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Permesso Renewal

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joec
  4/9/2018 18:36 EST

So today, a mere 10(!) months after I submitted my application here in Firenze, I went to the questura for another madness-inducing, three-hour "stand around and wait" afternoon and finally -- FINALLY -- got my permesso di soggiorno!

We were hoping to get a little time to breathe and savor the accomplishment, but of course, this Friday will be 60 days before the damn thing expires, which means it's time to jump right back in and begin the renewal process.

You were all so wonderfully helpful back when I was first applying, and I was wondering if you could help me with a few lingering questions to which I've only been able to find ambiguous and/or contradictory answers for.


1.) Aside from obviously checking the right box and including a photocopy of my soon-to-expire PDiS, is the renewal application process otherwise the same as the original application?

I was told that a renewal is simply verifying that the conditions of the first PDiS issuance are still valid, which would suggest that only updated documents are required. I'd like to know just how far that explanation goes.


2.) Will applying for the renewal with a different address than the original create any problems?

The original plan was to stay in my current apartment, but some unforeseen circumstances with the building and the landlord mean I'm going to have to move at the end of my current contract, which lines up with the expiration of my current PDiS. I have a new apartment and a new contract that aligns with the time period of the renewal, but I didn't know if simply changing the address at all would add any new headaches.


3.) Is registering with the commune/Anagrafe a *requirement* for the renewal?

I'm not asking if I should do it (I will), or anything else along those lines. I'm simply asking if it's a REQUIREMENT for the renewal process.

Many unofficial websites list it as one of the steps, but the implication is that it's an obvious and important thing to get done if you want health care, car registration, etc. I have yet to see anywhere if it's an objective requirement and that a renewal application will be rejected or otherwise not accepted without it.


I'm also just generally curious what your experiences were with your renewals. Straightforward? Sudden curveballs you weren't expecting?

Thank you in advance, folks. I appreciate any help or insights you can offer here.

Joe

guestuser
  4/10/2018 02:12 EST

Hi joec.

As far as I know, updated documents are required for the renewal, especially concerning finances and health insurance, to indicate whether one still fulfills the requirements for the PdiS. Don't forget to check the renewal for a 2-year period instead of for 1 year.

Having a new address should not be a problem. I moved at the end of my first year here to an apartment that offered a resident rental agreement (required) instead of a tourist contract. I submitted my new rental agreement with my first, and subsequent, renewals. I have heard that submitting the rental agreement with renewal applications is not required, but I like to submit as much documentation as possible to reduce possible questions and/or delays with the processing of my renewal application.

Yes, registering with the anagrafe is now required and must be done within 20 days of the issuance of your permesso di soggiorno. Technically, you must have a resident rental agreement to do so, not a tourist rental agreement. It used to be optional to register but it became a requirement in 2014.

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joec
  4/10/2018 07:10 EST

Hi Jackster,

I appreciate the reply. Part of the problem was that after my one-year tourist contract here at my current apartment, the plan was to convert it to a resident contract. But the landlord changed his mind last minute and now I've had to find another tourist contract for the next 12 months.

So to be 100% clear, registering at the anagrafe is specifically a requirement for the renewal application?

I know it's a general requirement for a good many things, and one I will handle -- but even if they accept my tourist contract (which will create problems in its own right), I won't have ;time to get it done before my renewal application needs to be turned in by Friday. Juggling two bureaucratic offices at once is not something that can be managed in a short time here in Italy, as you well know.

Has anyone NOT registered with the anagrafe, or at least not been asked to show supporting paperwork, when applying for a renewal?

guestuser
  4/10/2018 08:52 EST

Hi.

I do know two people whose PdiS renewal application was held up because they hadn't yet registered with the anagrafe but with it taking 10-months just to get the PdiS, which is just in time to renew it, I would think they'd account for that issue. All one can do is try. I haven't had a personal issue because I have always included a copy of my carta d'identita` when renewing my PdiS.

While one is technically supposed to have a resident rental agreement to register with the anagrafe, I happen to know someone who was able to register with a tourist rental agreement. In either case, the rental agreement definitely needs to be registered with the tax office. Again, all one can do is try.

guestuser
  4/10/2018 09:02 EST

Actually, to be more exact, I know the Questura would not release the PdiS until the applicants had registered with the anagrafe, so it wasn't specifically the application itself that was held up.

guestuser
  4/10/2018 09:03 EST

LOL - that last message was meant as a response to "renewing" the PdiS, not getting the first one.

