Since 4 June 2026, you must ask to renew your Italian residence permit at least 90 days before it expires — up from 60 days. The change came in with D.Lgs. 83/2026 and applies to every permit renewal. Here is how the whole process works, what it costs and what to do while you wait.
- When: at least 90 days before your permit's expiry date. Late applications are generally tolerated up to 60 days after expiry, but you risk refusal.
- Where: most permits are renewed with the kit postale at a post office with a Sportello Amico counter; a few types are handled directly by the Questura.
- Cost: €116.46 for a permit of up to 1 year, €126.46 for 1–2 years, €176.46 for the EU long-term permit — plus passport photos.
- How long: from a few weeks to several months, depending on your Questura.
1. Work out your deadline
Look at the expiry date (scadenza) on your card and count back 90 days. That is the latest date the law expects your application. You can apply earlier, and it's worth starting to gather documents a month before that.
The residency planner does this for you: add your permits and it shows the apply-by date, the expiry date and the latest tolerated date, with a countdown.
Your permit stays valid until its expiry date, so apply straight away. After expiry, applications within 60 days are usually accepted. Beyond 60 days you risk refusal and, in the worst case, an expulsion order — speak to a patronato or an immigration lawyer before you send anything.
2. Get the kit and fill it in
Pick up the free yellow kit from a post office with a Sportello Amico counter. Inside are the forms:
- Modulo 1 — the main application, for everyone.
- Modulo 2 — needed for some permit types, such as the EU long-term permit and some family and work permits. The instructions in the kit tell you which apply.
Write in capital letters, in black ink, and copy your details exactly as they appear on your passport. Many patronati and CAF offices, and some comuni, will fill in the kit for you free of charge — useful if your Italian isn't confident yet.
3. Gather your documents
Send photocopies — keep the originals to show at your appointment. For every renewal:
- Copy of every page of your passport (including blank ones, if your Questura asks for them);
- Copy of your current permit, front and back;
- Copy of your codice fiscale;
- A €16 marca da bollo (revenue stamp, sold at tobacconists), stuck on Modulo 1;
- Four identical recent passport photos — usually taken to the fingerprint appointment rather than posted.
Then the documents that prove the reason for your permit still applies. Typical examples:
| Permit type | Usually asked for |
|---|---|
| Employment | Employment contract, recent payslips, last CU or tax return |
| Self-employment | Partita IVA registration, last tax return, proof of current activity and income |
| Family | Proof of the family relationship, the sponsor's income and your address |
| Study | Enrolment certificate, exams passed, means of support, health cover |
| EU long-term permit | Income statement, A2 Italian certificate, housing certificate (idoneità alloggiativa) |
Requirements vary by Questura, so check the list on your Questura's page of the Polizia di Stato website before you post anything.
4. Send it from the post office
Take the kit to the Sportello Amico counter unsealed — the clerk checks it first. You'll pay:
| Item | Amount | Paid how |
|---|---|---|
| Marca da bollo | €16.00 | Stamp stuck on Modulo 1 |
| Postal service | €30.00 | At the counter |
| Electronic permit card | €30.46 | Postal payment slip (bollettino) |
| Government contribution | €40 (up to 1 year) · €50 (over 1 year) · €100 (EU long-term) | Same bollettino |
| Total | €116.46 · €126.46 · €176.46 |
You'll leave with two things to keep safe: the postal receipt (ricevuta), which holds your application codes, and a letter with your appointment at the Questura for fingerprints and photos (fotosegnalamento).
5. Go to your Questura appointment
Bring your passport, the original documents, the receipt, the appointment letter and your photos. Your fingerprints are taken and the officer may ask for extra documents — if so, they'll give you a deadline to send them. If you can't make the date, contact your Questura to move it; missing it without notice can stall your file.
6. While you wait
Your receipt plus your old permit prove you're legally renewing. You can keep working, keep your registration at the comune and use the health service. Travel abroad while your renewal is pending has restrictions, so check the current rules with your Questura before you book.
Track progress on questure.poliziadistato.it/stranieri using the 10-character application number or the 12-character insured-mail number on your receipt. When the status says your permit is ready, it shows where and when to collect it.
Common mistakes
- Working to the old 60-day rule. Since June 2026 it's at least 90 days.
- Sealing the envelope before the counter check.
- Posting originals instead of copies.
- Losing the receipt — it's your proof of legal stay and your tracking code. Photograph it.
- Leaving a gap between permits. A gap can restart your 5-year count towards permanent residency.
Could this be your last renewal?
After 5 years with valid permits, you can usually apply for the EU long-term residence permit instead of another renewal. It doesn't depend on your job, and you only renew the card itself every 10 years. You'll need A2 Italian, income of at least €7,101.12 (2026) and a housing certificate. The residency planner shows your date and tracks time spent abroad, which counts against you.
Sources
- Art. 5 D.Lgs. 286/1998 (Testo Unico Immigrazione), as amended by D.Lgs. 83/2026.
- Poste Italiane: guide to issuing and renewing permits.
- Portale Immigrazione and the Polizia di Stato Questura pages.
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General information, not legal or tax advice. Rules change and offices apply them differently: confirm your situation with a commercialista, a patronato or an immigration lawyer before acting.