In short
The EU long-term residence permit is the indefinite-status title for people legally resident in Italy for at least 5 years. It requires income no lower than the annual social allowance (€7,101.12), Italian at A2 level and accommodation. The card is valid for 10 years, but the status itself is permanent.
Why it is worth obtaining as soon as you qualify
Long known as the carta di soggiorno, this is the title that genuinely changes your position in Italy. It ends the cycle of renewals every one or two years, allows considerably more freedom to move and work, and exempts you from the B1 language requirement when applying for citizenship.
The distinction that causes most confusion is between document and right. The card expires after 10 years and must be replaced, but long-term resident status is indefinite. It is lost only through prolonged absence, not through the passage of time.
The requirements
Five, and the first is the one that most often produces unexpected obstacles.
- 5 years of legal residence with a valid permit. Absences cannot exceed 6 consecutive months and 10 months in total, save for military obligations or documented serious reasons.
- Annual income of at least €7,101.12, increased by 50% for each family member included in the application.
- Italian at A2 level. The test at the prefecture is free; certificates from recognised bodies and Italian qualifications also count.
- A housing suitability certificate, where family members are included.
- Absence of disqualifying criminal convictions.
How the status is lost
Through absence of 12 months outside the EU or 6 years outside Italy, and through the revocation grounds set out in law. Not through the card's expiry date: at that point you apply to update the document, not to have the right recognised again.
Within the qualifying five years, exceeding 6 consecutive months and 10 months in total interrupts the accrual of the period. Anyone who travels frequently for work should keep track of this before applying.
The figures cited on this page
Every amount, threshold and deadline comes from our public register of legal parameters, each recorded with its legal reference and the date we last checked it. When a value changes, this page changes with it.
| Parameter | Value | Legal reference | Checked |
|---|---|---|---|
| Years of residence for EU long-term status | 5 years | Art. 9, c. 1 D.Lgs. 286/1998 | |
| Annual social allowance | €7,101.12 | Circolare INPS n. 153 del 19 dicembre 2025 | |
| Italian level for EU long-term residence | A2 | Art. 9, c. 2-bis D.Lgs. 286/1998; D.M. 4 giugno 2010 | |
| Validity of the EU long-term residence card | 10 years | Art. 9, c. 5 D.Lgs. 286/1998 | |
| Italian level for citizenship | B1 | Art. 9.1 Legge 91/1992, introdotto dal D.L. 113/2018 | |
| Maximum absences over the five-year period | 6 consecutive months and 10 months in total | Art. 9, c. 1 D.Lgs. 286/1998 | |
| Loss of EU long-term resident status | 12 months outside the EU or 6 years outside Italy | Art. 9, c. 7 D.Lgs. 286/1998 | |
| Deadline for deciding a citizenship application | 24 months | Art. 9-ter Legge 91/1992, come modificato dal D.L. 130/2020 |
Frequently asked questions
Is this the same as the old carta di soggiorno?
What income is required?
Is the A2 Italian test compulsory, and does it cost anything?
Is it worth getting if I am already working towards citizenship?
Professional scope. Italy Immigration Hub is an administrative consultancy, not a law firm, and does not carry out activities reserved to members of the Italian Bar. Legal advice on disputes, court filings and representation before judicial authorities are handled by qualified lawyers we work with, instructed directly by the client. We are a private, independent operator with no affiliation to Italian public authorities, and the outcome and timing of any procedure depend on the competent authority. Legal notice (Italian).
Related pages in English
Full procedural detail in Italian
The Italian pages carry the complete document lists, cost breakdowns, step-by-step procedures and the mistakes that most often cause refusals.