Residency Requirements

• Foreigners seeking to stay in Italy for fewer than three months for tourism, work or study generally do not need to obtain a residency permit. However, if you wish to stay in Italy longer than three months, you must apply for a residence permit. If you reside in Italy, you must apply for a renewal of your residency permit 60 days prior to the expiration of a one-year permit, 90 days prior to the expiration of a two-year permit and 30 days prior to the expiration of all other permits.
  
  

Italian Ancestors

• The Italian government recognizes the principle of "jus sanguinis," which literally means "right of blood." If you are a U.S. citizen and obtain Italian citizenship through this process, you do not have to renounce your U.S. citizenship and you can hold both U.S. and Italian citizenship. If your father, grandfather or great-grandfather was an Italian citizen, you may qualify for Italian citizenship. Consult your local Italian consulate to determine whether you may qualify.
  
  

Marriage

• One of the easiest ways for Italian immigration is through marriage. If you marry an Italian citizen and reside in Italy for a period of six months, you are generally entitled to Italian citizenship. If you marry an Italian citizen and live outside Italy, you are generally entitled to Italian citizenship so long as you have been married for three years.
  
  

Naturalization

• If you live legally in Italy for 10 years, you may qualify for naturalization. To qualify, you must not have a criminal record and have adequate financial resources. Unlike "jus sanguinis," this immigration process depends on the immigrant's legal residency rather than Italian ancestry. Through naturalization, you will likely have to renounce your original citizenship.
  
  

EU Citizens

• The process for European Union citizens is easier than the immigration process for foreigners from other countries. European Union citizen do not have to apply for a long-term residence permit. If you are an EU citizen and want to stay in Italy for longer than three months, you must go to the Register Office ("anagrafe") of the Town Council ("commune") in which you live. Apply for registration there, and they will give you a registration receipt.