# Permesso di soggiorno with purchase of a home?



## ksh82 (Mar 1, 2021)

Hi all...I have made many phone calls but am having a very dificult time obtaining (or beginning application) of the permesso di soggiorno. I have recently purchased a small flat ( my only home), which I intend to fix up over the next year. I can work from my computer, which is fortunate, so I intended to live here mostly. But they have told me I have to leave and go back to USA and apply for permesso from there (I have resident permit in UK until September of this year). 

I am loathe to go back to the USA for a number of reasons. Is there a better way?

Thank you so much


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## NickZ (Jun 26, 2009)

You first need to apply for a visa. The PDS (permesso) is a formality if you have a visa. You mention work which means a working visa. It won't be easy if you're an American. 

Are you an US citizen? Are you resident in the US?


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## Italia-Mx (Jan 14, 2009)

No, there is no other way. If you are not a UK citizen you cannot apply for a visa or residence for any other country from the UK. You can only apply for a visa from your country of origin using that country's passport, which means if you're American you must return to USA and apply at the Italian consulate that has jurisdiction for the state where you reside. If you are granted the visa, you won't be allowed to work remotely while in Italy. If you can find a job with an American company that does business in Italy and be sponsored by that company, you can work in Italy for that company.


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## ksh82 (Mar 1, 2021)

Italia-Mx said:


> No, there is no other way. If you are not a UK citizen you cannot apply for a visa or residence for any other country from the UK. You can only apply for a visa from your country of origin using that country's passport, which means if you're American you must return to USA and apply at the Italian consulate that has jurisdiction for the state where you reside. If you are granted the visa, you won't be allowed to work remotely while in Italy. If you can find a job with an American company that does business in Italy and be sponsored by that company, you can work in Italy for that company.


Ok many thanks. So really the only option is to maybe take out an entrepreneur visa? I also have a consulting company that I could locate in Italy. Otherwise, I guess I would have to leave Italy every 90 days, and only be able to stay in my home half the year?


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## ksh82 (Mar 1, 2021)

ksh82 said:


> Ok many thanks. So really the only option is to maybe take out an entrepreneur visa? I also have a consulting company that I could locate in Italy. Otherwise, I guess I would have to leave Italy every 90 days, and only be able to stay in my home half the year?


I am a US citizen and passport holder and have resident permit for the UK until end of Septmber


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## NickZ (Jun 26, 2009)

If you're living in the UK you should apply at your nearest consulate.








Visto per l'Italia







vistoperitalia.esteri.it


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## PauloPievese (Nov 2, 2012)

You probably already know this but this summarizes things re self-employment:





Italy Self Employment Visa - Freelancers, Startups and Entrepreneurs







visaguide.world





Note that "the Italy Entrepreneur Visa {is} issued to foreigners who want to implement an investment plan (of no less than €500,000) that is beneficial to Italian economy."

A general reference to all types of long-stay visas:





Italy Long Term Visa - List of Long Stay Visas for Italy







visaguide.world


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## Italia-Mx (Jan 14, 2009)

NickZ said:


> If you're living in the UK you should apply at your nearest consulate.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


No that won't work with a US passport. He must apply in US.


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## PauloPievese (Nov 2, 2012)

Italia-Mx said:


> No that won't work with a US passport. He must apply in US.


I'm not qualified to enter that debate but I do note that when a USAsian citizen applies in the USA he/she must surrender his/her passport as part of the application. I would think that this would make things dicey if one were a foreign resident.


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## NickZ (Jun 26, 2009)

Italia-Mx said:


> No that won't work with a US passport. He must apply in US.


Go to the ministry website and fill out the questionnaire. They'll tell you to apply in London.


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## PauloPievese (Nov 2, 2012)

NickZ said:


> Go to the ministry website and fill out the questionnaire. They'll tell you to apply in London.


KSH82, please keep us updated with your success and, possibly more importantly, your failures. It would be interesting to see which of the opinions you've received is (more) correct. In bocca al lupo!


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## NickZ (Jun 26, 2009)

Just imagine somebody that hasn't lived in the US for twenty years. Would you expect them to go back to fill out the form? The Italian consulates won't even talk to you if you aren't from their area. That often requires some sort of proof.


