# Student x 3 years...resident



## schafferde (Nov 1, 2014)

Hello,

I am a 68 year old single woman who has been in Italy on a student visa for the past 2 1/2 years and am in the process of hopefully getting an extended residency visa while on vacation in the US. My question is, will the three years I have spent in Italy on the student visa count toward the 5 year residency requirement for permanent residency?

Thank you

Dee


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## accbgb (Sep 23, 2009)

schafferde said:


> Hello,
> 
> I am a 68 year old single woman who has been in Italy on a student visa for the past 2 1/2 years and am in the process of hopefully getting an extended residency visa while on vacation in the US. My question is, will the three years I have spent in Italy on the student visa count toward the 5 year residency requirement for permanent residency?
> 
> ...


My understanding is that "student visa time" does not count towards residency requirements. 

I may be wrong.


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## BBCWatcher (Dec 28, 2012)

I'm afraid I agree with accbgb. Student status is considered a temporary, interrupted/interruptible status and does not count as continuous residency time toward such things as EC Long Term Residency Permits and acquisition of Italian citizenship.

Perhaps somebody you encounter in a particular bureaucracy doesn't know that, but I suspect most do.

Have you looked into obtaining an Elective Residency (ER) visa, Dee? That'd be the most popular alternative in the circumstances, but it does require demonstrating sufficient passive income (pension, interest, dividends, Social Security, etc.) or the wealth equivalent. Reportedly you've got to prove at least 3000 euro per month before you'll be considered for (not guaranteed) an ER visa.


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