It is a tool used to identify citizens and is issued by the Ministry of Finance. It is required for various procedures, e.g. to complete your enrollment but also to open a bank account, to request a health insurance card or sign a leasing contract.

Citizens residing abroad can go to the Italian diplomatic representation in their country of residence to request a fiscal code.

In Italy, you must request this document at the closest “Ufficio delle Entrate” of the city in which you reside. You have to go in person and show a valid passport.

Having a valid health insurance in Italy is essential to receive appropriate assistance, but is also a requirement to request a residence permit.

If you have already stipulated an insurance policy in your country of origin and it was validated by the Italian representation before you left, you can use it for the first issue of your residence permit.

Otherwise once in Italy you will have two opportunities: either registering with the National Health Service (SSN) or stipulating a private policy with W.A.I. (Welcome Association Italy).

National Health Service
By registering with the National Health Service (SSN), you will get complete health assistance and be assigned (or you can choose) a local GP, who you can refer to – free of charge – for health problems, drug prescriptions, check ups and any specialist appointments you may need.

Registration is valid for one solar year. How to register:
1. at the post office, fill in the slip and pay € 149.77 (annual cost of the service) to postal current account no. 379222 addressed to: Amministrazione P.T. Regione Lombardia, and write the following description: “iscrizione volontaria al SSN” (which means voluntary registration to the SSN);
2. go to the ASL office (Local Health Authority) which is closest to your residence (addresses can be found at the www.salute.gov.it/) and present:

•  if you are an EU citizen:
  • proof of payment
  • your TEAM/EHIC card or the E106 Model card issued by your country of origin
•  if you are a non-EU citizen:
  • proof of payment
  • fiscal code
  • passport
  • receipt of your residency permit request
  • self-certification of residence or home
  • self-certification proving your enrolment at the University

W.A.I. (Welcome Association Italy) private policy
It covers emergency health treatments in public hospitals (if you are admitted to hospital by ambulance or through the emergency room), but it also provides a few extra services for 3 times a year each. For more information about the policy services, conditions and payment methods, please address to the website http://www2.waitaly.net/en/.

Costs and validity: 120 € for 12 months’ assistance and 71 € for 6 months’ assistance (from the day of purchase) for non-EU citizens. EU citizens younger than 40 years old have to pay 202 € for 12 months and 142 € for 6 months.

Please note that for non-EU citizens the policy will be valid only after having applied for the residence permit.

The Italian law establishes that non-EU citizens who wish to stay in Italy for more than three months must request a residency permit within 8 days from their arrival in Italy.

First request
First of all, you have to find the kit to request the residency permit.
This kit (available at post offices) can also be requested at the University Welcome Desk, where you can also receive assistance to fill it in.

Once you have filled the kit in, you have to take it to one of the post offices with the logo Sportello amico together with:

1. 1 copy of your passport (only the pages with your personal data and your visa)
2.  documentation stating the the chosen course and its duration and the stamp of the Italian diplomatic representation which issued the visa (form A)
3. copy of your health insurance payment receipt.

Renewal
To renew your residency permit you have to fill in the request kit, specifying you are applying for a renewal, 60 days before it expires.

This kit can be found in post offices with the Sportello amico logo and must be returned to the post office together with the following documents:

1. copy of your passport (only the pages with your personal data and visa)
2. copy of your residency permit
3. copy of the documents proving you have access to adequate financial resources (around €5,400), e.g. a certificate proving that you have received a scholarship or have a bank account
4. enrolment certificate which includes all the exams you have passed (if you live in Milan, a self-certificate is sufficient)
5. copy of your health insurance payment receipt.

Costs

• 16 Euros for 1 stamp duty (you can buy it in a tobacco shop) to place on your residency permit request
• 70.46 Euros to be paid at the post office to issue your electronic residency permit
• 30 Euros to be paid at the post office to send off the kit.

EU citizens can stay in Italy up to 3 months without any formality, provided they have a valid ID card to leave their country.

Three months after your arrival, you must register at the Civil Registry (Ufficio Anagrafe) of the Municipality in which you live.

To register, you must produce:

1. passport or ID card
2. a self-certificate proving your enrolment at University
3. a copy of the documents proving the availability of adequate financial resources (around €5,400), e.g. a certificate proving that you have been awarded a scholarship or have a bank account
4. a copy of your health insurance payment receipt.