What is this permit?
The residence permit for family cohesion is a type of family reunification that you can request directly in Italy. It's for those who want to live together with their foreign family member who is already in Italy.
What is the difference with family reunification?
The family member requesting family cohesion is already present in Italy and does not live abroad as in the case of family reunification, which is why it is not necessary to request the clearance for reunification from the One-Stop Immigration Office at the Prefecture.
How long does this permit last?
It has the same duration as the residence permit of your family member already in Italy.
What are the conditions to obtain it?
To obtain this permit:
- Your foreign family member must have a valid residence permit of at least one year or an EU residence permit for long-term residents
- You must already be in Italy with regular stay (even with a still valid tourist visa) or with a permit expired for no more than 12 months
- You must prove the family relationship
You can request family cohesion with:
- Your husband or wife of at least 18 years old (only if you are not legally separated)
- Your children under 18 years old (at the time of application)
- Your adult children who are dependents, if they cannot support themselves due to serious health problems
- Your parents over 65 years old, if they have no other children in their country or if these cannot help them
Where do you apply for this permit?
You must submit the application through a postal kit that you will then take to the post office. You can get help from a patronage organization or legal office to fill out the forms.
What documents do I need to request it?
- Postal kit to collect and send by post
- Photocopy of your passport pages with personal data, renewal stamps and visas
- Documents showing family relationship translated and legalized
- Copy of the property transfer notification
- Copy of your foreign family member's passport (pages with personal data)
- Copy of your foreign family member's residence permit
- Photocopy of your foreign family member's tax return
- Housing suitability certificate issued by the Technical Office of the Municipality where you live
Your family member must have:
- A house that meets size and cleanliness requirements (you need the housing suitability document from the Municipality)
- Enough money (the minimum income is โฌ6.947,33 โฌ for 2024, plus half for each family member)
- Health insurance only if the family members are parents over 65 years old
Attention! If your family member has a permit for asylum or subsidiary protection, income and housing requirements are not needed.
What can I do with this residence permit?
With this permit you can:
- Get residency in the municipality where you live
- Work with a regular contract (self-employment or employed work)
- Register for free with the National Health Service (NHS (SSN)) and have a general practitioner
- Travel in the Schengen area with your passport (for short stays up to 3 months)
- Enroll in school, a professional course, or university
And when does the permit expire?
You can renew it if you continue to meet the requirements.
Can I convert this permit?
Yes, this permit can be converted to:
- Permit for work (self-employment or employed work)
- Permit for job seeking
- Permit for study reasons