PERMESSO DI SOGGIORNO

per protezione temporanea emergenza Ucraina

Permesso di soggiorno per protezione temporanea emergenza Ucraina is a special residence permit introduced in 2022 in response to the war in Ukraine.

⚖️ 1. Legal framework

  • Directive 2001/55/EC (Council Directive of 20 July 2001 on minimum standards for granting temporary protection in the event of a mass influx of displaced persons).
  • Council Implementing Decision (EU) 2022/382 of 4 March 2022.

Current status

At EU level (Council decision)

  • On 13 June 2025, the European Commission confirmed the extension of the temporary protection mechanism until 4 March 2027.

In Italy (national legislation)

  • Italy has extended the validity of the Permesso until 4 March 2026. This is set out in Decreto-legge n. 202 of 27 December 2024, which prolongs previously extended permits and allows renewal applications up to March 2026.

2. Who can apply

  • Ukrainian citizens who lived in Ukraine before 24.02.2022 and were displaced on or after that date.
  • Stateless persons and third-country nationals who held international or national protection in Ukraine before 24.02.2022.
  • Family members of categories (1) and (2): a spouse/partner in a stable relationship; unmarried minor children; dependent parents/adult children if they lived in the same household and relied on the applicant.

The family must have lived in Ukraine before 24.02.2022 and been displaced after that date.

Italy applies the same categories and explicitly lists them in the Protezione Civile guidance:

  • a) a Ukrainian national (or their family member) who resided in Ukraine before 24.02.2022;
  • b) a foreign national/stateless person who had international/national protection in Ukraine (or their family member);
  • c) a foreign national/stateless person with a permanent residence permit in Ukraine before 24.02.2022 who cannot safely and stably return to their country of origin.

Who is not covered

  • Students/workers and other third-country nationals who lived in Ukraine temporarily (without refugee/national protection status and without a permanent Ukrainian residence permit). For them, EU guidance initially pointed to repatriation assistance, and in some cases other national permits (at each state’s discretion).

Documents commonly requested as proof

  • Identity and nationality/status: international passport/national ID or other ID; for category b – proof of protection status in Ukraine; for a foreign national/stateless person with permanent residence in Ukraine – proof of permanent residence in Ukraine before 24.02.2022.
  • Proof of residence in Ukraine before 24.02.2022 and displacement after that date (stamps, tickets, any indirect evidence).
  • Proof of family ties (marriage/birth certificates, evidence of cohabitation and dependency for dependent relatives).

If something is missing, the Questura may request verification via Ukrainian consular offices.

⚙️ 3. Step-by-step actions

Official procedure

1) Arrival in Italy

  • Temporary protection does not require a visa. Ukrainian citizens can enter with a biometric passport; a regular international passport or a national ID + entry stamp is also accepted.
  • You are not obliged to file a dichiarazione di presenza at the border or immediately afterwards—this is covered once you apply for the Permesso.

2) Apply at the Questura

  • File an application for a permesso di soggiorno per protezione temporanea at the immigration office of the Questura where you live.
  • Booking at the Questura:
    • In most cities there is no online booking—service is first come, first served.
    • In some, phone/online pre-booking is required (check your Questura’s website).

3) Prepare and submit documents

  • Passport (international or Ukrainian national).
  • Passport-format photos.
  • Documents proving you fall under temporary protection (see Who can apply).
  • Declaration of address (ospitalità or autocertificazione di residenza).

4) At the Questura

  • Fingerprints.
  • Photo capture.
  • Check and copy of all documents.
  • Issue of the ricevuta — official proof your application has been accepted.

5) Using the ricevuta

From the moment you have the ricevuta, you may:

  • work (as an employee or with a Partita IVA);
  • register with the health service (SSN);
  • open a bank account;
  • enrol in free Italian language courses.
    The ricevuta is valid until you receive the plastic card.

6) Waiting and card collection

  • Timeframes vary by city: from 2–3 weeks to several months.
  • Check readiness:
    • on Portale Immigrazione;
    • via SMS from the Questura;
    • by visiting the Questura.

7) Renewals

  • When the EU/Italy extend protection, the Questura publishes instructions.
  • In 2025, automatic renewals were replaced by a new application with fees (details below).

Receiving the Italian Permesso after (or while holding) temporary protection in another EU country

🏛 Official position (EU & Italy)

  • Directive 2001/55/EC allows Ukrainian nationals to obtain protection in one EU country of their choice.
  • You cannot hold active temporary protection in two countries simultaneously.
  • When moving to another country:
    • Deregister and end your status in the first country;
    • Apply in the new country within the set deadlines (in Italy — at the Questura).

