  3. Submitting the application
  4. Appointment at the Questura (central police station)
  5. Collecting the residence permit
  6. Support

1. Filling in the application

If you live in Bologna and surrounding areas (Città Metropolitana di Bologna): the University of Bologna collaborates with immigration support services. The personnel of such services can provide you with an application kit (including the envelope and required forms), and will assist you free of charge in filling out the application for the issue or renewal of the residence permit.

In order to book an appointment with the immigration support service, please write from your @studio.unibo.it email box to specifying that you are phd students with visa for study

If you live in Cesena, Forlì, Rimini and Ravenna and surrounding areas: you can contact the International Relations office in CesenaForlìRavennaRimini for more information on the support services.

You can also apply for the residence permit on your own: you can obtain an application kit from any qualified post office (Sportello Amico); the kit consists of an envelope containing the forms and instructions on how to fill them in. You have to fill in the forms by yourself. Go ahead on your own only if you know the procedure well and you are sure that you have all the correct documentation.

It is fundamental to submit the application for a residence permit complete with all the required documents.

If your study permit application is complete at submission, you will get your permit sooner.

If you have to complete the missing documents after submission, the time required for issuing the permit could be several months longer.

Important: when filling in the forms, you must provide your contact details where you will receive any notifications from the central police station (Questura): you must specify the city, the street, the name on the bell and letterbox of your accommodation in Italy, and your Italian mobile number. In the event of problems, the staff of the central police station (Questura) may call you on the mobile number you indicated.

Also remember to always update your phone number on Studenti Online.

2. Preparing the documents

The documents you should attach to the application or bring to the immigration support service are the following:

  • a copy of your passport (blank pages not included): you need to include copies of the pages containing your personal details, the entry visa, entry stamp into Italy and any other pages with visas and entry and exit stamps;
  • a copy of your registration with the Italian National Health Service (SSN) or health insurance policy;
  • your Italian tax code (codice fiscale), if available
  • a copy of the documents proving you have the funds needed to cover living in Italy (minimum required for 2023: € 6.542,51 per year). You can submit the same documents you provided for the visa application or a bank account statement or, a certificate attesting to the assignment of a scholarship;
  • documents detailing your accommodation in Italy;
  • if you are applying for the first issue of your residence permit and you have completed your enrolment: the certificate of enrolment in the PhD programme. Do not submit self-certifications.
  • If you are applying for the renewal of your residence permit:
    • the certificate of enrolment in the PhD. Do not submit self-certifications;
    • a copy of the expiring residence permit.

The renewal of the residence permit must be requested at least two months before the expiry date. If you need to leave for a period of stay abroad, contact the International Desk well in advance to get specific information about your case.

Any supplementary documents must be sent to the central police station (Questura) by PEC (you need to open a PEC “Posta Elettronica Certificata” - certified email); contact the International Desk for more information.

Important! For the Bologna central police station (Questura): you can also send messages via normal email to the PEC , but you will not receive a confirmation receipt.

3. Submitting your application

Go to a tobacconists (tabaccheria) and purchase a €16 duty stamp (marca da bollo). Next, go to any Post Office offering the “Sportello Amico” service (the main post office in Bologna is in Piazza Minghetti).

Bring the following with you to the Post Office:

  • the application kit and payment slip (bollettino) duly filled in;
  • a duty stamp (marca da bollo) to the value of €16.00;
  • your passport.

At the Post Office you have to:

  • settle the payment slip for the fee and production cost of the residence permit (€30.46 + €40.00);
  • hand in the application kit and the duty stamp;
  • fill in a registered letter form (posta assicurata) with your data and pay the service charge of € 30.

The Post Office staff will verify your identity (via your passport) and you will sign the completed form in front of them. Important: do not sign the form beforehand.

The Post Office staff will give you:

  • an appointment at the immigration office (Ufficio Immigrazione) of the central police station (Questura) for your photographic registration; it is very important that you keep this appointment;
  • a receipt of your residence permit application: keep the application receipt and make a copy of it, that you should always carry with you. In case of police checks, it proves that you have duly applied for the residence permit.

Important! 
The scanned copy of the receipt of the request for renewal of the residence permit must be sent immediately to the PhD Unit from your University of Bologna email address (name.surname@studio.unibo.it).

You must send the receipt in order to renew and receive the payment of your scholarship or research fellowship.

If the copy of the residence permit is not provided within 180 days from the start date of the programme, your career will be blocked.

If you have paid the registration fee for the National Health Service, do not forget to contact the AUSL offices to activate your registration and choose a general practitioner.

4. Appointment at the Questura

It is important that you go to the central police station (Questura) on time for the appointment assigned to you at the Post Office for photographic registration.

Take the following with you to the central police station (Questura):

  • your passport
  • four identical passport-size photographs. They must be recent and they must have a white background
  • the original application receipt you received from the Post Office
  • the document issued by the Post Office confirming your appointment at the Questura.

In the residence permit application you should have photocopies of your documents, but the officers at the Questura may need to check the original documents, so don’t forget to take them.

Important! If you receive a document with a Subject (Oggetto) containing the text “art.10 bis Legge nr. 241/90” during your appointment at the central police station (Questura), you need to submit other documents. If you need support, please contact the International Desk (Bologna) or the offices in CesenaForlìRavennaRimini.

5. Collecting your residence permit

To track the status of your application following your appointment at the Questura, you can enter the code allocated to the file during the appointment or the registered mail tracking number (the password written on the receipt given by the post office) on the State Police website.

Important! (only for the Questura in Bologna): the Immigration Office in Bologna will not notify you via SMS when your permit is ready. However, around 3 to 4 months after the photographic registration, you will be able to check on a dedicated website whether your residence permit is ready and book an appointment to collect it. Remember to print out your collection booking and take it with you to the Immigration Office.

In Bologna, for information in the event of delays in issuing the permit, you can go to the URP (Public Relations Office) of the central police station, Piazza G. Galilei 2/A. On Thursday mornings (9:00-13:00) you will also find specific support for students of the University of Bologna.

Having collected your new residence permit, you must send a copy to the PhD Unit.

If you do not send a copy of the final residence permit, your student career will be temporarily blocked 180 days from the application date.

Make a copy of the residence permit for yourself and keep it in a safe place.

6. Support

If you need support and you live in Bologna and surrounding areas, you can contact International Desk.

If you need support and you live in Cesena, Forlì, Ravenna or Rimini and surrounding areas, you can contact the offices in  CesenaForlìRavennaRimini.