I’ve heard that for some types of permesso di soggiorno (permesso) there are no limits on the length of absence from Italy. Is that true? For a standard permesso di soggiorno I know there’s a six‑month limit, but my question is — does any type of residence permit exist without such a limit?
Even with the family residence permit it’s not that simple — on the questura website there is a direct statement: “the five‑year family residence card (carta di soggiorno per familiari di 5 anni, art. 10 D.Lgs. 30/2007) may be subject to revocation” in case of a too‑long absence. So in reality the only thing without restrictions is citizenship. If the child will actually live outside Italy for more than six months, definitely see a lawyer, because the reason for the permit and the actual place of residence must coincide.
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Thanks, I didn’t know about that Article 10. So it turns out the only truly risk‑free option is citizenship, and the family route can also be revoked if you actually don’t live here.
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EU long-term residence permit (permesso UE per soggiornanti di lungo periodo) - there’s already a different limit there, not 6 months. Over 5 years you’re allowed to be absent for a total of up to 10 months - which averages out to about 2 months per year. That’s a completely different matter compared to a regular residence permit, but it still can’t be called unlimited.
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The five-year countdown for “lungo periodo” starts from the moment the first residence permit (permesso) is issued, not from the visa date. That means the year spent waiting for it to be issued is lost and isn’t counted anywhere — this is an important detail for planning. I waited about 11 months for my first residence permit in Genoa.
And regarding refusal of the carta di soggiorno (long-term residence permit) — after receiving a refusal, you can continue to obtain standard 2-year residence permits up until you reach a total of 10 years, and then apply for citizenship. But you should know the reason for the refusal precisely — if you violated the allowed absence periods, that issue will be raised again during naturalization.
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If the lungo periodo (long-term status) doesn’t work out in your situation, then you just keep renewing your residence permit (ВНЖ) on your own grounds — that’s a workable option too. The lungo periodo presupposes that you actually live in Italy permanently — otherwise what’s the point of that status. There are exceptions for valid reasons for leaving, but work trips don’t fall under them.
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And how does the elective residence permit (residenza elettiva) work in this logic — do you also have to wait five years for the long-term residence permit with the same absence rules? I’m actually considering this option before moving, but I don’t understand whether it’s regarded as “normal” for transitioning to long-term residence or if there are nuances.
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residenza elettiva - a standard basis for the long-term permit: the same five years and the same rules on absences. One important point specific to this type: after entering with the visa you have 8 days to apply for the permesso di soggiorno at the Questura — this is enshrined in law, not just a formality. If you miss that deadline, the Questura can start finding faults right away. After that, the logic is the same as we already discussed — observe the absence limits, and after five years you can apply for long-term residence.
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About whether the count starts from the moment of the plastica (the plastic card) or from the residenza (residence) — I couldn’t figure it out until I asked directly at the Questura (police headquarters): it’s the issue date of the first permesso (residence permit), as written on the card. They do the residency registration (propiska) only after the permesso anyway; it’s always later. For us, applying as lavoro autonomo (self-employed), they quoted a 7–8 month wait for the first permesso — so nearly a year out of the five is gone even before the real countdown starts.
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