Who can apply for family reunification?
The family reunification procedure allows foreign citizens to reunite with their non-EU family members who have already held an Italian residence permit for at least 2 years.
The following family members are eligible:
- Spouse or partner of a civil union (registered same-sex union);
- Minor children;
- Economically dependent and disabled adult children;
- Economically dependent parents, provided they have no other children in their country of origin (or, even if present, they cannot support them for serious health reasons);
- Parents over the age of sixty-five, provided they have no other children in their country of origin (or, if present, they cannot support them for serious health reasons);
- Parent of a minor already residing in Italy;
Main requirements for family reunification
- The person already residing in Italy must have had a residence permit for at least 2 years. The 2-years requirement does not apply if the family member already residing in Italy is a minor child or has a permit for international protection;
- The person already resident in Italy must have suitable accommodation in Italy, that meets hygienic and sanitary legal requirements;
- The person already residing in Italy must prove that they have a minimum gross annual income from lawful sources not lower than €11,000 (for the first family member), increased by €3,500 gross for each additional family member. The income of both cohabiting spouses can be taken into account to meet the legal threshold;
- If the reuniting family member is over 65, private health insurance is required.
Main Procedural Steps
- Preparation of the necessary documents required for family reunification in Italy;
- Application for the security clearance (so-called ‘nulla osta’) at the competent Police headquarters;
- Application for the family reunification visa at the designated Italian Consulate abroad (Italy Family Visa);
- Entry in Italy and application, within 8 days, for the residence permit as a family member.
- Registration of the family member’s fingerprints at the Police headquarters and submission of the original documentation;
- Issuance of the residence permit.
Validity of the residence permit for family members
The residence permit for family members has the same duration as the residence permit held by the person towards whom the reunification is requested.
The residence permit is renewable under the same conditions as the first issue, as long as the foreigner is never away from the Italian territory for six continuous months or more.
The residence permit for family members allows work activity.
The applicant can renew the residence permit independently or be assisted by us.
After 5 years of holding an Italian residence permit, one can apply for a permanent residence permit (also known as a long-term permit), provided they are registered as civil and tax resident in Italy at the time of application and can demonstrate knowledge of the Italian language at level A2 (the second level on a six-level scale).
Time Frame
On average, it takes around 3 to 5 months from the date of the entry clearance application to obtain a family reunification visa allowing the family member to enter Italy.
For further reading, see also: