The immigration authorities have introduced updates to the residence permit application process, effective November 11th, 2024. These updates apply to applications submitted through Poste Italiane counters and aim to reduce errors and improve document management by postal staff.
One key change is the addition of an expiry date (data di scadenza) on the postal receipt for the residence permit application (Form 22AO), as shown in the photo below. This expiry date is automatically calculated and set to a maximum of 9 months from the date the application is accepted.
As a result, postal receipts now have a validity of 9 months. This is expected to encourage Immigration Police Offices to adhere to the legal timeline of 60 days for issuing residence permits—although this timeline is rarely met, with appointments for fingerprints issued sometimes after 1 year or even more from application. If the deadline is not respected, applicants may face challenges when traveling or proving their legal status in the country while their application is still pending.
The new postal receipt model is being introduced gradually, and not all post offices throughout Italy currently issue receipts with an expiry date.
However, there is no clear guidance on what actions applicants should take if the receipt expires before the residence permit is issued. According to the circular letter announcing the change, applicants with receipts close to expiry may need to request a new appointment at the Immigration Police Office. Unfortunately, securing appointments can be difficult, as authorities are often unresponsive.
Another possible solution could involve submitting a new application at the post office to obtain a fresh postal receipt. However, this might create confusion and unnecessary administrative burden, as a new application would generate a different case number for the same user and the same request, potentially complicating the processing of the residence permit.
Giuditta Petreni has over 10 years of experience in assisting companies and business investors with relocation of managers and staff to Italy. Giuditta has extensive experience advising corporate and private clients on a full range of Italian immigration categories. She is fluent in Italian and English.
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