Questions and answers on the leave to family reunion (Domande e risposte sul nullaosta al ricongiungimento familiare)

1. At which  SUI “Unified Desk for Immigration”(“Sportello Unico) should the request for leave for family reunion be lodged?
The application is sent online to the competent SUI “Unified Desk for Immigration”(“Sportello Unico”) according to the residence of the applicant.

3. Must the certificate for the suitability of accommodation, issued by the appropriate municipal offices, be presented in original?
Yes

4. Where can the request for the certificate for the suitability of accommodation be made?
It should be made in the municipality where the accommodation is situated

5. What should be presented to show that the lease contract has been registered or renewed?
A copy of the form “Modello F23” concerning the payment of the annual tax for registration at the Office of the registrar.

6. What must be presented in case of a combined income with family cohabitants?
The family cohabitants must show their own income by means of work documents .

7. To whom should the documents concerning parental links be presented?
After  receiving notice of  leave to enter Italy for family reunion, the family member to be joined must address the Consular Section of the Italian Embassy in order to obtain a visa. By then, in the Country of origin, the applicant is asked to produce certificates declaring the family relationship, marriage, minor age and any act of marital status necessary, translated and legalized.

8. What happens if the certificate requested is untraceable for the absence of the appropriate diplomatic authority or if it does not have the necessary reliability?
The diplomatic representative in the country of origin (or however competent ) of the relatives can issue the documentation on the bases – also-, of the exam of the DNA carried out at the expense of the applicant concerned, if needed.

9. Which documents are needed to show the state of health of adult dependent descendants  to be joined?
The sanitary certificate drawn by a doctor appointed by the  competent Italian Diplomatic Representative in the Country of origin. Expenses are charge to the applicant.

10. How is the leave to enter for family reunion issued?
Once the requirements  are met , the Sportello Unico per l'immigrazione, (Unified Desk for Immigration) summons the applicant. A  stamp of 16.00 euros is required to pick up the leave.
Instead of the traditional leave printed on paper, for applications  lodged since 27th of January 2014 , the applicant is given only  a written communication declaring  that  the competent Italian Consular-Diplomatic Representative has already been notified   by the “Sportello Unico” and the authorization to enter Italy given. Moreover, a written  note with the telephone number of the “Sportello Unico” (Unified Desk) is handed to the applicant. Within 8 days since arrival, the new comer has  to set out an appointment  with the Sportello Unico to ask for the permit to stay and sign the agreement of integration.

11. How long is the leave valid?
Six months since the date of issue.

12. Can someone be delegated to take the leave in place of the applicant?
For applications lodged before  January, 27th 2014 the leave for family reunion can be handed to a person provided with  a notarial proxy.
If the person delegated to pick up the leave  in place of the applicant is the spouse or any relative in direct lineage or any relative up to the 2nd degree, a simple mandate is sufficient (no need of notarial proxy). For applications sent since  January 27th , 2014 just  a written communication declaring the  leave to family reunion was granted is handed to the applicant. Such a communication can be handed even to a delegated person provided with a simple mandate, provided with a copy of an identity document of delegating applicant.

13. What should the foreign applicant do once the leave is obtained?
Applications sent before the 27 January 2014: send the leave to the family member in the country of origin, who should show up at the Italian consular or diplomatic representative to ask for an entry visa for reunion and present the documentation attesting to the link of relationship.
Applications sent after the 27 January 2014: Leaves of paper are no longer issued but a written communication attesting to the issuing of the leave, the family member must request an entry visa at the appropriate Consular-Diplomatic representative within not more than six months from the date of communication.

14. Where should the application for an entry visa for leave to family reunion be made?
At the Italian Consular-Diplomatic Representative in the State of origin or fixed residence of the foreigner.

