Italy - Permit to stay?
 

I will be in Italy skiing and touring for about 3 weeks - I've heard that I need to obtain a Permit to Stay from any local police station within 8 days of arriving in Italy??? Is this right????

Hi Auss,

I fear that you have been misinformed.

Each hotel will ask for your passport, record necessary information and return it to you.

((I))

From the Italian tourist board website:

"Registration for Tourists
The formality of registering with the police within 3 days of a tourist's arrival in Italy is attended to by the hotels one stays with. If staying with friends or in a private home, the visitor has to register in person at the nearest police station within a 3-day period. In Rome there is a special police information office to assist tourists. (Interpreters are available) telephone: 461-950 or 486-609."


Though I've never heard of anyone who stayed in private homes having a problem if they failed to register, it is apparently a legal requirement to register if not staying in accomodations that do it for you (e.g., hotels, pensions, etc.).

If you're staying long enough to require a visa, i.e. over 90 days, you do need to register within 8 days. Otherwise, I don't know.

If you are staying in a private home you are suppose to register with the local police department according to Italian law. I have yet remembered to do this! I suppose that if you got into any type of legal trouble and had not registered you would be in more legal trouble.

When staying at a hotel the hotel takes care of this, which I why you have to give them your passport so they can fill out the information for the authorities.

I concur with LoveItaly.

Officially you are supposed to register with the local police. Unless you're staying with relatives, then your accomdoation will do this for you when you check in - they will ask for your passport and ask you to sign a small slip of paper which they will fill in. Don't panic if they keep your passport overnight - this is standard practice, it simply means they're keeping it behind the recption desk until they've had chance to fax the paperwork off to the police. They'll give it back to you the next day.

I have a holiday home in Italy so am officially supposed to go and do the paperwork at the police station myself - haven't done it yet!