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joec
  4/11/2018 07:41 EST

Jackster,

Ah, okay, if they were simply prevented from picking up their fully processed, ready-to-go permessi from the questura, then that should be all right for me. That gives me some time to get it resolved.

I just don't have time before this renewal application has to be in to start the whole process with the anagrafe. If the post office will accept the application without it, that would be a HUGE relief.

By the way, how long did your last renewal take, Jackster? 10 months for the initial permesso was insane. I can't imagine the renewal takes anywhere that long. But who knows.

joec
  4/11/2018 08:15 EST

Also, re: photos

I have a bunch of extras of the same passport photos I used last time, more than enough to get through the renewal.

Do I need to take new photos? Or will these suffice?

I look absolutely no different, and I'd prefer not to add an extra chore when there's already so much to get done.

Thoughts?

Sergios
  4/11/2018 14:01 EST

As long as the photos are the right size and look like you then there is no problem.

guestuser
  4/11/2018 14:31 EST

Hi.

Yes, renewals are taking just as long.

My last renewal (two years ago) took six months. I know several people who renewed last year and it took about eight months.

I will be renewing in another month and I expect it will be ten+ months before I receive my new permesso.

kmagruder
  4/12/2018 14:32 EST

Can you tell me which city you are in? 10 months is really long.

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joec
  4/14/2018 06:29 EST

Jackster, Sergios, thanks for the help!

Just got back from the poste italiane, had the absolute nicest postal worker (and quite possibly nicest Italian man overall) I have yet met on the other side of the counter, and left with an initial questura appointment of six months from now.

Anyway, thanks again for the help. That's why I love this site -- the advice is always insightful, detailed, and borne of hard-earned experience.

Grazie a tutti!

Sergios
  4/14/2018 07:44 EST

I appreciate your thanks. Good luck.

guestuser
  4/14/2018 07:49 EST

You're more than welcome, joec. Out of curiosity, which post office did you use? I used the one in my neighborhood (Sant'Ambrogio) the last time I renewed, but no one there really knew what they were doing and I was concerned a problem would crop up, which it did. I was able to solve it, but it delayed my renewal by an additional month.

I would like to know which post office you used since you seemed to have received excellent service. Was it the main post office in Piazza della Repubblica?

Also, I heard there has been an attempt to reduce paperwork, so I'm wondering if there are documents we no longer need to provide for renewals. In the past, the documents required for a renewal were the same documents required for the first permesso, just updated.

Thanks in advance.

Sergios
  4/14/2018 08:46 EST

Jacksterdam: Only certain post offices have qualified personnel for the Permesso. You need to go to the Sportello Amico.

joec
  4/16/2018 12:33 EST

Jackster,

I went to the main Piazza della Republica office. It's the only one I found that carried the kit itself, so I've just defaulted to using it for submitting the completed kit as well.

It was extremely straightforward. We just submitted our updated finances, medical insurance info (US health insurance), and lease agreement for our apartment. I'm not sure if that last was required. He certainly didn't ask for it.

He also didn't ask for any photos, which struck me as a little odd. Or is that only for the initial application... and so for renewals, you just bring them to the questura appointment?

I don't know. But that was it. He never asked about the certificato di residenza or anything along those lines.

There was also no opportunity to ask for two years instead of one. Have you ever done a two-year in Florence, Jackster? We overheard a conversation at the questura when we were picking up our permesso, and the employee was telling this Australian girl that Florence only does one-year permessi. We didn't think anything of that, until at the post office we were only given the option for a one-year renewal. So maybe it's the de facto policy here now. Who knows?

Oh, and if you don't mind me asking, what was the problem that cropped up that delayed your last renewal?

guestuser
  4/17/2018 11:57 EST

Hi joec.

Thanks for your reply. It is always a question regarding who asks for what. A friend submitted her renewal paperwork last year at the same p.o. and they said they didn’t need updated finances so they didn’t take that from her, nor a copy of her rental agreement- and she was issued her renewal.

After my initial permesso, I’ve always requested and received renewals for 2 years by marking that at the top of page 3 of modulo 1. I’ve done two renewals so far - this year will be my third.

The hang up the last time was due to both the guy at the p.o. and my forgetting to sign the application. When I checked the progress of my renewal, I found it had been pulled but when I contacted immigration, they ended up deciding to process it without my signature.

One never really knows what to expect. Sigh.

Thanks again.

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