15. What should the application for the issue of the visa include and what documents should be attached?
The application must include the complete particulars of the family member who intends the reunion and the information on the passport or other recognized (equivalent travel documents (travel documents for the stateless,travel documents for refugees, travel documents for foreigners unable to receive a valid travel document from the authority of the country to which they are citizens, a pass of the United Nations or an individual document issued by the Headquarters of NATO). The passport or recognized equivalent travel document, the leave and the documentation attesting to the link of the family member must be attached to the application.

16 . When and how is the entry visa delivered?
Within 30 days from the presentation of the application for a visa

17. Are other documents furnished by the consular or diplomatic representative together with the issue of the entry visa?
Yes, a communication written in a language comprehensible to the applicant of the visa or in the absence, in English, French, Spanish or Arabic, which describes his rights and obligations relative to the entry and stay in Italy, as well as the obligation to present himself within 8 days of entry to Italy to the SUI.

18. To whom should the consular or diplomatic authority communicate the issue of the visa to the applicant?
To the Sportello Unico per l'immigrazione (Unified Desk for Immigration) electronically.

19. What should the host of the one who arrives with a visa for reunion do?
Make a written communication, within 48 hours, to the local authority for public security, to have given accommodation, hosting or given out a property, rural or urban to the person who has arrived, even if he is a relative. The communication must include the particulars of the one making the report and the person who has arrived, the details of the passport or identification document relating to the exact location of the property ceded or in which the person is lodged or stays as guest and the claim for which the communication was due.
A violation entails an administrative fine of a payment of a sum from 160 to 1.100 Euro.

20. From who and how is a measure of negation for an entry visa delivered to the applicant?
By the consular or diplomatic authority with a written and motivated measure containing the indication of the modality for an eventual challenge, in case the requisites provided from the above-mentioned procedure or when verifications also result in first degree condemnation, i.e crime pertaining to drugs, sexual liberty, aiding and abetting of illegal immigration to Italy and illegal emigration from Italy toward other States for crimes directed at the recruitment of persons to be destined to prostitution and the exploitation of prostitutes or of minors to employ in illicit activity. If the applicant does not understand the Italian language, the provision is accompanied with a translation in a language understandable to him or however, in English, French, Spanish or Arabic according to the preference expressed by the person concerned.

21. Can applicants without an income obtain leave to family reunion?
Yes, in the case in which the applicant does not have an income of his own, those of the spouse or of family members living together as long as are sufficient.

22. Can the citizens of third countries to which the status of refugee has been recognized and therefore holders of asylum permit of stay and citizens of third countries accepted for subsidiary protection apply for leave to family reunion?
Yes and they are not compelled to have the requisites of income and accommodation.

23. Which are the identity documents equivalent to the passport?
Identity documents equivalent to the passport could be:

• travel document for the stateless;

• travel document for refugees;

• travel certificate for foreigners (unable to obtain a valid travel document from the Authority of the country to which they are citizens);

• United Nations pass;

• individual document issued by the NATO headquarters to military personnel to a force of NATO;

• official navigation document, issued to sailors for the exercise of their professional duties;

• air navigation document;

• valid identity card for citizens of a state of the European Union;

• identity card and other documents of citizens of states pertaining to the “European Agreement on the abolition of passport” (signed in Paris on 13.12.1957).

24 What should the family member abroad do once the leave has been received?
Present himself at the Italian consular-diplomatic representative to present the application for the issue of the entry visa, together with the documentation sent by the family member applying and documentation attesting to the relationship.

25. What should the family member of the applicant do once arriving in Italy with the visa for reunion?
Within 8 days of arriving in Italy he must get in contact with the Sportello Unico per l'immigrazione (Unified Desk for Immigration) which would issue the following documentation:
certificate of conferment of fiscal code;

• signature of the agreement of integration and appointment for the first training session;
• postal kit for the application for the issue of the permit of stay for family motive.

Once the kit is sent at the Post Office you would receive the communication of the date of invitation to the Questura for finger prints and later be given the permit of stay for family reasons or of an eventual negation.