Residence permit delays in Italy: how to fix them legally

Introduction

Getting or renewing a residence permit in Italy can easily turn into a bureaucratic nightmare.
Many applicants wait months or even years without hearing back from the Questura. 😤
What most people don’t know is that the law provides a real legal tool to push the administration to act — the formal legal notice (sollecito legale).

With the help of Future Italian, you can make your Questura process your file and finally issue your permit.

How long it should take

By law, the residence permit must be issued within about 60 days after submission.
In reality, it often takes much longer — 4, 6, even 12 months or more.

Typical reasons include:

• staff shortages and backlogs;
• missing or incorrect documents;
• extra checks by the Prefecture;
• delays between offices or provinces.

⚠️ When the delay becomes unlawful

The administration’s silence cannot last forever.
After more than 60 days, you have the right to receive an answer — approval or rejection.

If the Questura fails to respond or doesn’t complete the process, the delay becomes unlawful.
At that point, you can act through a formal legal notice or, if necessary, a TAR court appeal (Administrative Tribunal).

What a legal notice is and how it works

The legal notice is a formal letter written by a lawyer and sent to the competent Questura.
It reminds the office of its legal obligation to finalize your application within a reasonable timeframe.

The notice:

1. Is sent via PEC or registered mail.
2. States the facts, submission date, and waiting time.
3. Requests a decision within 15–30 days.
4. Warns that if ignored, a TAR appeal will follow.

In many cases, this is enough to unblock your case immediately, since it pressures the office to act. ⚖️

How Future Italian helps

Our immigration lawyers handle delay cases daily all across Italy.
With Future Italian:

• we contact your Questura directly;
• analyze your case file;
• send the formal legal notice;
• and follow up until the permit is issued.

Everything can be done online, quickly and securely. 💻

Conclusion

If you’ve been waiting too long for your permit, don’t just wait.
You have the right to a timely answer.

With Future Italian, you can finally get your residence permit and peace of mind — legally. 🇮🇹✨