If you are moving to Italy for work, one of the most important questions may be whether your spouse, civil partner, or family can join you.
For non-EU citizens, this is usually done through family reunification, a legal procedure that allows certain family members of a foreign citizen legally living in Italy to apply for a long-stay visa and residence permit for family reasons.
Who can apply for family reunification in Italy?
In general, the procedure applies to non-EU citizens who are already living in Italy with a valid residence permit, for example for work purposes.
Under Italian immigration rules, family reunification may be requested for:
- a spouse who is not legally separated and is at least 18 years old
- a registered civil partner, where the civil union is legally recognized
- minor unmarried children, including children of the spouse or children born outside marriage, where applicable with the consent of the other parent
- adult dependent children, only when they cannot support themselves due to total disability
- dependent parents, only under specific legal conditions
❌ Unmarried partners who are not in a legally recognized civil union are generally not treated in the same way as spouses or civil partners for this procedure.
Since immigration requirements can change and may depend on the specific type of permit, it is always important to check the official instructions from the Italian authorities before applying.
Main requirements: residence, income, and accommodation
To apply for family reunification, you usually need to meet three main conditions:
📝A residence permit that allows family reunification. For many workers, this means first obtaining the relevant work visa, entering Italy, applying for a residence permit, and meeting the legal residence requirement before starting the family reunification procedure.
💸Sufficient income to support the family member joining them in Italy. The minimum income is calculated based on the annual Italian social allowance and increases depending on the number of family members to be reunited. Since the amount changes every year, you should always check the current income threshold before applying.
🏠 Suitable accommodation. Italian authorities may check the suitability of the accommodation, including the number of people who will live there.
Recent rules introduced an additional requirement for many applicants: the person living in Italy may need to prove at least two years of legal and uninterrupted residence in Italy before applying for family reunification. Some categories, such as EU Blue Card holders, may follow different rules.
How to apply: step by step
Step 1: Check your eligibility
Before starting the process, check whether your residence permit allows family reunification and whether you meet the residence, income, and accommodation requirements.
Step 2: Apply for the nulla osta
The person living in Italy must apply for a nulla osta, an official authorization for family reunification, through the Sportello Unico per l’Immigrazione using the online procedure available on the Italian Ministry of Interior portal.
Step 3: Wait for the decision
If the application is accepted, the Sportello Unico sends the authorization to the Italian consular office in the country where the family member lives.
According to official guidance, the nulla osta for family reunification must be issued within 150 days of the request and must be used for the visa application within six months from the date of issue.
Step 4: The family member applies for the visa
Once the nulla osta has been issued, the family member abroad applies for a long-stay visa for family reasons at the competent Italian Embassy or Consulate.
They will usually need to provide documents proving the family relationship, such as a marriage certificate or civil partnership certificate. These documents may need to be translated and legalized according to the rules of the country where they were issued.
Step 5: Arrival in Italy and residence permit
After entering Italy with the family visa, the family member must apply for a residence permit for family reasons, usually within 8 working days of arrival to complete the first-entry procedure and start the application.
This permit is usually linked to the residence permit of the family member already living in Italy. A residence permit for family reasons can allow access to services, study or training, and work in Italy, within the limits provided by Italian law.
Family members accompanying you vs. family reunification
In some cases, family members may be able to enter Italy together with the person moving for work. This is different from family reunification after arrival.
The family members accompanying route may apply, for example, when a non-EU citizen holds a work visa for subordinate employment with a contract lasting at least one year, or for non-occasional self-employment. The same official guidance also mentions study and religious reasons among the possible cases.
This option depends on the type of visa, the duration of the contract, and the ability to meet income and accommodation requirements.
If your goal is to move to Italy together with your spouse or family from the beginning, you should check this possibility before applying for your visa.
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Learning the language can make the relocation process much smoother for the whole family.
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