For people who have a Permit to Stay (Permesso di Soggiorno) which is
being renewed an Italian Post Office receipt is valid for exit and
reentry into Italian territory.
This right was granted by an Interior Ministry directive sent out on
the 5th of August 2006. Specific details are contained in subsequent
ministerial memorandums.
The first memorandum, signed on the 16th of July 2007, states that a
pds holder can exit Italy temporarily and return even if they only
hold the Italian Post Office (Poste Italiane) receipt, testifying that
the application for the renewal of the PDS has been submitted.
The second memorandum, signed on the 27th of July 2007, regards
children, under 14, registered on their parents’ PDS. With a specific
request, the Questura(s) will grant a provisional PDS paper to
non-national parents. The validity of this PDS is limited and depends
on the needs of the applicant. Minors are registered on this PDS, so
that they are allowed, together with their parents, to exit and
reenter the country.
The third memorandum issued on 11th March 2009, specifies the
possibility for those awaiting the renewal of Permits to Stay (PDS),
or in the process of being issued a first permit, of, having left the
country, to return through a border checkpoint other than that of
exit.
For those who are in possession of a receipt for the request of the
first Permit to Stay (PDS) the provisions under which you can exit and
return to Italian territory are valid, provided that no transit is
made through any country in the Schengen area and the foreigner shows
their passport and visa from showing the reasons for the journey,
together with the Post Office receipt.
Main rules for traveling
– It is necessary to carry, (apart from the passport or an equivalent
identification document valid for international travel) either the
original or a copy of the expired PDS, for which the renewal
application has been submitted. (Therefore, those who apply for
renewal must not insert the expired PDS in the envelope they send to
the Post office – they can send a photocopy and keep the original.)
– It’s necessary while traveling to carry the receipt of the
application for the renewal of the PDS.
– Moreover the journey cannot entail any transit (not even as a stop
over) through any of the Schengen countries; Namely: Austria, Belgio, Danimarca, Finlandia, Francia, Germania, Grecia, Italia, Lussemburgo, Paesi Bassi, Portogallo, Spagna, Svezia, Islanda, Norvegia, Slovenia, Estonia, Lettonia, Lituania, Polonia, Repubblica Ceca, Slovacchia, Ungheria e Malta.
On the other hand holders of a valid PDS can travel through and visit,
as tourists, countries within the Schengen area. For those countries,
there is no need to apply for a tourist PDS; they can travel carrying
just their passports and their Italian visas. Those who want to visit
non-Schengen countries have to consult visa agreements between their
mother countries and the country they intend to visit. (Ask the
embassies or the consulates of the country that they intend to visit
whether they have to apply for a tourist visa or not.) Those who
travel in non-Schengen countries have to carry their Permit to Stay in
order to reenter Italy.
