How can I obtain the long term permesso?

The foreigner who wants to apply for the long term permesso must be in Italy for 5 years with a regular permesso di soggiorno (these 5 years must be continuous).
The 5 years start from the issue date of your first residence permit.

Apart from that, it’s important to know that while he has a certain type of permesso di soggiorno the foreigner cannot apply for the long term one, this is the list:

• Student Permesso (Permesso di studio)
• Temporary protection permesso (Permesso per protezione temporanea)
• Health care permesso (Permesso per cure mediche)
• Social protection permesso (Permesso per protezione sociale)
• Victims of domestic violence permesso (Permesso per vittime di violenza domestica)
• Special protection permesso (Permesso per protezione speciale)
• Labour exploitation permesso (Permesso per sfruttamento lavorativo)
• Natural disaster permesso (Permesso per disastro naturale)
• Asylum seeker permesso (Richiesta di protezione internazionele)
• Diplomatic permesso (Permesso diplomatico)
• Short types of permesso (permessi di breve durata)

Also as the Article 9 of the TUI states, to apply for the long term permesso it’s necessary to have a permesso that can be renewable for indefinite times (for example the work one)

Is it necessary also to have a continuous residenza for 5 years?

A lot of organizations, keep spreading the fake information that the foreigner needs also 5 years of residenza to apply for the long term permesso, but this is totally wrong, the foreigner just needs a current residenza when he is applying for the long term permesso.

The years with the student permesso are counted?

Yes, even if the foreigner cannot apply for the long term permesso while he has the student permesso, the years as a student are counted.

What are the other requirements?

The foreigner needs as extra documents:

• CUD or tax declaration
• Work contract + UniLAV and buste paga or partita Iva + balance sheet, copy of the id card of commercialista and his registration to the albo dei commercialisti
• Italian criminal certificates: Casellario Giudiziale and carichi pendenti
• Residency certificate and family status certificate
• Certificate of A2 level of Italian language

When you don’t need the language certificate?

There are some cases where it’s possible to replace the language certificate:

• In case the foreigner already has a document that proves he has at least this level, this document must be given from recognized organization as Università di Roma tre, Università per stranieri di Perugia, Università per stranieri di Siena, Società Dante Alighieri, Università per stranieri di Reggio Calabria
• If the foreigner has an Italian diploma or degree (Diploma di scuola media, High school diploma, University degree)
• If the foreigner is studying in an Italian university (recognized one or doing a master or a Phd in Italy
• If the foreigner is doing or he did an Italian course in CTP and he has a certificate that states he reached the A2 level
• If his italian level was recognized during the accordo d’integrazione
• If he entered in Italy with the art.27 as: executive or manager of a company, university’s teacher, translator or interpreter, journalist or employee of a press company
• He obtained the certification from a CPIA school
• Also it is not necessary to provide a language certificate in case the long term permesso is requested by minors or from a person who has problems of language learning.

Do I need the idoneità alloggiativa?

In case the foreigner is applying for the long term permesso only for himself, no.

The idoneità alloggiativa is necessary in case the foreigner is applying also for his dependent relatives

How much do I need to show in the Cud or tax declaration for the long term permesso?

For the year 2025 the minimum amount requested is 7003€ per year.

For the year 2026 the minimum amount requested is 7100€ per year.

Are there other things I need to know before applying?

To have the rights to apply for the long term permesso the foreigner must not overcome in total 10 months outside of Italy, during the 5 years of staying.

Now I have the long term permesso, what benefits do I have?

The long term permesso has a duration of 10 years, every 10 years the foreigner must only update the photo and eventually the residenza if during that time he changed it, but it has not to keep all the requirements (work, tax declaration, etc)

Can I work in another Schengen country?

The long term permesso allows the foreigner to go to another Schengen country and apply for a work permesso (in case he has a job offer), without asking a work visa for that country.