Recently someone told me that I could never obtain residence in Italy even if I tried because I'm going to be renting a room, not a whole apartment.

I feel like that this is not true!!!

Not true. You can apply for residenza if you live in a rented apt.

Bill is quite right...

I was given residence in Milano when I came out of hospital and had to stay with my niece. I was, to all intents and purposes, 'one of the family'. Still got the Vigili Visit though, and he wanted to see that I had at least a bedroom of my own - which I did.

So don't worry, you'll be OK!

Yeah, I definitely feel like I'm getting the runaround here. I called him out on it through an e-mail; let's see what happens!

The information you got is wrong, yes, but what this person may have been referring to is whose name is on the rental contract. For example, if there is already a contract and you will be paying for your room "in nero", then you will not be able to demonstrate a registered contract with your name on it in order to obtain residency.
With that said, make sure that you will be added to the contract and that it is registered if you want to apply for residency. In Carole B.'s case she was staying with family who I am assuming owned the house she was staying in... not the case for you.

Trinacria also was able to get residenza in Palermo in a rented room. The vigili visited- no problem. It just has to be legal.

How long do you have to live in a rented apt? Because my landlord is on my *** to get my permesso di siogorno so he doesn't get arrested because I don't have papers. And I'm an American, so from what I've been told by other Americans here, anti-immigration rules don't apply to us.

You should have applied for a permesso di soggiorno as soon as you arrived.

Americans are not above the law and have to follow the law which is all non EU citizens must have permission to live in Italy.

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Originally posted by liberacat:
How long do you have to live in a rented apt? Because my landlord is on my *** to get my permesso di siogorno so he doesn't get arrested because I don't have papers. And I'm an American, so from what I've been told by other Americans here, anti-immigration rules don't apply to us.

Are you serious? Americans are not above the law. Go now to get your PdS...

quote:

Because my landlord is on my *** to get my permesso di siogorno so he doesn't get arrested because I don't have papers.

He has reason- the security package parliament just passed makes it a crime to rent an apartment to undocumented immigrants. He risks a big fine and even having his property confiscated by the govt.

Arghhh!

I'm so frustrated!

I began doing everything for my move to Italy in 2004 (!)-- researching all the things I'd need to get there and stay there legally and become a citizen.

Now I realize how hard it is to obtain residenza! Everyone who I talk to who is willing to rent me a stanza singola in an apartment is NOT willing to let me use the address for my residenza claim! I have lots and lots of friends and some family in Italy who I could stay with, but none of them are in Perugia where I'll be and I hear one must stay for at least a month in the place you put as your residenza because the police come looking for you.

I'm trying to do everything well in advance so I'm all set to go come next August. Sigh.. why is it so hard to find an honest person these days? Nobody is letting me put their address down!

Hang on: liberacat, I see you have been in Italy since at least the beginning of the year and have applied for your PdS--is that correct? If so, you should have a receipt from the questura: the fact that it takes them incredibly long to deal with their own paperwork shouldn't cause problems for you, and you should be able to show your receipt to your landlord. He's justifiably antsy because he could lose his property if he's renting to a senza carte.

I am curious though. You say you applied for your PdS the day your visa expired: what kind of visa was it and for what length of time did it allow you to stay in Italy? In an earlier post you indicate that the police are ok about you staying here until the PdS comes through--but that isn't illegal! Also, are you eligible for dual citizenship?

And sadly, no, Americans aren't above anything, certainly not Italian law.

quote:

Originally posted by ricciolina:
Arghhh!

I'm so frustrated!

I began doing everything for my move to Italy in 2004 (!)-- researching all the things I'd need to get there and stay there legally and become a citizen.

Now I realize how hard it is to obtain residenza! Everyone who I talk to who is willing to rent me a stanza singola in an apartment is NOT willing to let me use the address for my residenza claim! I have lots and lots of friends and some family in Italy who I could stay with, but none of them are in Perugia where I'll be and I hear one must stay for at least a month in the place you put as your residenza because the police come looking for you.

I'm trying to do everything well in advance so I'm all set to go come next August. Sigh.. why is it so hard to find an honest person these days? Nobody is letting me put their address down!

Frustrated in NY had this same problem in Rome. But Trinacria pulled it off in Palermo and Roarke did in Rome, so be patient and keep looking. There must be some legitimate landlords (at least one) in Perugia- it just may take a bit more time to ferret them out.

BTW why can't you apply for jus sanguinis citizenship in the towns where your friends live?

I thought Jus Sanguinis can only work in the town your family is from?

Anyway, my appt. with the consulate is in May, but I leave in August, so I might as well just start the ball rolling in NYC, right?

No, you can apply in a different comune. Trinacria's ancestors were from a town near Rome, but he applied in Palermo.

Do you mean May 2009?

Remember, you apply where you reside; then your documents are registered in your ancestral comune.

New York in May should work for you. If your documents are totally in order and you are going to Italy that August, you should be fine.

quote:

Now I realize how hard it is to obtain residenza! Everyone who I talk to who is willing to rent me a stanza singola in an apartment is NOT willing to let me use the address for my residenza claim!

I know this won't make you feel any better, but I have found 2 perfect apartments that I could not rent because the LLs didn't want me to have Turin residenza. This is because either themselves or another person already uses that address for residenza, and if I am added we would all result as the same nuclear family! It really is frusterating, I completely agree, but if all else fails I would try to get a cheap monolocale and use that for your residence. ALSO, do not count on the vigili coming in 1 month. I have heard up to a 4 or 5 month wait!

Speaking of monolocali-- I found a really perfect one, but the lady renting it told me even before I asked it could not be used for a residenza.. Guess that too was illegal!

Where are the good people?!

And yes, May as in May 2009. I've heard that the NYC consulate has been getting good reviews lately, so I'm optimistic!

quote:

Where are the good people?!

I forgot to mention, that there are also different tax implications for the LL if the renter is a resident (exactly what these are, I am not sure).
The first thing I would say when I call or write when interested in an apartment, at this point, is I intend to use this apartment for my residency address.
Also, I am going to play the devil's advocate and say I don't think it is as much that the LLs are not good people, as we are both dealing with a difference in mentality. Many LLs have less of a business concept of owning/renting and most Italians who have never changed cities have no concept of the implications of residency is and how hard it is to obtain...also, I will get off my soapbox, but always remember when it comes to contracts and this residency issue, don't rent if the owners will not give you a registered contract. It costs you almost nothing, cushions you with more legal rights, ecc, which LLs will have tax and legal obligations that many try to avoid (don't let them get away with this at your expense)! Therefore, the residency thing may be linked in some cases with this "paper trail"...
Good luck, you WILL find something!

Oh Jenna, I hope you didn't misunderstand!

I didn't mean they're bad people.. heck, people in the U.S. sublet all the time!

I'm just really, really frustrated!