The new procedure for submitting applications came into force on 10 April 2008. This procedure entails filling in an electronic form available on the Ministry of the Interior website www.interno.it in the “Immigration” section.

Directions for filling in Form S and the detailed list of the documents regarding income and accommodation can be found in the instructions attached to the on-line forms. Upon receipt of the application, the Prefecture Service will summon the applicant and book an appointment to present the documentation related to availability of accommodation and the minimum necessary income.

For the accommodation, a certificate must attest that it has the minimum parameters set by the regional law for residential accommodation, with express fitness as accommodation or health and hygiene certificate (original plus photocopy). This certificate must be requested by the foreign citizen at the Technical Office of the Municipality or from the ASL where he/she lives. If the applicant is guest in someone else’s house, he/she must attach a declaration written by the owner of the apartment on form “T2”, stating his/her consent for taking in the relatives too as guests.

In event of reunification for one only child under the age of 14, the municipal certificate may be replaced by:

• a declaration of hospitality made by the owner of the apartment on form “S1” (original and photocopy)
• a copy of the lease/gratuitous loan/ownership contract valid for no less than six months as from the date of presentation of the application (in duplicate).

With regard to income, the researcher must have an annual income deriving from legal sources no lower than the social allowance if he/she is apply for reunification with only one relative, no lower than double this amount when applying for reunification with two or three relatives, three times this amount for four or more relatives.

Any dependent relatives previously reunited with the researcher must be taken into account for the purposes of determination of the income of the applicant. According to the regulations currently in force (art. 29, paragraph 3, letter b of the Testo Unico sull’Immigrazione) when determining the income the overall annual income of relatives living with the applicant must also be taken into account.

If the applicant has no personal income, the income may also be demonstrated by presenting suitable documentation of the incomes possessed by relatives living with him/her. In the event of applications for reunification permits for children of age suffering from total invalidity, the “dependent” status is appraised by the Italian Diplomatic Delegation in the Country of origin or from which the relative arrives, after ascertaining the health reasons that determine the inability to work of the children themselves.

Similarly, when applications are made for reunification permits for parents over sixty-five years old, if the other children resident in the country of origin are unable to support them due to documented serious health reasons, the “dependent” status is appraised by the Italian Diplomatic Delegation after ascertaining the state of health of the children in question.

In the event of applications for reunification permits for dependent parents, where there are no other children in the country of origin or the country from which they are arriving, the applicant him/herself must vouch for the “dependent” status by special self-certification in which the applicant declares, under his/her own responsibility, that his/her parents are economically dependent upon him/her.

• the relative for whom reunification is requested must present documents to the Italian consular authorities in the Country where he/she lives proving that he/she is a relative, that he/she is under age or his/her state of health
• the Prefecture Service will issue a receipt for the application and for the documents presented
• after checking that the requisites are valid the Prefettura will issue the permit (it will take 6-8 months), or notice of denial, sending notification to the consular authority
• no later than 8 days after entry into Italy, the relative must go to the Prefecture Service which has issued to permit, and will fill in and hand him/her the application form for a residence permit, otherwise he/she will be considered to be illegally present in Italy
• the residence permit for family motives will permit him/her to enter into employment or self-employment, register for educational courses, access the SSN (national health service).