After legally living in Italy for at least five consecutive years, non-EU nationals become eligible to apply for a EU Long-Term Residence Permit – known in Italian as permesso di soggiorno per soggiornanti di lungo periodo or permesso di soggiorno illimitato (formerly known as carta di soggiorno permanente).
Unlike Italian residency permits, which are issued for a maximum of one or two years and then need to be renewed in order to remain valid, the Long-Term Permit grants the holder a permanent right of residency and does not expire (the document itself should be updated every ten years, but failure to do so does not invalidate your permanent right to residency).
Besides sparing the holder annual or biannual trips to the provincial Questura, the permit comes with a range of other advantages, including the right to freely work or study in the country (this isn’t always possible under some types of permits), as well as full access to social welfare and benefits.
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For most applicants, obtaining permanent residency entails passing an Italian language test at A2 level based on the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages, CEFRL (British citizens covered by the Withdrawal Agreement don't have to satisfy the language requirement).
That might sound daunting, but A2 is just the second of six levels running from elementary to advanced, and is pre-intermediate.
According to the CEFRL guidelines, someone at A2 level should be able to understand sentences related to "very basic personal and family information, shopping, local geography, employment."
They should also be able to conduct a "simple and direct exchange of information on familiar and routine matters" – something most people who've lived in Italy for five years would be able to do even without much formal study.
How to apply
To apply to take the A2 language test, you'll need to start by visiting this instruction page on the interior ministry's website and following the link to this portal.
You will need to log in with SPID or CIE login credentials.
Your local prefecture has 60 days to get back to you with a time and date for the test.
What's in the test?
The test consists of three components: written, listening, and oral.
You'll be asked to fill in the blanks in a written passage, listen to a recording of someone talking and answer basic comprehension questions, and conduct a simple conversation based on an everyday scenario.
One American reader who described his experience of taking the test in 2022 said that he was initially "petrified", but it ended up being a fairly straightforward process, ending with a short role play of a visit to the doctor.
Are there any exemptions?
The two key exemptions are for children under 14, and those with significant illnesses or disabilities that prevent them from learning the language (your local health authority, or ASL, must sign off on this).
You also don't need to take the exam if you:
- Already have an Italian language certification at A2 level or above from any of the following institutions: The University of Siena for foreigners, The University of Perugia for foreigners, The Dante Alighieri Association, or The University of Rome 3.
- Are certified at at least A2 level after attending a course at a provincial adult education centre (CPIA).
- Have a lower-secondary or high school diploma from an Italian educational institution, have attended/are attending an Italian university, or have an Italian university degree.
- Are in Italy as a manager or highly specialised worker, university professor or researcher, translator or interpreter, or an accredited foreign correspondent.
What if you fail?
According to the interior ministry's guidelines, you can reapply via the same portal no sooner than 90 days after taking the first exam – which gives you plenty of time to brush up on your Italian.
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