🇮🇹 Italian requirements

The Questura will require:

  • Passport (international or national).
  • Proof you ended temporary protection in the first country: a certificate/letter from that country’s authority confirming termination.
  • Proof of residence in Italy (ospitalità or a lease).

If you have no proof of termination, the Questura will often:

  • refuse to accept the application; or
  • ask you to wait until the first status expires.

4. Required documents

1) Basic set for first-time application in Italy

dichiarazione di ospitalità (host’s statement with a copy of their ID and lease/title deed); or

Valid passport (international or national) + copies of all completed pages.

If no international passport: submit the national ID; for children, a birth certificate. Ukrainian consulates in Italy can issue temporary IDs (up to six months) for those who arrived without documents.

Four passport-size photos (35×40 mm, white background).

Codice Fiscale — if you don’t have one, it is usually issued alongside the application.

Proof of residence in Italy:

  • dichiarazione di ospitalità (host’s statement with a copy of their ID and lease/title deed);
  • a lease contract.

2) Additionally, if moving from another EU country where you had temporary protection

(required for the Italian Questura to accept the case)

  • Official document confirming termination of temporary protection in the first country.
  • Italian translation (preferably certified; some Questure ask for an apostille).
  • If available: a copy of the previous temporary protection card/letter.
  • If moving with children — separate termination documents for each child.
  • Where necessary — the other parent’s consent for the child’s move.

5. Validity periods

EU level

Under Council decisions and Directive 2001/55/EC, temporary protection has been extended:

  • from 2022 for one year,
  • then to 2023, 2024, 2025, and currently until 4 March 2027.

In Italy

  • The Permesso is usually issued for one year, with national extensions mirroring the EU decisions (currently to March 2026).
  • The validity of the temporary protection card is always aligned with the latest DPCM.

Renewals

Official procedure

  1. When to apply: 60 days before your current Permesso expires, go to the Questura or contact them via PEC (in some regions online requests are possible).
  2. Documents required:
    • the current temporary card (or ricevuta);
    • passport photos (usually 4);
    • proof of address (ospitalità).
    • No additional documents are normally required if circumstances haven’t changed.
  3. Fees:
    • Marca da bollo — €16.00;
    • Bollettino (card fee) — €30.46.
      Total: €46.46.
  4. Process:
    • The Questura calls/sends an SMS or letter with the fingerprint appointment;
    • a new card is issued shortly afterwards — typically 2–4 weeks;
    • sometimes the appointment notice arrives by SMS/letter.

6. Costs

1) First application — free of charge

For your first application at the Questura, nothing is due: no marca da bollo, no card fee.

2) Renewal — paid

For the 2025 renewal, standard fees apply:

  • Marca da bollo — €16.00
  • Bollettino postale (plastic card) — €30.46
    Total: €46.46

3) Comparison with other Permessi

Standard Permessi (work, family, long-term) have additional costs: marca da bollo + bollettino + postal service fee (≈ €30), bringing totals to €60–130. Temporary protection remains cheaper — especially for the first issue.

Replacement and reissue

Loss — the document is lost/stolen/not found after a move.
Damage — the card is physically damaged (broken chip, cracks, unreadable photo).
Change of personal data — change of surname/first name/nationality (e.g., marriage/divorce).
Change of address — in some Questure a reissue is required; often an internal update is enough.

Steps

🔹 If stolen or lost

  • File a denuncia (report) immediately at the Questura or Carabinieri.
  • The report should state the document type, number, and issue date (if known).
  • Book an appointment at the Questura to request a duplicate.
  • Bring:
    • the original denuncia;
    • passport (international, or if not available, Ukrainian national);
    • four passport photos;
    • Codice Fiscale;
    • proof of address (ospitalità/lease);
    • marca da bollo €16.00;
    • bollettino €30.46 (payable at the Post Office).

🔹 If damaged

  • Go to the Questura with the damaged card.
  • The procedure is the same as for loss, except you hand in the damaged document instead of a denuncia.

🔹 If personal data changed

  • Provide the document proving the change (translated and apostilled if required).
  • Follow the same steps as for reissue after loss.

Timeframes for reissue

  • By law: up to 60 days.
  • In practice:
    • small cities: 2–4 weeks;
    • large cities: 2–3 months;
    • during mass renewals, waiting times can be longer.

7. Rights under Italian law and Directive 2001/55/EC

🏠 Right to reside

  • Lawful stay in Italy for the entire duration of temporary protection.
  • Free movement within Italy.
  • Short-term travel to other EU countries (up to 90/180 days) if you have a Ukrainian biometric passport and a valid Permesso.

