Immigration
You must have a U.S. passport to enter and move to Italy. It is recommended that your passport is valid for at least six months. U.S. citizens may visit Italy as a tourist for up to three months without a visa if they have a return air ticket or hold a valid onwards ticket to a country the traveler has a right to enter; they have a passport valid for three months beyond the date they are leaving Italy; they have proof of sufficient funds for the duration of the visit; and, they wish to visit only for the time granted on arrival. If you wish to stay longer than three months, you should apply for a visa specific to your needs.
Permanent Residency
A Residence Permit visa allows you to live, work or study in the country. Americans staying in Italy for more than three months are considered residents. This includes Americans who will work or transact business and those who want to simply live in Italy. If you wish to move to Italy and remain for more than three months and gain resident status, you must have an entrance visa, which should be obtained at an Italian consulate before coming to Italy. This procedure will take several weeks to complete, so it is advisable to apply well in advance of the departure date. The visa will be granted only for the time indicated on the application. Americans already in Italy without a visa will have to leave Italy to obtain one before they will be able to gain resident status.
Upon arrival in Italy, you must obtain a Residence Permit visa called Permesso di Soggiorno or Permit of Stay. An application kit may be requested from one of 14,000 Poste Italiane or national Post Offices. The kit must then be returned to one of 5,332 designated Post Office acceptance locations. It is important that applicants keep a copy of the receipt issued by the Post Office. Within 20 days of receiving the permit to stay in Italy, you must go to the local Vital Statistics Bureau to apply for residency. It generally takes one to two months to receive the Certificate of Residence (Certificato di Residenza).
The Residence Permit is for all non-European Union nationals who plan to come to Italy for an extended period of time (more than three months) or for permanent settlement. Detailed information on obtaining a Residence Permit can be found at Polizia di Stato. The Long-term Residence Permit (Permesso di Soggiorno per Soggiornanti di Lungo Periodo) is for those who have had a Residence Permit for more than five years and wish to establish permanent residency in the country. To apply for this visa, you must go to a local Italian Post Office and file your application. Details on required documentation and an application form can be found at Polizia di Stato, Long-term visa.
In addition, all American citizens who request an Italian permit of stay for more than 12 months are required to sign an Integration Agreement (Accordo di Integrazione) at the local prefecture or at the provincial police headquarters. By signing this agreement, you must achieve specific integration goals, such as acquiring an adequate knowledge of the Italian language, the Italian civil structure and the Italian culture and accumulate a total of thirty credits. Simply signing the agreement will secure the first sixteen points. The remaining fourteen points must be earned over the next two years by taking classes or passing a test in the Italian language, on the civil structure and culture and by successfully completing a variety of other requirements. Failure to complete the integration agreement with the required credits is punishable by expulsion from Italy. Additional information may be obtained from the Italian Ministry of Interior’s website. For detailed information on how to apply for Residence Permits and Permanent Residence Cards, please visit the Government of Italy’s Immigration Portal.