Handbook for Foreign Guests

BEFORE YOUR ARRIVAL

 

• Check your immigration requirements
• Translate your educational qualifications
• Apply for a research or for a student visa
• Arrange your health insurance
• Get the Italian Tax Code (codice fiscale) at the Italian Embassy or Consulate

1. HOW TO ENTER ITALY

• For EU citizens. For a period of stay up to three months, European Union (EU) and Swiss citizens are allowed to freely travel and stay in Italy and in other EU countries without any formalities. You only need a valid Identity Document (ID) or passport.

        For a period that exceeds three months,EU citizens have to register at the Register Office (Anagrafe).

• For Non EU citizens. Non EU citizens need to obtain an Entry Visa, that is an authorization enabling to enter Italy. Documents needed may change depending on the country of residence, the duration and the reasons of stay.

       Depending on the time you will spend in Italy, you can apply for two types of visa:

       1. TYPE C: short stay; valid up to 90 days.

       2. TYPE D: long stay; valid for more than 3 months.

 There are many types of visa: usually foreign researchers coming to the campus need a research visaor a study visa.

2. QUALIFICATIONS (Titoli di studio)

Before joining our Department, it is compulsory to present your qualifications. Documents must be:

• Translated by an official translator;
• Authenticated by the Italian Representative (Embassy or Consulate) in the country where the degree was obtained;
• Accompanied by a Declaration of value (dichiarazione di valore) of the degree.

3. HEALTH INSURANCE (Assicurazione sanitaria)

4. TAX CODE (Codice fiscale)

Tax code identifies a citizen when dealing with public offices. It is a personal tax identification number (a 16 alphanumeric digit code)used in all interactions with government agencies and public administration in Italy. For example it isnecessary to open a bank account, to register for the Italian National Health System, etc.

It is possible to ask for “codice fiscale’” in advance at the Italian Embassy or consulate of your country, in the appropriate office, filling out a proper form.

If you are not able to get the tax code at the Italian Embassy or Consulate of your country of residence, you will have to get it once you arrive in Milan. Itis issued by the local offices of the “Agenzia delle Entrate” and isfree of charge.

The procedure is very simple and it is the same both for EU e Non EU citizens. We will go together to the local offices of the “Agenzia delle Entrate” (the one nearest the Campus is in via Abetone), with:

• Your passport or ID card and a photocopy;
• Form filled out and signed;
• Copy of your Entry Visa (only for Non-EU citizen).

WHAT TO DO ON ARRIVAL

 

• Apply for the Permit of Stay (only for Non EU citizens)
• Register for the National Health System
• Open a bank account
• Look for an accommodation
• Register at the Register Office

Non-EU citizens

5. PERMIT OF STAY FOR RESEARCH (permesso di soggiorno per ricerca scientifica)

A Residence Permit (or Permit of Stay) is required for the formalization of your stay in Italy. The Permit of Stay can be issued only for the purpose stated on your visa. It is mandatory to apply for it within 8 days from your arrival.The duration of the Permit of Stay for research purposes will cover the whole period declared in the Hosting Agreement.

You will be able to start the research activities while waiting for your Permit of Stay.

In brief all the steps to obtain your Permit of Stay:

1. Once arrived in Milan, you are invited to our office (building 1, third floor). We will schedule an appointment with Sportello Unico per l’Immigrazionewhere we can go together, with the following documents:

• Passport;
• Entry Clearance;
• Copy of Entry Visa;
• Tax code (if you already have it; otherwise they issue that immediately);
• Dwelling suitability documents (certificato di idoneità alloggiativa);

Dwelling suitability is a very tough matter! So, in order to submit all documentation properly, it’s necessary to know where you are going to stay here at least for the first few months, because it is important to choose an accommodation offering you a registered rental agreement. Moreover, you must have: a registered plan of your flat (planimetria catastale) provided by your landlord, a form filled in and signed, and a revenue stamp of 16,00 euros.

It may be possible to apply at the local office of Comune di Milano, according to your place of residence. 

1. Police Headquarter will release form “209” already filled in with your personal details. Once obtained that, it is possible to apply at the Post office – Sportello Amico.

The documents required are:

• Copy of your passport;
• Form “209” filled out and signed;
• A revenue stamp of 16,00 euros;
• A copy of Hosting Agreement;
• A copy of the Entry Clearance;
• A copy of your Health Insurance;
• A copy of the fellowship letter.

