Hosting declaration in Italy: who files it, deadline and where

Updated on 1 October 2026

The hosting declaration (dichiarazione di ospitalità) is the written notice that anyone who hosts or gives a home to a foreign citizen must send to the public security authority within 48 hours. In Milan, which is a provincial capital, it is submitted to the police immigration office (Questura). It applies to relatives too and even to a short stay.

In brief

• It is filed by the host, not the guest: the owner, tenant or employer who provides accommodation.
• It must be filed within 48 hours (article 7 of the Consolidated Immigration Act).
• In Milan it goes to the Questura; outside provincial capitals, to the local police station (Commissariato) or the Municipality (Comune).
• It applies to relatives too and for any length of stay.
• Hotels and B&Bs use the online system Alloggiati Web instead.

What is the hosting declaration?

It is an obligation set by article 7 of the Consolidated Immigration Act (Testo Unico Immigrazione) (Legislative Decree 286/1998). Anyone who, for any reason, gives accommodation to a foreigner, hosts them, employs them and gives them a home, or sells or rents them a house, must report it in writing within 48 hours to the local public security authority.

The aim is for the State to know where a foreign person lives. For the guest, this declaration is often also a useful document: many procedures (for example residence permits or housing suitability) ask you to prove where you live.

Who has to file the declaration?

It must be filed by the host. So:

• the owner who rents or lends a home to a foreigner;
• the tenant who hosts a friend, relative or colleague in their home;
• the employer who gives accommodation to a foreign employee (for example a live-in carer).

The State Police specifies that the notice is always required, whatever the length of the stay, even for relatives or in-laws. Many people think it is not needed for a brother or cousin: that is not true.

The guest does not have to file the declaration, but must give their documents to the person hosting them.

What is the deadline?

Within 48 hours of the start of the hosting or of the handover of the home. The deadline is short: it is best to prepare the form before the person arrives.

Where do I submit it in Milan?

The rule, explained by the Integrazione Migranti portal, is this:

Where the home is	Where to submit the declaration
Provincial capital (e.g. Milan)	Questura
Other municipality (e.g. Sesto San Giovanni, San Donato)	Local police station (Commissariato di P.S.) or Municipality (Comune)

Each office decides how you can send it (by hand, registered post, certified email). Before sending, check the Polizia di Stato page or your Municipality’s page. Some municipalities in the province accept the declaration only by certified email (PEC) or through an online desk.

Always keep the stamped copy or the proof of sending: it is your proof that you met the deadline.

What do I need to write?

Article 7 requires the notice to contain:

1. the details of the host (or of the person renting or selling);
2. the details of the foreign person;
3. the passport details or those of another identity document;
4. the exact address of the home.

Usually you attach:

• a copy of the host’s identity document;
• a copy of the guest’s passport and residence permit (or visa);
• a copy of the rental contract or title deed, which shows that the host has the right to use the home.

The standard form is called “Comunicazione di ospitalità in favore di cittadino extracomunitario” (hosting notice for a non-EU citizen) and can be found on the Questura websites.

What if I run a B&B or rent for a few days?

For hotels, B&Bs, guesthouses and holiday homes the rule is different: guests are reported only online with the State Police’s Alloggiati Web service. The hosting declaration on the paper form is for private individuals.

What do you risk if you do not file it?

Article 7, paragraph 2-bis, provides an administrative fine. In the text currently in force on Normattiva the amount is from €500 to €3,500. Please note: many websites and even older official pages still show lower amounts, because the rule has been amended.

As well as the fine, a missing declaration can cause practical problems for the guest, for example when they have to prove where they live.

Are the hosting declaration and the housing suitability certificate the same thing?

No, they are two different documents:

• the hosting declaration reports who lives in a home and is filed by the host;
• the housing suitability certificate (idoneità alloggiativa) is a certificate from the Municipality saying how many people may live in that home.

For family reunification or the carta di soggiorno you often need both. Read our guide on housing suitability certificates in Milan.

Do you want to be sure you do it the right way?

It is one of the topics we get the most questions about, including from the studio’s TikTok videos. We can check the form, tell you where to send it and link it to your residence permit or family reunification application.

Book a 30-minute consultation for €60 at our office in Milan or online on WhatsApp, or write to Sofia, the studio’s assistant, on WhatsApp from the booking box on this page.