At the Questura
The questura is where your permesso di soggiorno happens: fingerprints, document checks, collection. Officers rarely speak English, appointments run fast, and hesitating at the sportello can cost you your turn. These are the phrases that get you through the appointment, exactly as you'd say them.
Tap any phrase to hear it spoken.
Buongiorno, ho un appuntamento per il permesso di soggiorno.
Good morning, I have an appointment for my residence permit.
Your opener at the entrance or the information desk. Have your convocation letter or ricevuta ready as you say it.
Sono qui per ritirare il permesso di soggiorno.
I'm here to collect my residence permit.
Use this when the SMS has arrived and you're picking up the card itself.
Ecco la ricevuta.
Here's the receipt.
The ricevuta is the post-office receipt that proves your application exists. It gets asked for constantly.
Scusi, non parlo bene l'italiano.
Sorry, I don't speak Italian well.
Saying this in Italian, politely, buys you far more patience than starting in English.
Può parlare più lentamente, per favore?
Could you speak more slowly, please?
Può is the polite Lei form. You'll use this construction everywhere.
Può ripetere, per favore?
Could you repeat that, please?
Quali documenti devo portare?
Which documents do I need to bring?
Ho portato tutti i documenti.
I've brought all the documents.
Devo fare le impronte digitali?
Do I need to give fingerprints?
Fingerprinting (fotosegnalamento) is standard at first issue and most renewals.
Quando sarà pronto il permesso?
When will the permit be ready?
Non ho ancora ricevuto l'SMS.
I still haven't received the text message.
The questura notifies you by SMS when the card is ready. This sentence starts the conversation about where your card is.
la questura
police headquarters, where permits are processed
il permesso di soggiorno
residence permit
la ricevuta
receipt (of your application)
le impronte digitali
fingerprints
lo sportello
counter, service window
il ritiro
collection, pickup
la marca da bollo
revenue stamp (buy it at a tabaccheria)
At the sportello, appointment day.
Buongiorno, mi dica.
Good morning, how can I help you?
Buongiorno, ho un appuntamento alle dieci per il permesso di soggiorno.
Good morning, I have a ten o'clock appointment for my residence permit.
Mi dà la ricevuta e il passaporto, per favore?
Can you give me the receipt and your passport, please?
Ecco a Lei.
Here you are.
Bene. Ora facciamo le impronte. Metta il dito qui.
Good. Now we'll take your fingerprints. Put your finger here.
Va bene. Quando sarà pronto il permesso?
Alright. When will the permit be ready?
Riceverà un SMS quando è pronto. Di solito due o tre mesi.
You'll get a text message when it's ready. Usually two or three months.
Perfetto, grazie mille. Buona giornata.
Perfect, thanks a lot. Have a good day.
"Mi dica" (literally "tell me") is the standard opener from anyone behind a counter in Italy. It sounds abrupt to English ears but it's neutral, just "how can I help you". Arrive early, bring photocopies of everything even if nobody asked for them, and keep your ricevuta safe: until the card arrives, that little slip of paper is your legal proof of status.
Every phrase above has a form, an office, or a card behind it. These pages decode them.
Thanks, we'll take a look.
If you left an email, we'll reply when there's something to say.