USEFUL INFORMATION FOR YOUR STAY IN ITALY

The tax identification number (Codice Fiscale) provides a means of identification of foreign citizens in their relations with public authorities and other administrations. For individuals, it is determined on the basis of personal data and is made up of an expression of 16 alphanumeric characters.

How to apply for a tax identification number abroad.
Non-resident individuals who need to obtain the tax identification number can apply for it to the Italian consular authorities in the Country of residence.

How to apply for a tax identification number in Italy.
Non EU citizens can obtain the tax identification number either at the Single desk for immigration (Sportelli Unici per l’immigrazione) or by any Police headquarters (Questure). The Single desk for immigration issues the tax identification number to citizens who apply for entry into the Country either for employment purposes or for reunite with their family. Police headquarters assign the tax identification number to foreign nationals who require either the issuance or the renewal of a residence permit.

In any other situation, the tax identification number can be obtained from the offices of the Italian Revenue Agency (Agenzia delle Entrate), by submitting a request indicating the personal data and the residence for tax purposes where the card should be delivered.

Please be very careful when entering your personal details, you must state your name exactly as it appears on your identity document.

Citizens from non-EU Countries must submit at least one of the following documents:

  • a valid passport with visa (if required), or any other document accepted by the Italian authorities;
  • a certificate of identity issued by the Italian diplomatic or consular authorities of the Country of nationality (with photo);
  • a valid residence permit (permesso di soggiorno);
  • an ID card issued by the municipality of residence in Italy.

Non-EU citizens must also prove that they have the right to stay, even temporarily, in Italy.

Citizens of European Union may apply for the tax identification number to any office of the Italian Revenue Agency showing, along with the request for the assignment, a valid identification document (identity card or passport).

The Fiscal Code is necessary in order to:

  • open a bank account;
  • Sign any type of contract (rent, telephone line, etc.);
  • register with the National Health Service (SSN).

For further information, please visit the Agenzia delle Entrate website at the following link: Individuals - Tax identification number for foreign citizens - Agenzia delle Entrate (agenziaentrate.gov.it).

To reside legally in Italy for a period of more than three months, non-EU students must apply for a residence permit within 8 working days from the arrival. The residence permit application KIT (commonly known as the “yellow kit”) is available at any Post Office branch with a Sportello Amico sign.

In order to fill in the application you need to attach the following documents:

  • the application form;
  • 2 copies of your passport (the personal data and stamp pages);
  • 2 copies of your visa;
  • copy of your tax identification number (Codice Fiscale);
  • university enrolment certificate in Italian;
  • A 16,00 € revenue stamp (marca da bollo that you can purchase at any Tobacco store);
  • proof of your housing;
  • Dichiarazione di Assegnazione borsa (the Awarding Letter of your grant) issued by the Italian Embassy in your country and your health insurance.

Please make sure you do not put the original documents in the envelope, only the copies. Double check you have enclosed all the required documents

The application comes with a cost of €116.46 (€16 for the revenue stamp + €70.46 for the Electronic residence permit + €30 Application Fee).

We recommend that you check the list of documents to be included at the post office before submitting the application. DO NOT put original documents inside the envelope, only their copies, but bring your passport with you.

After submission students will receive:
  • the receipt of the application. The receipt represents proof of your legal stay in Italy, therefore it is important to keep it safe. The receipt includes also credentials to check the status of your application online;
  • date of the appointment for the Immigration Office of the Police Headquarters (the Italian Questura);
At the Questura appointment, students undergo a short interview and fingerprinting. Make sure you bring to the appointment:
  • 4 passport-size photographs;
  • the original copies of the documents you sent with the yellow kit;
  • your passport;
  • the residence permit application receipt.

After a few weeks (time may vary based on the city you are in), you will receive an SMS notifying you to collect your residence permit. You can check either the website of the Police Controlla online il permesso di soggiorno | Polizia di Stato to find out whether your residence permit is available for collection.

Students who wish to apply for the renewal of the residence permit must do so at least 60 days prior to the expiry, by undergoing again the same procedure.

For more information, you can check the following website: Il Portale Immigrazione.

Unlike non-EU students, European students do not need a residence permit. Nevertheless, students who stay in Italy for more than 3 months need to declare their presence on the territory by registering their temporary residence in Italy.

To register a temporary residence in Italy, students should present to the Civil Registry Office (Anagrafe) of their city or municipality the following documents.

  • passport or ID (original and copy);
  • tax identification number (Codice Fiscale, original and copy);
  • university enrolment certificate in Italian;
  • European Health Insurance Card issued by your country of residence (original and copy);
  • proof of sufficient resources.

The registration lasts 12 months.

Always get in touch with the International Student’s Office of your University for information and instructions about the process and the required documents.

As beneficiary of a MAECI Grant, students are required to open an Italian bank account. Please make sure to open a regular checking account and not to subscribe to a banking service offering only wire transfer payments. Prepaid cards and online bank current accounts are accepted, as long as they have an Italian IBAN – International Bank Account Number – with a code starting with IT.

To open an Italian bank account students must present:

  • passport or ID;
  • tax identification number (Codice Fiscale);
  • residence permit or, in some instances, the receipt of the residence permit application.
Non-EU citizens might be required to be in possession of the residence permit or the receipt of the request of residence permit.

Many Higher Education Institutions have agreements with banks, with preferential conditions. Always check with your University or AFAM Institution; you may have the chance to open your bank account with their help.

