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Italy · Permanent Residency

Permanent-residence routes: eligibility, required years of residence, and the official application steps — including any investment routes where a country offers them.

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Italy grants the EU long-term residence permit (permesso di soggiorno UE per soggiornanti di lungo periodo) after generally 5 years of continuous legal residence, with an income test and an Italian-language test. It is effectively permanent and leads toward Italian citizenship (often after 10 years).

For most non-EU nationals, Italy’s permanent status is the EU long-term resident permit (permesso di soggiorno UE per soggiornanti di lungo periodo). It can be issued to someone who has held a valid residence permit for at least five years, has income of at least the annual social allowance (assegno sociale) and knows Italian at A2 level. Absences do not break the five years if each is shorter than six consecutive months and together they total no more than ten months over the five years, unless they were caused by military service or serious, documented reasons; time spent on short-stay permits or with diplomatic status does not count. Family members — a spouse, dependent minor children, and in some cases dependent adult children or parents — can be included if the applicant shows income sufficient for the household and suitable housing, and Questure require the family members to have five years’ residence too. The language requirement can be met with an A2 certificate from one of the recognised certifying bodies, an Italian school or university qualification, or current enrolment at an Italian university; otherwise the applicant books a test online with the prefecture, which must call them within 60 days. Children under 14, people with serious documented learning limitations, and refugees and subsidiary-protection holders need no certificate, and some categories, such as highly qualified workers and university professors and researchers, are not required to take the test. The status is open-ended; the card itself is renewed every ten years (five for minors) to serve as an identity document. Applications are filed with the kit available at post offices.

  • Five years with a valid permit, income of at least the annual assegno sociale, and Italian at A2.
  • Absences: each under six consecutive months, and no more than ten months in total over five years.
  • A2 is shown by certificate, Italian qualification or university enrolment — or a prefecture test within 60 days.
  • The status is open-ended; the card is renewed every ten years (five for minors).

  1. 1

    Confirm the qualifying period

    You generally need 5 years of continuous legal residence with a valid permesso di soggiorno.

  2. 2

    Meet income and language tests

    Show income at least at the social-allowance level and pass the Italian-language test (usually A2).

  3. 3

    Apply for the permit

    Submit the application (via post-office kit / Questura) with residence, income, housing and criminal-record documents.

  4. 4

    Complete fingerprinting

    Attend the Questura appointment for fingerprints and document checks; then collect the permit.

  5. 5

    Receive the permit

    The EU long-term permit is indefinite (the card is updated periodically) and lets you live and work without a job-linked permit.

  6. 6

    Understand path to citizenship

    Italian citizenship by residence generally needs 10 years (less for EU citizens or by marriage), with a B1 Italian requirement.

  • 5 years’ continuous residence (valid permesso)
  • Income test + Italian language (A2)
  • Application (post-office kit / Questura)
  • Fingerprints + document checks
  • EU long-term permit (indefinite)
  • Housing + clean criminal record
  • Citizenship ~10 years + B1 Italian
  • Keep card updated / avoid long absences

Frequently asked questions

How long until long-term residence in Italy?

Generally 5 years of continuous legal residence, plus an income test and an Italian-language (A2) test.

Is the permit permanent?

The EU long-term status is indefinite; the physical card is renewed periodically, and the status can lapse with very long absences.

How long to Italian citizenship?

Generally 10 years’ residence for non-EU nationals (less for EU citizens or by marriage), with a B1 Italian-language requirement.

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