💼 Right to work

  • Work is allowed from day one — no separate permesso per lavoro required.
  • Employment or self-employment permitted (including opening a Partita IVA).
  • You may register with the centro per l’impiego.
  • All contract types are permitted: indeterminato, determinato, stagionale, etc.

📚 Right to education

  • Children have access to free compulsory schooling on equal terms with Italian citizens.
  • Access to all levels of education, including universities (sometimes with simplified entry rules).
  • Free or subsidized Italian courses (including via CPIA).

🏥 Right to healthcare

  • Registration with the Servizio Sanitario Nazionale (SSN).
  • Free choice of family doctor (medico di base) and paediatrician.
  • Free or subsidized healthcare on conditions similar to Italian citizens.
  • Free access to emergency care.

💶 Social rights

  • Eligibility for certain benefits (e.g., assegno unico per figli, means-tested support) subject to residence requirements.
  • In some regions: additional support (free transport passes, food cards).

🚗 Driving rights

  • You may use your Ukrainian driving licence throughout the period of temporary protection (formally until the licence’s expiry in Ukraine).
  • Exchange to an Italian licence is possible without a driving test.
    On request, we can provide separate advice on exchanging a Ukrainian licence for an Italian one.

📄 Other rights

  • Opening bank accounts.
  • Opening a Partita IVA and carrying out business activities.
  • Signing contracts for phone, Internet, utilities.

Renting accommodation in your own name.

8. Main refusal grounds & common mistakes

Official grounds for refusal or revocation

(under Directive 2001/55/EC and Italian law — D.Lgs. 85/2003 and subsequent decrees/circulars):

  • No grounds for temporary protection
    The person is not in the listed categories (e.g., was not in Ukraine at the relevant time, is not a refugee/family member, arrived in Italy before 24.02.2022).
  • Public-security risk
    Convictions for serious crimes in Italy or another EU country; links to terrorist/criminal organisations.
  • Protection already granted in another country
    Holding temporary protection in another EU Member State and applying in Italy without terminating the first status (protection must be in one state).
  • False information/forged documents
    Fake passports, sham family certificates; mismatched personal data.
  • Voluntary departure from Italy to live elsewhere.
  • Moving to another country and obtaining protection or a residence permit there.

Common applicant mistakes (practice) & how to avoid them

  • No termination proof from the first country (Poland, Germany, Czechia, etc.) → Questura refuses.
    Solution: secure written confirmation beforehand.
  • Applying without an international passport. In 2022 internal IDs were often accepted; in 2024–2025 most Questure require a biometric passport or proof it has been requested (regional exceptions apply).
  • No proof of address (residenza or dichiarazione di ospitalità). Even if not strictly required by law, many Questure ask for it.
  • Late renewal. Missing the renewal window sometimes forces a fresh start, complicating your legal position.
  • Missing translations. Some Questure require Italian translations (especially marriage/birth certificates). Bringing originals without translations often leads to postponed appointments.

9. Conversion from/to other Permesso

1) Converting other residence permits to protezione temporanea

❌ Not possible.

  • Italian law does not provide conversion (conversione) from other Permessi (e.g., lavoro, studio, famiglia) to protezione temporanea.
  • Temporary protection is an exceptional regime introduced by the Council of Ministers under Directive 2001/55/EC and is granted only to those meeting the specific criteria (nationality, Ukrainian refugee status, relevant dates, etc.).

2) Converting protezione temporanea into other Permessi

Possible conversions to:

  • Permesso di soggiorno per motivi di lavoro subordinato
  • Permesso di soggiorno per lavoro autonomo / con Partita IVA
  • Permesso di soggiorno per motivi familiari
  • Other categories (less common):
    • Studio / formazione — for long study programmes;
    • Motivi umanitari — in specific circumstances.

Advice if you plan to stay and integrate in Italy If you can take up formal employment or open a Partita IVA, consider converting sooner rather than later: temporary protection has an end date (EU: to March 2027; Italy: currently to 31 March 2026).

🧠 10. Tips & important information

1) Choosing your residence path

  • Don’t delay conversion to a more stable Permesso (lavoro subordinato, lavoro autonomo, famiglia) if you plan a long-term stay.
  • Protezione temporanea is time-limited (EU — to March 2027; Italy — currently to 31 March 2026) and depends on developments in Ukraine and political decisions.
  • After conversion you can start accruing residence time towards Permesso UE per soggiornanti di lungo periodo — time under protezione temporanea does not count.

2) Working with the Questura

  • In big cities (Milan, Rome, Naples) queues for applications and renewals are long — book early.
  • Some Questure have dedicated offices for Ukrainians with interpreters (e.g., Udine), which speeds things up.
  • If an officer says conversion is impossible, ask them to refer to the Ministero dell’Interno circular (14/03/2022 and updates).