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## Italia-Mx (Jan 14, 2009)

NickZ said:


> Just imagine somebody that hasn't lived in the US for twenty years. Would you expect them to go back to fill out the form? The Italian consulates won't even talk to you if you aren't from their area. That often requires some sort of proof.


Time spent out of the country has nothing to do with it. He must return to the USA and apply because he does not have a British passport. In fact he only has six months left on his UK visa. Here is an example. I am a dual citizen, American and Italian. While living in Italy as a citizen for ten years, I went to the Mexican Embassy in Rome to apply for a visa. Because I had been granted a Mexican visa a number of years earlier from a Mexican consulate in the USA while I was still resident in the USA, I handed my American passport to the Mexican authority in Rome. She immediately said I must return to the United States if I wanted a Mexican visa issued to me with my US passport. She then asked me if I had an Italian passport, which of course I did, and I handed her that one and my second Mexican visa was granted with the Italian passport. Also, if he intends to remain in the UK and wants all of the privileges, he can become a British citizen, afterwhich he can apply for any visa of his choice with a British passport.


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## NickZ (Jun 26, 2009)

What does Mexico have to do with the Italian consulate? The consulate won't even talk to people not resident in their area. The Ministero degli Affari Esteri would tell the OP to apply where he is resident.


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## Bevdeforges (Nov 16, 2007)

It may be a peculiarity of the Italian system, but in my experience you have to apply for a visa through the consulate in your country (and region) of residence at the time you apply.


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## Italia-Mx (Jan 14, 2009)

It doesn't have anything at all to do with Italy or the Italian system. It has everything to do with the UK not being allowed to issue a visa for a third country to a person that holds a US passport. This American citizen was granted authority to leave the USA and live temporarily in the UK and that is ALL the USA cleared him for at the time. If he wants to live in another country as an American citizen, the USA has to know about it and only the USA can give it's citizen permission to do so.


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## Italia-Mx (Jan 14, 2009)

NickZ said:


> What does Mexico have to do with the Italian consulate? The consulate won't even talk to people not resident in their area. The Ministero degli Affari Esteri would tell the OP to apply where he is resident.


The Ministero degli Affari Esteri cannot ask the UK to issue an Italian visa to an American passport holder. To a British citizen, yes, of course. But to a foreigner living in the UK, no this won't work. When Italy says, apply for a visa where you have residence, this means the country who's passport you carry as opposed to trying to apply for a visa in Italy.


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## Bevdeforges (Nov 16, 2007)

Italia-Mx said:


> This American citizen was granted authority to leave the USA and live temporarily in the UK and that is ALL the USA cleared him for at the time. If he wants to live in another country as an American citizen, the USA has to know about it and only the USA can give it's citizen permission to do so.


The US government doesn't "grant authority" to its citizens to leave the country whether as tourists or as temporary or permanent residents elsewhere. Obtaining a visa is a matter of getting authorization from the country you are going to to enter the country - with the intent of remaining under the terms and conditions of your visa. 

Actually, I see that Italy is now partnering with VFS Global for visa processing. This is their site for those residing in the UK: https://visa.vfsglobal.com/gbr/en/ita


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## Italia-Mx (Jan 14, 2009)

Actually the USA does grant it's citizens authority to leave the country by providing them with a US passport. I don't know anyone who has ever applied for a visa of any kind and had it granted without that person having a valid passport. And in most cases the terms and conditions of the visa does not include authorization to apply for a second country (Italy) visa. It applies only to the country that granted the visa (UK). I am relatively certain that this applied even when the UK was in the European Union, but now that it has left the EU, for sure a UK visa will not grant the holder of a US passport the right to apply for any country visa in the EU.


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## Bevdeforges (Nov 16, 2007)

That's odd. While yes, you need a valid passport to apply for a visa, which consulate (or other office) you apply to is determined by where you are resident - i.e. your residence permit. For a US citizen to move from one country in the EU to another, there is no need to return to the US. In fact, the US really doesn't keep track of where its citizens live overseas - other than through the tax system (and that assumes that someone still files their taxes with the US like they are supposed to be doing).

In any event, I would advise the OP to contact VFS in the UK and ask the question before booking any flights back to the US. It is true that normally you cannot obtain a visa in the country you want the visa for. A visa is a document that allows you to enter a country. If you plan to reside there, you need to get the necessary residence permit on arrival.


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