No matter where you go in the world, there is going to be some kind of bureaucratic red tape that you will have to endure if you plan to settle there full-time. Some places are better than others, but in most cases, a certain amount of patience, breathing, and calm will be required. Just remember that politeness and a smile go an extremely long way as those working in this sector have to also endure a lot on the other side of the window – this goes for the bureaucracy in Italy as well.
Codice Fiscale (Fiscal codes)
Obtaining a fiscal code is quite possibly one of the easiest things you can do. Plus, you don’t even need to be in the country to accomplish this. What better way to escape Italy’s bureaucracy?!
What is it?
The codice fiscale is a tax code/number that is something similar to a US Social Security Number (SSN/TIN) or British National Insurance (NI) Number. Everyone needs one if you plan to purchase property, make money transfers locally, get a SIM card or phone contract, order items online for delivery, open a local bank account, etc.
So, don’t delay and get your application in today to tick it off your to-do list.
Permesso di Soggiorno / Carta di Soggiorno (Permission / Card to Stay)
Everyone who plans to live in Italy for longer than 90-days needs to apply for a permesso di soggiorno (permission to stay) within eight days of your arrival.
Except for EU citizens and pre-Brexit residents, the carta di soggiorno (residence card) is a five-year-plus process for foreigners living in Italy to obtain. In other words, since 2007 the majority of long-term residents are now required to obtain a permesso, or permission to stay residency, rather than a carta, and renew it up to five years, depending on the visa type. Once the five years has been successfully renewed, then residents are eligible to receive the carta, also called permanent residency.
Since each commune, city, or region may have its own process, it is always best to consult someone with experience in the area you want to settle and ask their advice for how to move forward with this process.
Identity Cards
Once you have received your permesso di soggiorno (PDS), you should register at your local commune to receive your carta di identità (identity card). To obtain your carta di identità, or now the electronic (elettronica) identity card (CIE), you need to visit the commune office of where you are a registered resident.
It usually takes about a week or so for the cards to arrive in the mail with the other half of the numbers that you need to login online or via the app, which gives you access to various services that will become pertinent as you settle in. Though, these are not worth stressing too much over.
If this was helpful to you in learning about Italian bureaucracy, you can find more information in Umbria on a Whim: Volume 1 The Basics – an Insider’s Guide for Moving to Umbria.