The steps of the case
- 1
Checking the 5 years and any absences
We reconstruct your history of permits and the periods spent abroad. Absences that are too long can break the 5 years.
- 2
Checking income and housing
We check that your income is at least equal to the social allowance (assegno sociale), higher if you ask for the card for family members too, and that your housing is suitable.
- 3
Italian A2 test
If you are not exempt, we book the language test on the ALI Services Portal of the Ministry of the Interior. The Prefecture (Prefettura) summons you within 60 days.
- 4
Application with the postal kit
We fill in the postal kit (kit postale) with you and prepare the copies. The envelope is handed in open at a Sportello Amico counter.
- 5
Questura and collection
We prepare you for the appointment at the police immigration office (Questura) for fingerprints and follow your case until you collect the card.
What the residence card is
The “residence card” (carta di soggiorno) is the name everyone uses for the EU residence permit for long-term residents (Art. 9 Legislative Decree 286/1998). It is a document with no expiry date: it does not have to be renewed like a normal permit, only updated.
With the card you have more stability. You can work without a contract tied to the permit, you can use social services and you are better protected against expulsion, which is possible only for serious reasons.
Please note: there is also the residence card for family members of European Union citizens (Art. 10 Legislative Decree 30/2007). It lasts 5 years, and after 5 years of legal residence you can ask for the permanent card (Art. 17). It is a different procedure: we tell you which one is right for you.
Requirements for the residence card
You need four things, all together:
- 5 years of valid residence permit in Italy. Short absences do not break the period; absences longer than 6 months in a row, or 10 months in total within the 5 years, as a rule do.
- Income at least equal to the yearly amount of the social allowance (assegno sociale). If you ask for the card for family members too, the income required goes up.
- Suitable housing, if you ask for it for family members too.
- Italian test at level A2, unless exempt.
Not all permits give access to long-term status. For example, study permits and short-term permits do not count. A criminal record also counts: the police immigration office (Questura) assesses whether you are a danger to public order.
The Italian A2 test
The test is booked online on the ALI Services Portal of the Ministry of the Interior, with SPID or CIE (digital identity). The Prefecture summons you within 60 days.
The test has three parts: listening, reading and a short piece of writing. You do not receive a certificate: the result goes directly to the Questura.
You are exempt if you are under 14, if you have an Italian school qualification or a language certificate of at least A2, or if you have serious learning difficulties certified by a public health body.
How it works in Milan
After the test, the application is submitted with the postal kit at a Sportello Amico counter. Then there is the appointment at the Questura for fingerprints and the check of the originals.
By law the Questura decides within 90 days. In practice, in Milan the wait can be longer. In the meantime your current permit stays valid: if it expires, it must be renewed.
Common mistakes
- Counting the 5 years wrongly or forgetting periods abroad.
- Income not proved continuously over the years.
- Applying for the whole family without calculating the higher income required.
- Letting the current permit expire while waiting for the card.
How we help you
We check whether you meet the requirements before you spend time and money on an application. We book the A2 test, prepare the postal kit and follow your case until you collect the card. If the application is rejected, the office’s in-house lawyers assess an appeal.
- First consultation: 60 €, about 30 minutes, in the office or online on WhatsApp.
- Sofia, the office’s assistant, answers on WhatsApp in 8 languages and books your appointment: use the booking button on this page.
What to bring to the consultation
- Valid passport (copy of the pages with data, visas and stamps)
- Residence permit (permesso di soggiorno) currently valid
- Tax returns or Certificazioni Uniche (annual income statements) for the last few years
- Work contract and latest payslips, or documents of the self-employed activity
- Certificate of suitable housing (idoneità alloggiativa), if you ask for the card for family members too
- A2 test result or a qualification that exempts you (for example an Italian diploma)
- Criminal record certificate and certificate of pending charges, if requested
- For family members: marriage or birth certificates, translated and legalised
Frequently asked questions
Are the residence card and the long-term permit the same thing?+
In everyday language, yes: the EU long-term resident permit is called the "residence card" (carta di soggiorno) (Art. 9 Legislative Decree 286/1998). But there is also a residence card for family members of EU citizens, which follows other rules.
Does the residence card expire?+
The right is for an unlimited time, but the document must be updated: every 10 years for adults and every 5 for minors.
Who does not have to take the Italian A2 test?+
For example people under 14, people with an Italian school qualification or a language certificate of at least A2, and people with serious learning difficulties certified by a public body.
Can I apply with a study permit?+
No. Some permits, such as the study permit or short-term ones, do not give access to long-term status. We check your case.
Can I lose the residence card?+
Yes, for example with an absence from the European Union for 12 months in a row or for serious public order reasons.