Family reunification: what steps to follow to obtain it

The foreign citizen, holder of a long-term residence permit or a residence permit with a duration of not less than one year issued for subordinate work, self-employment, for study, for religious reasons, or for family reasons, can request family reunification. .

But who are the people who are the object of the reunification?

• a spouse who is not legally separated and aged no less than eighteen;
• minor children, including those of the spouse or born out of wedlock, provided that the other parent has given his consent;
• dependent adult children, if they cannot provide for their own indispensable life needs due to their state of health which involves total invalidity;
• dependent parents, if they have no other children in their country of origin or provenance;
• parents over 65, if the other children are unable to their
  sustenance for documented serious health reasons.

The entry of family members of foreigners legally residing in Italy takes place after the issuance of a visa for family reunification: the visa must be requested by the foreigner residing in Italy by submitting the request for authorization for reunification at the Single Desk for Immigration.

The issue of the visa and the consequent residence permit are subject to the existence of certain requirements, including:

The foreigner legally residing in Italy must demonstrate the availability of adequate accommodation, as confirmed by the housing suitability certificate, issued by the Technical Office of the Municipality;
A minimum annual income, deriving from legitimate sources, of not less than the annual amount of the social allowance, increased by half the allowance for each family member for whom the request for reunification is made.
Once the application for authorization has been accepted, the second phase of the process opens with the verification of the subjective requirements for the issue of the Entry Visa, by the Consular Offices in the country of origin or residence of the family member to be reunited, such as the certification attesting to kinship and health: The Entry Visa is issued or denied within 30 days of the request.

If the procedure is successful, the residence permit for family reasons will have the same duration as the residence permit of the family member who applied for reunification.

Family unity is a fundamental right recognized by Italian law and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights: find out how to protect your loved ones with an insurance coverage once they arrive in Italy.