The procedure for family reunification in Italy has changed, enabling foreign citizens legally residing in the country to request the entrance of family members into Italy online.
Italian authorities have changed the procedure for foreigners wanting to bring their families to the country.
On the basis of a interior ministry circular issued in late July, all documentation attached to family reunification requests must be sent online to the immigration section of the prefect's office in the area in which the immigrant resides through the ministry website .
Online procedure to reduce waiting period
The Italian Interior Ministry said that requests for family reunification must be submitted online with "documentation on the requisites concerning income and lodging, scanned by the person making the request and sent attached to the family reunion request."
The waiting time for the procedure will thus also change, since switching to an online procedure will enable the immigration department to verify documents concerning lodgings and income and issue the permission within 90 days of the request being submitted instead of the previous 180 days.
The person making the request will be informed of the permission if the information is found to be correct and the requirements are met by being called to the "Sportello Unico" of the prefect's office for the submitting of the original documents. The ministry has said that the new procedure will also reduce the work of personnel at the immigration office.
Family reunification in Italy
It is possible for foreigners legally residing in Italy to request that their family members join them in the country. This can be requested for spouses, children under age 18, adult children and parents under the legal resident's financial responsibility. The ministry noted that those wanting to request family reunification must have a permit of stay for at least one year, which is "still valid or for which a renewal has been requested, issued for reasons of employment of self-employment or for asylum, study or religious or family reasons."
The procedure requires the submission of documents, including official registry papers, such as copies of their passport and those of their family members as well as their residence permit, proof of lodgings, such as a lease or loan or property registration, which must not expire less than 6 months from the date the request is submitted and certification of a minimum income from legal sources.