The following fees are required:

• 70,46 euros, if you're applying for a residence permit valid from three months up to one year; 80,46 euros for a permit valid for no more than two years; 130,46 euros for a permit valid for more than two years;
• 16,00 euros for the electronic revenue stamp (“marca da bollo”) available at tobacconists (“tabaccheria”).
• 30,46 euros to be paid at the Post Office when you submit your completed application.

The closest Post Office to IEO Campus is in via Ripamonti 167 (opening hours: Mon-Fri 8:00 a.m. - 7:00 p.m., Sat 08:30 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.).

• At the Post Office, you will receive a receipt(“ricevuta”). The receipt will be the most important document you have until you will get you Permit of Stay, as it is a proof that the request was submitted. It includes a user ID and a Password (codice assicurata) for tracking the progress of your application.
• Post Office will also schedule an appointment (usually after three months) at the Immigration Office (“Ufficio Immigrazione”) - the local Questurain order to be fingerprinted. On this occasion you will have to bring:
• Your passport;
• Copy of your Entry Visa;
• Copy of Nulla Ostaand mod. 209 issued by the Prefettura;
• Original postal receipts issued by Post Office;
• 4 passport-sized photographs;
• Health Insurance valid for one year;
• Hosting Agreement;
• IEO fellowship letter/contract.
• Once you have been fingerprinted, you will be contacted by text message to get your Permit of Stay. Usually that happens after three weeks/one month.

The electronic Permit of Stay is a magnetic card similar to a credit card, which contains a microchip and a machine-readable magnetic stripe in which the cardholder's personal details, photograph and fingerprints are stored in digital format.

The main Immigration Office in Milan (Ufficio Immigrazione) is in via Montebello, 26. The opening hours of the office is: Monday-Friday from 08:00 a.m. to 05:30 p.m.

Depending on your place of residence, it will be scheduled an appointment in different smaller Police Headquarters.

The closest Questurato the campus is in via Chopin 52.

• It is possible to check whether your residence permit is ready on the website http://questure.poliziadistato.it/stranieri/, by entering the codice assicurata Once the permit is ready, it will be written: “il permesso è pronto per la consegna”. Anyway, you will have to wait for the text message to go and get it.

According to a new Italian rule, starting from March 2012 foreigners who enter Italy have to submit an IntegrationAgreement, signed by the foreigner and the Italian Police Headquarter. The aim of the Agreement is to facilitate the integration of the foreigners arriving in Italy, to be better introduced into the Italian society.

Once signed, the Integration Agreement will already have some credits (crediti). Within the period of validity of the permit, the foreigner has to achieve some objectives, as stated in the Agreement, attending some compulsory courses, such as Italian language and civic culture. Additional credits will be gained in case of registration for the Italian Health National System, or if holding a registered rental contract.

6. PERMIT OF STAY FOR STUDY (permesso di soggiorno per studio)

If you have to apply for a permit of stay for study reasons, the procedure to be followed is much simpler than the previous one:

1. We will fill out the yellow kit (mod. 209) (available in any post office with the symbol “Sportello Amico”) with your personal details. In that occasion, we will attach:
   • Your passport,
   • Copy of your Entry Visa with stamp and date of your arrival,
   • Copy of the letter of acceptance you have used for the application for your Entry Visa with stamp of the Embassy,
   • Copy of your Health Insurance valid at least for one year.
2. Then, at the Post Office you will be given a receipt (“ricevuta”). The receipt will be the most important document you have until you will get you permit of stay. It is a proof that the request was submitted: it includes a user ID and a Password (codice assicurata) for tracking the progress of your application.
3. Post Office will also schedule an appointment (usually after three months) with the Immigration Office (“Ufficio Immigrazione”) - local Questura of your place of residence to be fingerprinted. On this occasion you will have to bring:
   • Your passport;
   • Copy of your Entry Visa;
   • Original postal receipts issued by Post Office;
   • 4 passport-sized photographs;
   • Health insurance valid for one year;
   • IEO fellowship letter/contract.
4. Once you have been fingerprinted, you will be contacted by text message to get your Permit of Stay, usually three weeks/one month later.
5. It is possible to check whether your residence permit is ready on the website by entering the codice assicurata code. Once the Permit is ready, it will be written: “il permesso è pronto per la consegna”. Anyway, you have to wait for the text message to get it.

7. REGISTER OFFICE (Anagrafe)

8. NATIONAL HEALTH SYSTEM (Servizio Sanitario Nazionale)

In Italy the health care system is administrated at National level by Servizio Sanitario Nazionale – SSN. Being registered with the SSN entitles you to the same benefits as Italian citizens. In particular, SSN provides:

• General practitioner (medico di base);
• Hospitalization and treatment (including tests, surgery and medication during hospitalization);
• Basic medical care;
• Prescriptions for specialist medical care;
• Laboratory tests, medical aids and devices;
• Ambulance service.

