Non-EU citizens legally present in Italy

The analysis allows the quantification of non-EU foreign citizens legally present in Italy according to their socio-demographic characteristics.
Until 2007, Istat processed and published data on non-EU foreign citizens holding a valid residence document, using data from the Italian Ministry of the Interior. Starting in 2008, Istat began producing a new series on residence permits that no longer includes new citizens of the European Union (Romanians and Bulgarians), for whom the issuance of residence documents has no longer been required since March 27, 2007.
Following the entry into force of Regulation (EC) No 862/2007 on Community statistics on migration and international protection, Istat has been collaborating with the Ministry of the Interior to improve the quality of the data disseminated on the basis of information collected through residence permits. In recent years, this has led to a revision of the criteria used to process the data, based on the guidelines provided by Eurostat for the statistical use of residence permit data.
Until 2016, the data also included minors registered on an adult’s residence permit. From that year onward, residence permits have been issued to all non-EU citizens entering Italy, including minors.
In 2011, for the first time, Istat published data on long-term residents (individuals holding a residence card or an indefinite-duration permit), who account for almost half of the legally resident foreign population in Italy.

Non-EU citizens legally present in Italy

Non-EU citizens legally residing: all non-EU foreign nationals who hold a valid residence document (a residence permit with an expiration date or a long-term residence permit) and those registered on a family member’s permit. Starting with data referring to 2012, following changes in legislation concerning the effective start date of residence permit validity, all applications validated by an official of the immigration office have been counted as valid permits (regardless of whether the permit has been physically delivered to the person concerned). Consequently, it is no longer necessary to take into account data relating to applications not yet finalized (archive and pre-archive), as was done in previous years.

Entry cohort: the group of citizens who entered Italy in a given year.

Entries of non-EU citizens: all entries (new permits issued) that occurred during the year are recorded, regardless of whether the permit is still valid or has expired by the end of the year.

Persons registered on a family member’s permit: until 2016, not all legally residing non-EU citizens held a residence permit; some people -especially minors (but not only)- were able to stay legally in our country because they were registered on a family member’s permit. Since 2016, residence permits have been issued to all non-EU citizens who enter Italy, including minors.

Reason for the permit: the reasons for issuing permits are grouped into the following categories:

  • Work – A foreign citizen who comes to Italy for work purposes must possess, at the time of entry, a work visa issued following authorization (nulla osta) from the competent One-Stop Immigration Desk. This category includes all reasons related to employment, including for example persons waiting for or seeking employment.
  • Family – May be issued to a family member of a legally residing foreign national who holds a valid residence permit for salaried employment, self-employment, asylum, study, family reasons, or religious reasons, with a duration of at least one year. Permits granted for adoption or foster care are also included in this category.
  • Study – A study visa may be requested from the Italian Embassy in the foreign national’s country of residence. Its validity corresponds to the duration of the course to be followed and is renewed annually until the completion of the planned course of study. This permit allows part-time employment with a work contract not exceeding 20 hours per week.
  • Protection and Asylum – These are residence permits issued for an asylum application, recognized refugee status, subsidiary protection, or other forms of protection such as temporary protection or special protection. In the past, humanitarian protection was also provided for, but it was abolished by Decree-Law No. 113/2018, which entered into force on 5 October 2018.
  • Other explicitly considered reasons, as they are statistically significant, include: religion, elective residence, health, and “other.” The latter category includes additional reasons for which permits may be issued, such as: judicial reasons, integration of minors, recognized stateless persons, sports activities, etc.

Long-term residents: since January 8, 2007 (following the adaptation of national legislation to European Directive 2003/109), the residence card for foreign citizens has been replaced by the EC long-term residence permit. This type of permit is of indefinite duration and can only be requested by individuals who have held a residence permit for at least five years. The application must include, among other documents, a copy of the income tax declaration (income must exceed the annual amount of the social allowance); for domestic workers (household helpers/caregivers), INPS payment slips or the analytical contribution statement issued by INPS. The application may also be submitted for a spouse who is not legally separated and is at least eighteen years old; minor children, including those of the spouse or those born outside marriage; dependent adult children who cannot permanently provide for their essential living needs due to health conditions resulting in total disability; and dependent parents.

To obtain the EC permit also for family members, it is necessary, among other requirements, to have an income sufficient for the size of the household. In the case of two or more children under the age of 14, the minimum income must be equal to twice the annual amount of the social allowance. Applicants must also demonstrate knowledge of the Italian language through documentation or a specific test. Children under the age of 14, including those born outside marriage and the children of the spouse, are exempt from the obligation to take the test.