Before arriving in Italy
You must apply for a visa for freelance work purposes, usually by submitting:
- visa application form [.pdf];
- a recent passport photo;
- passport or valid travel document expiring at least three months following the requested visa;
- approval (nulla osta) from the competent police authority;
- availability of suitable accommodation.
Important! You may apply for a visa only after receiving a copy of the “nulla osta” for the issue of the visa for freelance work purposes. The “nulla osta” will be sent to you by the International Desk.
Make sure to contact the Embassy to apply for your visa well in advance, to find out if any additional documentation is required (e.g. draft contract, flight booking, letter from the Organisation or University where you are currently working to prove your current occupation, documentation concerning your financial resources, health cover, etc.).
Read more information on Visa for Italy.
After your arrival in Italy
In general, if you have a visa for freelance work purposes, within 8 working days of your arrival in Italy you must apply for a residence permit (permesso di soggiorno).
If you live in Bologna and you have a C-type visa (for stays shorter than 90 days)
Only if you live in Bologna and you have a C-type visa (for stays shorter than 90 days) you do not need to apply for a residence permit, but you have to make the Declaration of presence (unless exempt).
If you are entering Italy from a country outside the Schengen Area, the uniform Schengen stamp, placed on your passport during border controls, replaces the declaration of presence.
If you are staying in a hotel, the declaration of presence is represented by the declaration you make to and sign before the hotelier.
In any other case, you must deliver the declaration of presence within 8 days after your entry into Italy to the central police station (Questura) in the Province where you live. Contact the International Desk to receive the necessary form and support to carry out the procedure.
If you don't live in Bologna or you don't have a C-type visa (for stays shorter than 90 days)
Within 8 working days of your arrival in Italy, you must apply for a residence permit (permesso di soggiorno).
For information and to book a free appointment with an immigration support service, you can write to the International Desk. The immigration support service staff will provide you with an application kit (including the envelope, required forms and payment slip), and will assist you free of charge in filling out the application for the issue or renewal of your residence permit.
Bring with you:
The application must be submitted to a Post Office with a “Sportello Amico”.
When applying, you must:
- pay a fee for your electronic residence permit. The cost of the residence permit for freelance work for more than 3 months is 70.46 €;
- fill in an insured letter form for sending the kit. This costs 30.00 €.
At the Post Office you will be given an appointment for having your photo taken and fingerprints filed with the Questura. It is very important to go to the appointment, and to indicate the correct address on your permit application. The Questura will send any notices or calls in the event of problems in issuing the residence permit to the indicated address. Important: your name must be clearly visible on the door panel/letter box.
Keep the receipt you are given at the Post Office, you must show it with your passport in the event of a police check.
To find out the status of your application for issue/renewal after the appointment at the police station (Questura) enter the file code number assigned during the appointment or the insured mail number (the password written on the receipt issued by the Post Office) in the Polizia di Stato website.
Only for the Questura in Bologna, when the residence permit is available you can check the collection methods on the Questura website.
