Before you start
Which route your permit takes, and the words for it.
Key words
Read these first: you will meet most of them in the document.
il permesso di soggiornothe residence permit
Devo rinnovare il permesso di soggiorno entro marzo.
Masculine. The permit non-EU citizens need to live in Italy, usually applied for with a kit sent from the post office and completed at the questura. Il soggiorno alone is a stay, or the living room.
il documentothe ID document
Mi può mostrare un documento, per favore?
Masculine. Un documento on its own usually means ID — carta d'identità, passport or driving licence. Hotels, banks and offices ask for one constantly.
il passaportothe passport
Il mio passaporto scade l'anno prossimo.
Masculine, plural i passaporti. A passport is valid (valido) until it expires: scade, from scadere.
la questurathe police headquarters
Ho un appuntamento in questura per le impronte digitali.
Feminine. The provincial headquarters of the state police, whose immigration office handles residence permits. Like Comune, it takes in with no article: vado in questura.
l'ufficio postalethe post office
Vado all'ufficio postale a pagare una bolletta.
Masculine, though people mostly say la posta: vado alla posta. Italian post offices also take bill payments and some official paperwork, so expect to take a number and wait.
la fotocopiathe photocopy
Serve la fotocopia di tutte le pagine del passaporto.
Feminine, plural le fotocopie. Fare una fotocopia is to make a copy; offices often say just la copia.
Read: An information sheet from the Comune
A help desk's sheet on which route each permit takes. The Comune and its details are invented. 5 questions; finishing them completes this step.
Start reading