As soon as you open your Italian Bank Acocunt, we would be grateful if you could fill in and send to borsedistudio@esteri.it the Self-Declaration Affidavit form (Modulo di Dichiarazione Sostitutiva). Please make sure you also date, sign, and save it a pdf.

Please note that if the Self-Declaration Affidavit form is not sent in time, the processing of the grant payment may be delayed.

All grantees are covered by collective policies for health insurance provided by the Italian Government (MAECI) in case of illness or accident in Italy. Illnesses depending on pre-existing physical or pathological conditions and dental care are excluded from the insurance coverage. The insurance is valid only for the duration of the grant. If you decide to stay longer in Italy after the end of the Grant, you should buy a private health insurance or register with the Servizio Sanitario Nazionale (Italian National Health Service).

Non-Eu Students

Non-EU students who regularly stay in Italy, even for periods of less than three months, and who are not entitled to mandatory registration, are required to insure themselves against the risk of illness and accident by submitting a private insurance policy, or by voluntary registration with the SSN, Servizio Sanitario Nazionale, the Italian National Health Service.

You can voluntarily register with the SSN by paying an annual fee. The registration is valid for a calendar year, from January 1st to December 31st, it cannot be divided and does not have retroactive effect. For students without income other than scholarships or subsidies provided by Italian public bodies, the annual fee is €700.00.

Only during the renewal of your residence permit, upon payment of the annual fee you can maintain your registration with the SSN, pending presentation of the residence permit to your ASL.

For further information about registering with the SSN and paying the annual fee, please visit the Agenzia delle Entrate website at the following link: L'Agenzia - Iscrizione al Servizio sanitario nazionale - Agenzia delle Entrate (agenziaentrate.gov.it) .

EU Students

If you have a valid European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) from your EU country of origin, you can receive all medically necessary health services. To obtain said services, you can go directly to a doctor or a public or affiliated health facility and show your EHIC card. The assistance is direct and therefore nothing is due, except for the payment of a possible contribution ("ticket") which is at your expense and is non-refundable. With the EHIC Card you cannot access treatments "scheduled abroad", i.e. foreseeable (e.g. non-urgent dental treatments, spa treatments, etc.)..

If you are in possession of a certificate of entitlement other than the EHIC Card, in order to be able to take advantage of healthcare, you normally must first present this certificate to a Sportello Unico AUSL (CUP). There they will check whether it is possible for you to register with the National Health Service (SSN), and in this case, you will have the right to full health care under the same conditions as for Italian citizens. The method of access to health services may vary depending on the entitlement held. Ask for more information at the Sportello Unico (CUP) at the time of registration.

In the event that you do not have an EHIC Card or a Certificate of Entitlement, you must take out a private health insurance valid in Italy or register with the Italian National Health Service (SSN), where applicable.

In case of an emergency situation, you can dial 112 to call an ambulance or go directly to the Pronto Soccorso (Emergency room) of the closest hospital (see also the paragraph Emergency Numbers).

When moving to Italy, getting yourself an Italian SIM card might prove convenient for a wide range of reasons. Firstly, the local rates are usually lower than keeping an international number for both calls and data usage. Moreover, an Italian phone number may be required for official communications, such as the SMS you will receive from the Questura to collect your residence permit, or official communications from the Municipality or the bank.

Students may buy their SIM card by going to mobile company stores, where they can also choose their plan. Similarly, SIM cards are also available in supermarkets and tobacco stores. Depending on the chosen plan, SIM cards are usually rechargeable, either through direct debit to the current account, or through a monthly fee payment via app/site.

To sign a mobile phone contract and obtain a SIM CARD, you generally need:

  • passport or ID
  • tax identification number (Codice Fiscale).

In case of emergency or assistance you can dial 112 (one-one-two), single European emergency number. Callings will be transferred to a single Assistance Unit, which will get you in contact with the competent authority, such as.

Many Italian universities dispose of student services and housing offices that can provide information on renting student apartments - generally more affordable than accommodation on the private market - and manage university housing facilities. Common kinds of university accommodation are: university dorms (residenze universitarie and case dello studente), university guestrooms (foresterie – usually for short stays), and university colleges or residences (collegi or residenze universitarie).

For further information check the following link Collegi Universitari di Merito - CCUM

Admission to university residencies is usually based on the student’s financial status and merit.

Student housing in Italy is more expensive in big cities and can range from €300-600 a month (per room), depending on the size and location.

We inform you that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation cannot provide assistance for accommodation.

The winner of a MAECI Grant for a Master’s Degree, AFAM Course; Phd program and Research project will receive a total amount of 9,000 (nine thousand) euros, paid in three separate installments to the personal current account, opened in his/her name, with an Italian banking institution. The first installment, of 4,500 euros, intended to help the students settle in after the arrival in Italy, will be paid upon verification of the Grantee’s presence on Italian territory and the completion of enrollment to the University/Institute of choice; the second installment, of 2,500 euros, will be paid upon confirmation of enrollment and attendance starting from February 2025; the third and last installment, of 2,000 euros, will be paid only upon verification of a satisfactory academic progress through a certificate of the exams taken or an equivalent University certification

The MAECI will begin the disbursement procedures at the end of each period (first university semester for the first installment, second one for the second and third installments). The same conditions mentioned above apply to renewals.

The winner of a MAECI Grant for an Italian language and culture advanced course will receive a total amount of 3,000 (three thousand) euros, paid in a single installment to the personal current account, opened in his/her name, with an Italian banking Institution. The installment will be paid only upon verification of the Grantee’s presence on Italian territory, the completion of enrollment to the University/Institute of choice and of a satisfactory study progress.