17th December 2008: As Christmas is approaching, many foreigners in Italy are planning to travel home to visit their family members. While those who have a valid Permit of Stay don't have to worry, those who've applied for renewal of their Permits do have some problems. Here's is important information on how to travel abroad if you've applied for the Permit of Stay and are still waiting for it to be issued.
Those waiting for the renewal of the Permit of Stay
Foreign citizens who are holding the Italian Post Office receipt for residence permit renewal application can:
- transit through Schengen countries by sea, land, air while travelling to their home countries and on the way back
- they do not require a visa to visit any Schengen state for up to three months within a six-month period
On 25th July 2008, Italian authorities requested other Schengen states to recognise the Special Italian Post Office receipt for residence permit renewal application as a valid document.
Since the European Commission approved the request by Italian authorities, now the Border guards recognise the Special Italian Post Office receipt as residence permit valid for crossing of the external borders without a visa.
By recognising the Italian Post Office receipt, it means that third-country nationals holding it are equivalent to those holding a valid residence permit. They are therefore entitled to travel to other Schengen states for up to three months within a six-month period without a visa.
The following countries are part of the Schengen area: Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Iceland, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, Czech Republic, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Hungary, Malta, Poland, Slovenia and Slovakia.
In order to transit through the above countries, one must carry along the expired permit, the receipt issued at the post office when he/she submitted the application for renewal of the permit, together with a valid passport or equivalent travel document.
Those who've applied and are still waiting to be issued the first Permit of Stay
The possibility of leaving and returning to the Italian territory is also extended to non-EU foreigners who have applied for the first Permit for family reunification, subordinate and self-employed work.
Therefore, those who have applied for the first Permit of Stay for the above reasons at the post office, and have a receipt showing they've made such application can travel to their home countries and return to Italy at anytime in the course of the year under the following conditions.
They must not transit through Schengen states. They must leave and return to Italy using the same border crossing point; they must also carry along the Passport or any other equivalent travel document, and the slip issued by the post office; they have to show their passport and the visa to the border police. The border police will put a rubber stamp on this slip at the time of leaving and re-entering Italy.
Please note that those who've applied for renewal of their Permits of Stay can transit through other Schengen states for a period ranging from 1st August 2008 to 31st January 2009.
After that period, they can still leave and return to Italy at any time but without transiting through other Schengen states. (Directives of Ministry of Home Affairs dated 5th August 2006 and 20th February 2007).
Minor children
Foreigners who have applied for renewal of their Permits of Stay and are only having the renewal slip, as well as those who have applied for registration of their children aged under 14 in their Permits of Stay can go directly to the Provincial Police Headquarters (Questura) and apply for a temporary paper permit if they want to travel abroad with the children.
Children aged between 14 and 18 years can travel to their home countries and return to Italy using their passport or equivalent travel document and postal receipt showing they've applied for the Permit of Stay. Children in the above age bracket can no longer be registered in their parents' permits so they have to apply for their own permits.
All other cases
In all other cases not indicated above (for instance, those who have applied for first Permit of Stay for studies, etc) in order to travel home, those waiting to be issued their permit must go to the Questura and apply for a temporary paper permit, by justifying the reason of their journey.
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