The issue of the clearance for family reunification (ricongiungimento familiare), necessary to obtain an entry visa, is required by the Immigration Office (Sportello Unico) of your place of residence. The required forms are to be downloaded from the website of the Ministry of Home Affairs – nullaostalavoro.interno.it, and completed with the relevant software.
See the pratica instructions:
Online procedure for the application forwarding
Family Reunification (Ricongiungimento familiare)
The procedure for family reunification (ricongiungimento familiare) consists of two phases:
the first one regards the verification of the objective requirements for the issue of the clearance (stay permit, income, accommodation), whereas the second regards the verification of the subjective requirements for the release of the entry visa (family relationship, and other features of the persons that the reunification concerns).
The requirements necessary to obtain the reunification authorisation:
the documentation which proves the possession of the requirements has to be handed in when summoned before the Immigration Office (Sportello Unico per l’Immigrazione).
Annual minimal income: has to derive from legal sources and has to be no lower that the annual amount of the social allowance (in 2008 equal to € 5142, 67 per annum), plus half of the amount of the social allowance (€ 2571,33) per person to be rejoined.
For the reunification of two or more children under 14 years old, or for the reunification of two or more relatives holding a subsidiary protection status, an income no lower than twice the amount of the annual social allowance is required.
In order to demonstrate the availability of the income, not only the specific income of the applicant is considered, but also the income produced by the relatives living together with the applicant (opportunely documented).
Incomes’ table:
1 relative: 593,30 monthly - 7714,00 annual
2 relatives: 791,18 monthly - 10285,34 annual
3 relatives: 1989,66 monthly - 12865,65 annual
4 relatives: 1186,77 monthly - 15427,99 annual
5 relatives: 1.384,56 monthly - 17.999,31 annual
2 or more children under 14 years old: 791,18 monthly - 10.285,32 annual
2 or more children under 14 years old + spouse: 989,66 monthly - 12.865,65 annual
2 or more refugee relatives or relatives holding a subsidiary protection: 10.285, 34
Documents stating the income:
Employee: last income tax statement, copy of the work contract, last wage slip or certified copy of the payroll, self-certification of the employer drawn up in the “S3” form (modello “S3”), stating the current employment relationship (two copies per each document). If the employment relationship began less than a year ago, therefore the employee does not have the income tax statement, then the self-certification of the employer should also indicate the presumed income of the employee.
Domestic worker: last income tax statement (if possessed, otherwise hiring communication to the employment service – Centro per l’Impiego / INPS), receipt of the INPS contribution stating the three months previous to the date of the application, self-certification of the employer drawn up in the “S2” form (modello “S2”), stating the current employment relationship.
Self-employed:
Sole trader: certificate of registration to the Chamber of Commerce, copy of the assignment of the VAT identification number (P.IVA), copy of the municipal licence if requested, mod. Unico and presentation receipt – ricevuta di presentazione- (if the activity was launched more than a year ago) or a report made by an accountant standing the entire working period (if the activity was launched for less than a year ago).
Company: recent certification of the company issued by the Chamber of Commerce (visura camerale), copy of the assignment of the VAT identification number (P.IVA), mod. Unico and presentation receipt – ricevuta di presentazione- (if the activity was launched for more than a year ago) or a report made by an accountant standing the entire working period (if the activity has been launched for less than a year).
Collaboration project: copy of the “work on project” contract indicating the length of time the work is going to be carried out and the compensation, declaration of the client stating the topicality of the working contract, declaration of pension contribution (gestione separata all’INPS), copy of the mod. Unico.
Partnership: recent certification of the co-operative issued by the Chamber of Commerce (visura camerale), copy of the assignment of the VAT identification number (P.IVA) of the co-operative, declaration of the chairman of the co-operative stating the topicality of the employment relationship, copy of the stockholders list, mod.Unico.
Freelancers: registration, mod.Unico with presentation receipt.
