Permit for Medical treatment for a seriously ill person who is already in Italy

What is this permit?

The residence permit for medical treatment is given to foreigners who have very serious illnesses and who cannot be treated properly in their country.

If these people returned to their country, their health would worsen greatly ⚠️ or they could even die.

Who can apply for it?

You can apply for this permit if:

• You have a very serious illness that cannot be treated well in your country
• You are already in Italy (even without a residence permit)
• An Italian doctor (from a public hospital or one affiliated with the National Health Service) has confirmed that your illness is serious

Where do you apply for this permit?

Go to the Police Headquarters (Questura) in the area where you live and book an appointment at the Immigration Office.

You will need to submit all medical documentation in addition to other documents.

⚠️ If you have applied for international protection…

During the examination of your asylum application, the Commission or the Court might decide to ask the Police Headquarters (Questura) to give you this residence permit, if they think you are entitled to it.

How long does this permit last?

• Maximum 1 year (it can be less, depends on what the doctor says)
• It can be renewed as long as you still have the serious illness and need treatment

✅ What can you do with this permit?

With this permit you can:

• Work (with regular contract - self-employment or employed work) 💼
• Register with the National Health Service (NHS-SSN) and have a general practitioner
• Receive free medical care in public hospitals
• Register in the registry office of the municipality where you live

⚠️ What you CANNOT do:

• You cannot travel outside Italy - this permit is only valid in Italy

How to renew the permit?

To renew you must show:

• New medical certificate that confirms you still have the serious illness
• The same documents from the first application

Permit conversion

When it expires, this permit is hardly convertible to another one.

According to current law, the permit for medical treatment cannot be changed to permit for work. If you applied for the permit for medical treatment before May 2023, you might still try to request conversion to a work permit, but you will need good legal assistance and possibly a lawsuit in court. Look for legal help near you.

If there are members of your family in Italy, you can take our test to see if you are entitled to a permit for family reasons. If you have minor children in Italy, you could consider applying for a permit under Art. 31.

Who can apply for you?

If you are too sick, the application can be made by:

• A family member (with authorization)
• The head of the hospital where you are admitted
• Anyone who has an interest in helping you

Collecting the permit

• They give you a receipt when you apply
• The permit is ready within 60 days
• The permit is paper (not electronic)
• Another person can also collect it with authorization

Important difference

This permit is different from the permit for medical treatment for those who come to Italy already with a visa for medical treatment. This is for people who are already in Italy and discover they have a serious illness that cannot be treated in their country.

📋 Required documents

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