Family reunification allows a foreign national who lives legally in Italy to bring their spouse, children and, in some cases, parents to the country. The application is made online to the Prefecture, which issues the clearance (nulla osta). In 2026 the applicant needs an income of at least 10,651.68 euros for one family member, suitable accommodation and, for a spouse, adult children and parents, at least two years of legal residence in Italy.
Guide updated to October 2026.
What is family reunification in Italy?
Family reunification (ricongiungimento familiare) is the procedure that allows non-EU citizens to join their family members in Italy.
The application is submitted to the Prefecture, which issues the family reunification clearance (nulla osta).
It should not be confused with family cohesion (coesione familiare) or with reunification with an Italian citizen, which are explained further down.
Who can apply for family reunification?
In general, foreign nationals who hold a valid residence permit can apply. This includes holders of:
- a residence permit for employment or self-employment lasting at least one year, so not a seasonal permit;
- a residence permit for study;
- a residence permit for family reasons;
- an EU long-term residence permit;
- a permit for asylum or subsidiary protection;
- a permit for religious reasons;
- a permit pending citizenship.
The receipt of a residence permit renewal application also allows the applicant to submit the request for the family reunification nulla osta.
How long must you have lived in Italy?
Since December 2024, under Decree-Law no. 145 of 2024, converted by Law no. 187 of 2024, anyone applying to reunite with a spouse, dependent adult children or parents must have completed at least two years of uninterrupted legal residence in Italy.
The requirement does not apply to reunification with minor children or to holders of international protection. Under the same law, before issuing the housing suitability certificate the Municipality also checks the number of occupants.
Which family members can be reunited?
Not all family members can be reunited. The law allows reunification with:
- a spouse who is not legally separated, is at least eighteen years old and is not married to another spouse legally residing in Italy. A civil union partner, including a same-sex partner, is treated as a spouse, provided they are an adult and not legally separated (Law no. 76 of 20 May 2016; Ministry of the Interior circular no. 3511 of 5 August 2016);
- minor children, including the spouse’s children or children born outside marriage, who are unmarried, provided that the other parent, if there is one, has given consent. Minors who are adopted, fostered or under guardianship are treated as children;
- dependent adult children who, for objective reasons, cannot provide for their essential needs because of a health condition involving total disability (100%);
- dependent parents, if they have no other children in their country of origin or provenance;
- parents over sixty-five, if their other children are unable to support them because of documented, serious health problems;
- the natural parent of a minor child legally residing in Italy, who can show that the accommodation and income requirements for reunification are met. The other parent’s accommodation and income also count towards these requirements;
- the first-degree direct ascendants of an unaccompanied minor who holds refugee status.
Family reunification with a brother or sister is not possible under this procedure. Different rules apply to the siblings of Italian citizens, as explained below.
The law does not cover every individual situation and is open to interpretation by the courts. The most recent decisions are summarised in the section on case law at the end of this guide.
What is the minimum income for family reunification in 2026?
The income must come from lawful sources, such as employment or self-employment, and must be no lower than the annual amount of the social allowance (assegno sociale), increased by half of that amount for each family member to be reunited.
For 2026, with circular no. 153 of 19 December 2025, INPS set the social allowance at 7,101.12 euros per year (546.24 euros for 13 months).
Half of this figure, 3,550.56 euros, is added for each family member to be reunited:
- 1 family member: 10,651.68 euros;
- 2 family members: 14,202.24 euros;
- 3 family members: 17,752.80 euros;
- 4 family members: 21,303.36 euros;
- 5 family members: 24,853.92 euros.
For the reunification of two or more children under 14, the minimum income required for 2026 is in any case twice the social allowance, that is 14,202.24 euros.
The income of family members living with the applicant is also taken into account, in addition to the applicant’s own income.
Holders of refugee status and subsidiary protection do not have to prove any income.
Which documents are needed for family reunification?
In addition to the basic documents, the applicant must provide the documents that prove income, accommodation and the family relationship.
Basic documents
- passport, identity card and tax code of the applicant;
- residence permit of the applicant;
- passports of the family members to be reunited.
Income documents for employees
- latest tax return, or the Certificazione Unica;
- copy of the employment contract (Unilav) or letter of employment;
- latest payslip;
- form S3, a self-certification by the employer;
- identity document of the employer.
If the employment started less than a year ago and the worker does not yet have a tax return, the employer’s self-certification must also state the worker’s expected income.
Income documents for domestic workers
- latest tax return or, if not available, the hiring notification to the Employment Centre or the INPS employment report;
- payment slip for the INPS contributions for the quarter before the date of the application;
- form S3, a self-certification by the employer;
- identity document of the employer.
Income documents for the self-employed
Sole proprietorship:
- certificate of registration with the Chamber of Commerce;
- copy of the VAT number assignment;
- Modello Unico tax return with the submission receipt, if the business started more than a year ago, or an accounting report by the accountant covering the whole period of activity, if it started less than a year ago;
- interim financial statement from 1 January of the current year to the date of the application, stamped and signed by the professional who prepared it, with a copy of the professional’s identity document and professional register card.
