What is the longest Permesso di Soggiorno possible for a non-resident
 U.S.A. citizen whose income derives from the U.S.A. and who is
married to an Italian citizen?

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Clarification of Question by wilbur-ga on 26 Nov 2003 02:42 PST

The marriage took place in Italy where we now live. My husband (U.S.
citizen) is a resident but has been told (by his lawyer in America) he
must give up his residency here and re-establish it in Virginia to
comply with the rules of a recent inheritance. My work is here so we
were hoping he could live in Virgina intermittently for 6 months plus
in order to come back to see me frequently. He is also working on a
large cultural project here which he needs to control. We are worried
that he would have to get a soggiorno every three months or six months
and have to leave the country for three or six months straight.
(Your comments were very vbaluable and this should be considered a new
big question. How do I make it one?)
Thank you!

Dear wilbur-ga, the answer to your question is:  you can obtain an
unlimited "Permesso di soggiorno per motivi di famiglia".  But, I'd be
grateful if you could detail: 1) where was the marriage (US/Italy) 2)
where are you now (US/Italy), because the actions to do slightly
differs.

I've called  Questura (Police Office) here in Milan, where I
live.(Telefon number: 039 02 0262261) They told me Italy has a special
agreement with US Government, so US citizen can obtain this Permesso
di Soggiorno valid for 10 years (named Carta di Soggiorno), renewable.

I suppose you'd like to know further information. I'm investigating
and this is what I discover.

You, as a spouse of an italian citizen, can obtain an unlimited
"permesso di Soggiorno per motivi di famiglia" and you can ask for the
citizenship after 1 year, 6 months(after marriage) +  6 months (living
in Italy), if you decide to ask for it. It usually needs 7 years to
complete and you have to present your request to the Prefettura in the
italian city where you live.

To obtain the "Permesso di Soggiorno per motivi familiari" you need to:

1 ) Married outside of Italy?

     - register your marriage in Italy :
If you are in US: This is the form in italian, you have to compile it
and give it to a Consulate of Italy, where you live in US:
http://www.italconsmiami.com/docs/TRMatrimonio.pdf. After the
registration of your marriage in Italy you can act as if you were
married in italy(see below). this is the list of Consulates you can
contact in the US: http://www.italconsdetroit.org/statelocator/statelocator.htm.
Then you have to obtain a Visa (for extended stay) and come to Italy.
If you are in Italy you have to ask to the Questura (Police Office)
where your spouse live. (with the document you obtained when you
married)

2) married here in Italy? (and probabily you had a Touristic Permesso
di Soggiorno):
If you are in Italy :
http://www.poliziadistato.it/pds/faq_new/index.php?cat=Stranieri&so=&id=141&zoom=1
this infos comes from Italian Questura (Police Office) . Your spouse
can easily translate it:
"Ai cittadini stranieri in possesso di regolare permesso di soggiorno
per turismo che abbiano contratto matrimonio nel territorio dello
Stato con cittadini Italiani viene rilasciato un permesso di soggiorno
per motivi di famiglia ( Decreto Legislativo 25 luglio 1998 n.286,
art.30). Il permesso di soggiorno per motivi familiari consente
l'accesso ai servizi assistenziali, l'iscrizione a corsi di studio o
di formazione professionale, l'iscrizione nelle liste di collocamento,
lo svolgimento di lavoro subordinato o autonomo(fermi i requisiti
minimi di eta' per lo svolgimento di attivita' di lavoro, nonche' la
possibilita' di richiedere il ricongiungimento familiare con congiunti
residenti all'estero.
Inoltre, secondo l' attuale normativa ( art.5 Legge 5.2.1992, n.91),
il coniuge straniero di un cittadino Italiano puo' chiedere, quando
siano trascorsi sei mesi dal matrimonio ed altrettanti sei mesi di
residenza legale in Italia il conferimento dela cittadinanza Italiana
presentandone la relativa istanza al Prefetto competente per il
territorio del Comune di residenza."

are you now in USA? you have to obtain a visa (extended stay):

this is a list of Consulates you can contact in the US:
http://www.italconsdetroit.org/statelocator/statelocator.htm They know
every information you need about this topic

and this is "how to...", (this infos cames from a Consulate of Italy site):
http://www.italconsmiami.com/html/e_visti_famreun.htm

this is the application form you have to fill (extended stay- family reasons):
http://www.italconsmiami.com/docs/visa.pdf


Is it useful for you?