Single desk for immigration

A Single Desk for Immigration has been set up in each “Prefettura” : it deals with issues relating to:

• first recruitment of foreign workers (see unloadable forms)
• family reunification (see unloadable forms)

The Desk was set up as provided for by art. 18 of the “Bossi-Fini” law (which amends art. 22 of the “Turco-Napolitano” law. 

For the recruitment of third-country workers who reside abroad

an application must be submitted to the Single Desk of the province of residence or where the company has its registered office or where the work will be done, within the quotas established by the special “flows decree” which sets the maximum number of foreign nationals who can be accepted  yearly in Italy for working reasons.

If the employer already knows the worker to be recruited, he must produce the Single Desk for Immigration:

• the request for an “authorization to work” specifying the worker’s name
• documentation proving the adequacy of the foreign worker’s accommodation, in conformity with the laws of the Region concerned
• the residence contract proposal including, in addition to the essential elements of the agreement, the commitment to pay the return trip of the foreign worker to the country of origin
• a declaration confirming the commitment to communicate any change which may occur during the work relation (end of the work relation, change of office, and so on) to the Single Desk for Immigration

The Single Desk

• takes advice from the Head of the Local Police Headquarters about any obstacles, with regard to the foreign worker or to the employer, to the issuing of the authorization
• takes advice from the Provincial Directorate of Labour about minimum contract requirements and the employer’s income capacity

In the event of an adverse opinion, on behalf of at least one of the Offices, the Single Desk rejects the request.

In the event of a favourable opinion, the Single Desk summons the employer for handing over the authorization and electronically transmits the documentation to the consular offices for the signature of the contract.

Once the worker has reported, the Single Desk:

• checks the visa issued by the consular authority and the worker’s personal data
• delivers the tax code certificate
• provides for having the contract signed by the foreign worker
• delivers the application form for the residence permit and forwards its data to the relevant Local Police Headquarters

In the event of family reunification

You can deliver or send the special application form for the authorization to work, together with a copy of your passport, of the residence title as well as of the documentation concerning the availability of an adequate accommodation and the minimum requested income to the relevant Single Desk for Immigration.
On the other hand, the family member you ask to be reunified with will have to produce all documents proving the degree of relationship, his/her minor age and his/her health condition to the Italian consular Authority in the country where he/she lives.
The Single Desk will issue a receipt for the application form and the documentation which have been produced.
Once the abovementioned requirements have been met, within 90 days after the receipt of the application, the Single Desk will issue the authorization or the denial statement and will inform the consular authority.
After 90 days since the authorization has been applied for, the family member who wants to be reunified will have to produce a copy of the application’s receipt, together with the related documentation, that was submitted by his/her kin to the Single Desk; only then the entry visa will be issued.
Within 8 days after entry into Italy your family member, equipped with a special kit made available at the Post Offices, must show up at the Desk which issued the authorization, otherwise he will be considered to be illegally present on the national territory.
The residence permit for family reasons will allow him/her to perform a self-employed or subordinate job, to enrol on education courses and to be registered in the National Health Service.