Our dream of living in Italy...shattered

I would def check another state - this makes no sense! As you are already set to go why not go on a 90 day visa and try while in Italy.
Best of luck! We are following behind you in a couple of years!

Also, get yourself an attorney - ASAP! Someone who has done this before and help you through the paperwork. Your dream is not shattered just a little glitch! You will be there before you know it!

graciela99 wrote:

I would def check another state - this makes no sense! As you are already set to go why not go on a 90 day visa and try while in Italy.
Best of luck! We are following behind you in a couple of years!

They cannot simply travel to Italy as "tourists" and apply from within Italy.  A long-stay visa must be applied for from ones current country of residence or citizenship via the consulate.  Please be careful about giving incorrect advice.

Romaniac
Expat.com Experts Team

The "RULES" state that you must apply for the visa in the state where you live. Believe me we thought about trying in another state...you can't!!  We even thought about changing addresses to a family member in another state....you also have to change your passport etc...it's just too convoluted!!   You also can't get it WHILE in Italy.  We did just go....and you can't get your permesso de soggiorno...sorry spelling at this moment in time...without having your visa.  You must apply for your permesso de soggiorno within 8 days of landing in Italy.  NO VISA also equals....you can't own a car.  Even though we bought a car.  We couldn't hold the title or have insurance in our names.  Also...Your visa must come from the country where you are a citizen....its crazy!!

Yes...we tried that too!!  You have to go to court in ROME.  It costs about 5000 Euro per person....and there is NO GUARANTEE that your visa will be granted.

Thank You!  Believe me we have thought of every angle.  The only one left is that each of us find an old brother/sister team in Italy and marry them!!  I do qualify for Italian citizenship but I can't locate all the documents that I need.  That is also not as easy as people make it seem!!  I see that you live in Romania??  our last option was that we were just going to go over....stay 3 months....live in Romania for 3 months...go back to Italy and then do it all over again.  The car thing really messed us up though.  We did find someone willing to put the car and insurance in his name....but we were going to have to pay him every month!!

My wife and my adult stepson are non-EU citizens (However, I am.) They were given a 90-day Schengen visa (for Germany) and with that travelled to Italy via Frankfurt. Here they applied for their PdS (not within 8 days, btw) and were granted one for 4 years.
It seems that once here the Italian authorities will not deport you and we found them very friendly and helpful.
Mind you, they could have rejected my stepson's application.... but did not.
In order to own a car you must have 'residenza' (for which you apply at the 'comune'.)
Janin

Are you wife and stepson US citizens?? Because we can not get a Schengen visa because that is basically what our passports are for...90 days.  We tried that route but Americans do not qualify for Schengen visas.  I'm sure since you are a EU citizen that def helped!!  And we can't apply for residenza without a visa!! Its just terrible.  We are back in America for a few years...and then we are actually just gonna go and see what happens!!

mlbucine wrote:

Are you wife and stepson US citizens??

No, they are not.

mlbucine wrote:

.... but Americans do not qualify for Schengen visas.

Hmm, seems that politics are involved...
https://www.schengenvisainfo.com/europe … americans/

Janin

I am an Italian Citizen and I do understand that Italy is complicated as far as bureaucracy  but in your case I don't think that is the issue. Hypothetically switching sides would the USA allow me to retire in your country? Strictly speaking yes because my wife is from the USA and a US citizen, but if I didn't have her the answer would probably be no. I could apply for a green card but I would have no certainty of receiving one. Italy has EU standard laws regarding immigration and for most things anyone who is not from the EU is "Extracomunitario". While the  assets on average are a lot higher in the USA, as far as EU law is concerned a US citizen has the same standing of a Bengalese or a Nigerian. You may easily come to Italy and stay as a student (you can't work though) with a student visa. You can come in if you are from a war stricken country on a humanitarian visa. You could come in and start a company and you would receive an entrepreneur visa (not as easy to get). In all other cases you are aliens like anyone else. I guess that you followed the path which is used by the very wealthy who will not be relying on the services of the Italian state (universal healthcare for example) but that is subject to scrutiny and it's not possible to appeal that kind of decision.

@mlbucine you are wrong. You do not need to get a new passport when you change your address! The process is not convoluted. You can move to a new state, rent an apartment, get a drivers license, apply to the new Consolato all within two weeks. I know first hand. Sure it takes some work but if you need a friendly Consolato then why not? I suggest moving to Detroit jurddiction.

What makes you suggest Detroit???

Fast and friendly!

G'day mlbucine, 

I truly sympathize with your plight and do hope you solve your Italian residency problem. Perhaps you should email the US Embassy in Milano with your story. I understand they probably can't assist you directly but they may be able to steer you in the right direction. You never know?

https://it.usembassy.gov/embassy-consulates/milan/

Cheers,
Jeff

*US Consulate General in Milano

Thank you Jeff!!!  I will try anything!

dave71Italy wrote:

I am an Italian Citizen and I do understand that Italy is complicated as far as bureaucracy  but in your case I don't think that is the issue. Hypothetically switching sides would the USA allow me to retire in your country? Strictly speaking yes because my wife is from the USA and a US citizen, but if I didn't have her the answer would probably be no. I could apply for a green card but I would have no certainty of receiving one. Italy has EU standard laws regarding immigration and for most things anyone who is not from the EU is "Extracomunitario". While the  assets on average are a lot higher in the USA, as far as EU law is concerned a US citizen has the same standing of a Bengalese or a Nigerian. You may easily come to Italy and stay as a student (you can't work though) with a student visa. You can come in if you are from a war stricken country on a humanitarian visa. You could come in and start a company and you would receive an entrepreneur visa (not as easy to get). In all other cases you are aliens like anyone else. I guess that you followed the path which is used by the very wealthy who will not be relying on the services of the Italian state (universal healthcare for example) but that is subject to scrutiny and it's not possible to appeal that kind of decision.

Well said Dave!

This case is typical ONLY if one member of the family already is a citizen of one of EU members. "Unification of the family" is important in the EU more than in the USA.   I believe that with regard to residency even having a Permesso di Soggiorno allows you to bring in all your close relatives.   

You will recall that  in the USA we had the same principle, but it has come into disrepute now as "chain migration"...