3) Documents & filing tips

  • No marca da bollo is needed for the first temporary-protection application.
  • For the 2025 renewal, you must pay marca da bollo (€16.00) + plastic card fee (€30.46).
  • Early in the war, internal Ukrainian IDs were accepted; in 2024–2025 most Questure require an international passport. Without it, acceptance is exceptional (children, elderly, incapacity).
  • If you move from another EU country with temporary protection, you will need official proof that the first status was terminated.
  • In some cases (especially after an address change) the Questura may ask for a dichiarazione di ospitalità or idoneità abitativa — prepare in advance.

4) Moving from another EU country

  • The EU does not forbid changing the host country, but Italy will accept you only if the previous status is ended.
  • Once you obtain protection in Italy, you lose benefits in the first country (housing, assistance, healthcare).

5) Work & social rights

  • From the date on your ricevuta, you may work legally.
  • Access healthcare via iscrizione al Servizio Sanitario Nazionale (SSN), usually for the same period as the Permesso.
  • You can obtain a Codice Fiscale at the time of application.

Корисні посилання:

12. Useful links:

⚖️ Government and EU references

  • Ministero dell’Interno (Italian Ministry of the Interior) — section on temporary protection

https://www.interno.gov.it/it/temi/immigrazione-e-asilo/protezione-internazionale-e-umanitaria/protezione-temporanea

  • European Commission — official page on temporary protection within the EU

https://ec.europa.eu/home-affairs/policies/migration-and-asylum/common-european-asylum-system/temporary-protection_en

  • Gazzetta Ufficiale — publication of Italian decrees and laws extending temporary protection

https://www.gazzettaufficiale.it

📨 Application and renewal procedure

  • Portale Immigrazione — official Italian Immigration Portal for tracking the status of your Permesso di soggiorno

https://www.portaleimmigrazione.it

  • Poste Italiane — information about Sportello Amico branches that handle Permesso application kits

https://www.poste.it

  • Questure Polizia di Stato — find your local Questura’s address and contact information

https://questure.poliziadistato.it

🏥 Healthcare and medical assistance

  • Servizio Sanitario Nazionale (SSN) — official information about healthcare rights for people under temporary protection

https://www.salute.gov.it/

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

1. How long does temporary protection in Italy last?

  • Initially: 1 year.
  • Extended several times — the latest decision by the Italian Council of Ministers sets validity until 31 March 2026.
  • At EU level — extended until 4 March 2027, but Italy has officially confirmed March 2026 for now.

2. Can I come to Italy if I have temporary protection in another EU country?

  • Yes, but you must end temporary protection in the first country (obtain an official termination document).
  • Without this, the Questura may refuse to issue a permesso.

3. Do I need to file a dichiarazione di presenza?

  • For Ukrainians under temporary protection no, if you apply directly for the Permesso.
  • In some Questure, when changing city, they may ask for a dichiarazione di ospitalità.

4. Can I work with a permesso per protezione temporanea?

  • Yes, the right to work starts from the ricevuta (submission receipt).
  • This covers any type of employment: lavoro subordinato (contract) or lavoro autonomo (with Partita IVA).

5. What documents are needed for the first application?

  • Ukrainian international passport (in some cases — internal ID, but this is now rare).
  • Photo 3.5×4.5 cm.
  • Copy of Codice Fiscale (if available).
  • Accommodation document (if available).
  • If moving from another EU country — a termination document from that country.

6. Is a marca da bollo required?

  • Not for the first application.
  • For renewals in 2025, many regions require marca da bollo (€16) + plastic card fee (€30–40).

7. Can this Permesso be converted to a work or family permit?

  • Yes, if requirements are met (work contract, Partita IVA registration, marriage/family reunification).
  • Conversion is possible before expiry — you do not need to wait until temporary protection ends.

8. Can I travel abroad with this Permesso?

  • Yes, to any EU country (up to 90 days) and to Ukraine.
  • For non-EU countries — check visa rules.

9. What should I do if my Permesso is lost or stolen?

  • File a police report immediately (denuncia di smarrimento/furto).
  • With a copy of the denuncia and your documents, go to the Questura for a duplicate.

10. Does this Permesso count towards the long-term EU permit (Permesso UE lungo periodo)?

No. Time under temporary protection does not count towards the 5 years required for long-term EU residence.

We have prepared for you a detailed PDF Guide: it includes all the steps and procedures for obtaining the Permesso di soggiorno per protezione temporanea emergenza Ucraina

Download and use it as a ready-to-go manual!

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