Reunification request involving a parent over 65 years old: healthcare insurance is required, or other appropriate title (unspecified), which should guarantee cover against all types of risks on the territory. Alternatively, voluntary registration to the National Health Service (Servizio Sanitario Nazionale) on payment (the amount is fixed by the government) is requested.
The accommodation has to be congruent with the house building standards, by means of the certificate released by the Local Authority Office (Ufficio comunale) or the certificate of sanitary and hygienic suitability released by the Asl.
Documentation requested for the accommodation:
a) Copy of the lease agreement, loan for free use or title deed of the accommodation;
b) Suitability of the accommodation, namely the certificate released by the Local Authority Office, attesting that the accommodation fits in the minimal standards standing to the regional law concerning the public house building;
c) If the applicant lodges with the employer: certified declaration of the owner of the accommodation attesting the consent to the family reunification (members indicated), with reference to the part of the accommodation offered to the employee;
d) If a child under 14 years old follows one of his parents: the consent of the owner of the accommodation where the child is going to stay is needed.
Certificate from the Registry Office concerning reunification, stating the family relationship, which can be presented directly to the home country by the parent concerning reunification. Such certificate is to be translated, legalised and validated by the Italian Consular Authority of the home country/country of origin of the foreigner; if there are doubts concerning the truth of the family relationship, verifications would be activated (DAN test at applicant’s expense).
2 copies of the stay permit (permesso di soggiorno). The length of time of the stay permit has to be at least one year. The request can also be presented with the renewal receipt of the stay permit.
Fiscal stamp of € 14,62; the number on the fiscal stamp has to be written on the forms. The original fiscal stamp has to be shown at the summons before the Sportello Unico.
The requirements concerning the income and the accommodation are not required of foreign citizens holding a stay permit for political asylum.
Once the request has been forwarded by an online procedure, the system sends back the notice that the request has been received, indicating the date and time of the acceptance.
The system will then convoke the applicant by written notification for handing in the documentation (two copies are required).
Only if the documentation is complete, the appointment for the submission of the application is fixed.
From this moment on pass 180 days, standing to the law, necessary to the paperwork.
Police headquarters (Questura) check that there are no obstacles to the entry on the national territory of the person involving reunification and that all the requirements have been fulfilled. At this point the Immigration Office either releases the clearance (nullaosta) or denies it. In case of denial, it is possible to have recourse.
If there is no notification after 180 days from the moment the clearance is requested, the person concerned can obtain the entry visa directly from the Italian diplomatic and consular representations, showing the documents marked by the Immigration Office stating the date when the application was submitted and the concerning documentation.
The foreign citizen has to hand in the documentation stating the family relationship to the Italian consulate of his/her country of residence. The consulate undertakes necessary the investigations. If the investigations have a positive result, the Consulate or the Embassy releases the reunification visa, towards the person to whom the clearance has been released, within 30 days from the date the request was presented.
The visa issue to the person to whom the above clearance has been released, is subordinated to the effective ascertainment of authenticity of the documentation stating the family relationship (partner, dependent child) and the state of their health, by the Italian Consular Authority.
Entry in Italy
Within 48 hours from the entry in Italy of the relative enabled to reunification, the host relative has to present a Dichiarazione di Cessione Fabbricato to the competent Office and keep a copy.
Within 8 days from their entry, the new arrival has to be registered with the Immigration Office and then wait for the summon for the release of the documentation necessary to the request of the stay permit on family grounds (permesso di soggiorno per motivi familiari). The next step is that the documentation is forwarded to the post office where the request of the stay permit is formalised on family grounds.
NB: in some cities, the waiting period for the appointment to the Prefecture is about 4-6 months. During this period the person concerned has no access to any kind of services because he or she could not request the stay permit yet. The length of time of the stay permit on family grounds is equal to the one of the relative requesting the family reunification.
The progress of the forwarded request can be verified on the following link: domanda.nullaostalavoro.interno.it
Translated by Oprea Mihaela
