According to Italian Law (D. Lgs. 286/98) non E.U. citizens, planning to stay in Italy longer than 3 months must apply for a Residence permit within 8 working days after arrival.

(Please note, if you have a Type ‘D’ visa you must apply for the Residence Permit).

First step: in order to apply for a Residence Permit, you need Health Insurance coverage

If you do not have an Health Insurance coverage

In this case we suggest you enrol in the Italian National Health Service for the current year, which means that it only lasts until December 31st each year (it doesn’t matter when you apply) and must be renewed each calendar year. However, if you enrol in the Italian National Health Service, you will then receive the same benefits AS AN ITALIAN CITIZEN by getting the Italian health card.

You will also have the right to choose your personal medical Doctor in Pisa.

In order to apply, you will need to go to a Post Office and pay €149,77 - to be paid on the account number C/C 289504 made out to the “Regione Toscana”. Reason for payment (causale): "Contributo SSN 2023 Studente straniero".

Please keep your receipt of payment. It will be useful later for your enrollment at the local Italian Health Center.

If you already have Health Insurance coverage: 

please check its validity in Italy with the Patronato Office (third step).

Second step: the Italian tax code (codice fiscale)

We suggest requesting the official tax code at our Embassy in your Country before your arrival in Italy. If you are already in Italy and you need the tax code (to open a bank account or else) please follow instructions at this page.

Please note that the tax code issued by your registration at Alice (University of Pisa website) is not an official one.

Third step: Ask for an appointment at an Italian “Patronato” (where you will get assistance for free)

Suggested Patronato Offices:

• Patronato INCA, viale Bonaini, 71 - 1st floor - tel 050 515217, e-mail: Questo indirizzo email è protetto dagli spambots. È necessario abilitare JavaScript per vederlo.  
• Patronato ACLI, via Francesco da Buti, 20 (near to Piazza Guerrazzi) tel. 050 913120, e-mail: Questo indirizzo email è protetto dagli spambots. È necessario abilitare JavaScript per vederlo.
• Patronato UIL, via Cisanello, 145 – tel. 050 25000, e-mail: Questo indirizzo email è protetto dagli spambots. È necessario abilitare JavaScript per vederlo.
• Patronato ENAC/CAF UCI, Via Catalani, 37 (a street off via C. Battisti), tel. 050 5205494, no appointment needed from 9 a.m. to 12 (noon) and from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m.

Documents requested to apply for the study residence permit:

1. Your passport (and the Italian tax code if you aready have it);
2. A copy of your passport (just the pages with your personal data and the one with the Visa stamp);
3. A special stamp (marca da bollo) which costs €16.00 (which you may buy at any Tobacco Shop);
4. 4. The study Visa type D (on your passport) is enough to start the application for the Residency permit. Then, at the Police appointment, it is necessary to show Pisa University Enrolment certificate to the current academic year that you can find on ALICE portal OR you can request to the Students’ Office (Segreterie Studenti) or the Phd Office (Ufficio Dottorato) if you are a phd student. Instead, if you are an Erasmus/exchange/visiting student, you must have an Acceptance Letter signed by your hosting Department in Pisa, proving that you are involved in a Study Project or Erasmus activity, with the starting and ending date of your stay in Pisa;
5. Health insurance coverage (in case you have a foreign insurance coverage or a specific insurance policy, please check its validity in Italy with the Patronato Office);
6. Declaration that you have a scholarship (if you have one) or bank statement (proof) that you have sufficient financial resources to guarantee your stay in Italy in your bank account (not less than €468,10 for each month);
7. Accommodation contract (at the post office application you can enclose a temporary hotel/hostel lodging document but at the Police appointment you must show the lodging contract).

Please note: some of these documents must be enclosed with the Application Form (kit giallo/yellow kit) at the Post Office.

Fourth step: Go to the Main Post Office and mail the Residence Permit Application Form

(the main Post Office is in Piazza Vittorio Emanuele, near to the central train station)

Please be aware that after sending the Application Form by mail, the Post Office clerk will give you a special Receipt and a fingerprinting appointment at the Questura (Local Police Headquarters) in Via Lalli, 3.

The post office receipt, where you can find your Username and Password, is extremely important and should be kept safe as it is proves that you have applied for a Residence Permit before you actually receive one.

List of expenses when applying for the Residence Permit:

• € 16,00 for the special stamp (marca da bollo);
• € 30,00 for the Post Office in order to mail the Application Form;
• € 70,46 for the application for the Residence Permit (valid for up to 1 year)

You can check the progress of your residency Permit application and any missing document at Portale Immigrazione, by using the password and ID on your post office application receipt (do not consider the dash in the password).

At the Questura you will sign the Integration Agreement too, which is an agreement between the Italian State and a non EU/EEA citizen entering Italy for the first time. The international student is committed to meet his/her civic obligations and invited to participate in a class on Civic education, about life in Italy.

Fifth step: go to the Health District in via Garibaldi 198, where you will be able to get the health card and choose your personal doctor free of charge

Details at https://www.unipi.it/index.php/insurance/item/6679-choose-your-own-doctor-in-pisa. 

Please beware that, if you arrived in Italy with a study visa, you enrolled to an Italian University and you wish to do a RINUNCIA AGLI STUDI (renunciation to your studies), in order to enroll again to the same or another Italian university, you cannot use the study Residence permit you already have and you must get a new study visa.

Info and contacts

Ufficio Relazioni Internazionali
Unità Promozione Internazionale
Piazza Torricelli, 4 56126 Pisa
Dr. Mauro Mazzotta
e-mail: Questo indirizzo email è protetto dagli spambots. È necessario abilitare JavaScript per vederlo.