For visits and medical examinations with specialists a small fee is required(ticket).  

In Italy, Servizio Sanitario Nazionale is largely under the control of regional governments and is administered by local health authorities called “Azienda di Sanità Locale/ATS” (Agenzia di Tutela della Salute- Health Protection Agency).  

9. ITALIAN SOCIAL SECURITY SYSTEM

Taxation in Italy is levied at national, regional and municipal level.

The Italian tax system is managed by the Italian Revenue Agency (Agenzia delle Entrate).

The “Tax Year” runs from January 1st to  December 31st.

In Italy, taxes are grouped into two main categories:

• Direct taxes: on the income of individuals (known as IRPEF) and to the income of enterprise or companies. The last one is not directly applicable to researchers;
• Indirect taxes: on goods, services or imports (IVA, equivalent to VAT) on regional production (IRAP), on real estate (ICI).

All workers are subject to taxation of their income or other benefits. The amount of taxes to be paid depends on the type and duration of the contract.

10. RIENTRO CERVELLI

Since September 2003 in Italy a new law gives fiscal benefits to both foreign and Italian scientists.

This tax reduction is applied to foreigners who prove that they have been actively involved in research or tenure activity at a foreign public/private University or Institute of Research for at least two consecutive years.

According to this Italian rule, foreign researchers can pay income tax corresponding to10% of their income for three consecutive years, starting from the calendar year in which the scientist becomes fiscal resident: you become fiscal resident in Italy if you have an income for at least a period of 183 days within the calendar year. Since Italian tax residence goes on a calendaryearly basis, if you come in Italy in the first part of the year (e.g. in January/February) you will become fiscal resident within the year, hence you will get fiscal benefits for three consecutive years.

If you are considered eligible, you can pay taxes corresponding toonly 10% of your actual income here.

The tax reduction for researchers can be applied for a maximum of three fiscal years.

As a minimum requirement you must:

• Have a University degree or equivalent;
• Have been permanently resident abroad when making a decision to move to Italy;
• Have carried out research activity abroad, at a University or Institute of Research, for at least two consecutive years.

Documents required are:

• University Degree certificate (translated into Italian);
• Certificate of residence to prove that your previous residence/staying was permanent and not temporary;
• An official certification of your research or tenure activity for at least two consecutive years;
• Register Office enrollment(Iscrizione anagrafica)or residence or domicile certificate.

11. OPEN A BANK ACCOUNT

The easiest way to transfer money and get your salary is to open a bank account in Italy.

Documents required may change according to different banks company.

In any case, the fundamental documents are:

• Passport or ID card;
• Tax code;
• Fellowship or contract (as a proof of financial support);
• For Non EU citizens, postal receipts as a proof you have applied for the Permit of Stay. Once you get your Permit of Stay, deliver it to the bank as soon as possible.

GENERAL INFORMATION

12. ACCOMMODATION

To look for an accommodation, you can visit some websites collecting the ads of whom offers/looks for a room or a shared flat. Some useful websites are: Immobiliare.it, Casa.it, SoloAffitti, Bacheca.it, Airbnb and Kijiji.

In Milan the average rent for a single room is 400 euros, for a double room 300 euros, usually with a two-month deposit.

It is more expensive if you decide to turn to real estate agencies: usually you have to pay a sum corresponding to a monthly rent to the agency, plus a 3-month rent in advance and 1-month deposit.

13. PUBLIC TRANSPORT

In Milan the public transport is managed by ATM (Azienda Trasporti Milanesi available also in English). There are 4 metro lines and about 120 surface lines (buses and trams).

These below are three different types of annual subscriptions:

*monthly subscription costs 35,00 euros (unlimited trips); monthly rechargeable;

*weekly subscription costs 11,30 euros (monday-sunday - unlimited trips); weekly rechargeable;

*annual subscription costs 330,00 euros. Please note that for this sort of subscription there is an IEO discount (10%). If you are interested please pass by DEO Personnel Office, third floor, building 1. 

On top of that, you have to pay the electronic card that costs 10,00 euros and is valid for four years. You can go to any ATM point to get it.

ATM points are:

Cadorna (MM1 red line and MM2 green line)

Duomo (MM1 red line and MM 3 yellow line)

Centrale (MM2 green line - MM3 yellow line)

Garibaldi (MM2 green line)

Romolo (MM2 green line)

For info visit ATM Points.