Company:
- recent Chamber of Commerce certificate (visura camerale) of the company;
- copy of the company’s VAT number assignment;
- Modello Unico tax return with the submission receipt, if the business started more than a year ago, or an accounting report by the accountant covering the whole period of activity, if it started less than a year ago;
- interim financial statement from 1 January of the current year to the date of the application, stamped and signed by the professional who prepared it, with a copy of the professional’s identity document and professional register card.
Freelance professionals:
- registration with the professional register;
- Modello Unico tax return with the submission receipt.
Accommodation documents
If the accommodation is rented:
- rental contract with the registration or renewal receipt;
- declaration of transfer of the property (cessione di fabbricato);
- housing suitability certificate (idoneità alloggiativa);
- form S2, a declaration by the holder of the property consenting to host the reunited family members;
- identity document of the holder or holders of the accommodation.
If the accommodation is on loan for use (comodato):
- declaration of transfer of the property for hospitality, drawn up by the holder of the property, or loan-for-use contract with the registration or renewal receipt;
- housing suitability certificate;
- form S2;
- identity document of the holder or holders of the accommodation.
For the reunification of a single child under 14, the housing suitability certificate is not needed and form S1 is filled in instead of form S2.
If the accommodation is owned:
- deed of sale;
- housing suitability certificate.
Proof of the family relationship
- marriage certificate;
- birth certificate.
Health insurance for parents over 65
For the reunification of parents over sixty-five, health insurance is required.
When the application is submitted, it is enough to provide a declaration undertaking to take out an insurance policy or, as an alternative, to register voluntarily with the National Health Service.
The policy must be taken out within 8 days of entry into Italy and before the appointment at the Immigration Desk. It must have no expiry date and must cover illness, accident and maternity.
How does the family reunification procedure work?
Application for the nulla osta
Once the requirements have been checked and the documents collected, the request for the family reunification nulla osta is sent to the Prefecture through the official portal.
Visa application at the consulate
If the Prefecture finds that the requirements are met, it issues the nulla osta and the family member can apply for a family visa at the Italian Embassy or Consulate with jurisdiction. The documents proving the family relationship must also be brought to the appointment, otherwise the visa may be refused.
Entry into Italy
Within 48 hours of the family member’s entry into Italy, the host must submit the declaration of transfer of the property and the declaration of hospitality to the local public security authority (Questura, police station or Municipality).
Within 8 days of entry, the arrival of the family member must also be reported to the Immigration Desk at the competent Prefecture. The Prefecture then issues the kit to be handed in at the post office, which communicates the date on which the family member must go to the Questura for fingerprinting and to present the original documents.
Residence permit for family reasons
The residence permit for family reasons is issued for the same duration as the permit of the family member who applied for reunification.
It gives access to welfare services, allows enrolment in study or vocational training courses, and allows the holder to work as an employee or as a self-employed person.
Since Law no. 122 came into force on 23 July 2016, children under fourteen are no longer registered on the parent’s residence permit and receive their own residence permit.
On reaching the age of majority, a child who is still dependent on the parents can be issued a residence permit for family reasons, if the requirements are met, for the same duration as the permit of the parent they depend on.
What is the difference between family reunification and family cohesion?
Family cohesion (coesione familiare) is requested for family members who are already in Italy on another basis.
The requirements and documents are the same as for family reunification. Instead of applying to the Prefecture for the nulla osta, the residence permit for family reasons is requested directly from the local Questura.
How does reunification with an Italian citizen work?
An Italian citizen can also bring family members to Italy, with some advantages.
Children can be reunited up to the age of 21. In addition, there is no need to apply to the Prefecture for the nulla osta: the entry visa can be requested directly from the Italian consulate.
Brothers and sisters of Italian citizens
Family reunification between brothers and sisters is not normally allowed. For the siblings of Italian citizens, Article 19, paragraph 2, letter c) of Legislative Decree no. 286/98 provides that foreign nationals who live with relatives within the second degree, or with a spouse, of Italian nationality cannot be expelled. On this basis a residence permit can be requested, provided the sibling lives with the Italian citizen.
What can you do after a notice of intended refusal?
If you receive a refusal or a notice of intended refusal (preavviso di rigetto) of the family reunification nulla osta, the first step is to understand the reasons given. There are only 10 days to send observations to the Prefecture.
Observations, appeals and representation are legal activities handled by qualified lawyers.
What if the nulla osta contains errors?
Mistakes made in the application are carried over into the nulla osta. In some cases the correction can be requested directly from the Prefecture. When the error concerns personal data such as the name or date of birth, it is the Embassy that must notify the Prefecture.
What does recent case law say about family reunification?
The interpretations given by EU and Italian courts are not always followed by the administration. They can, however, be relied on in court against a refusal.
Family members eligible for reunification
- Court of Justice of the EU, judgment of 12 December 2019, case C-519/18: the term “dependent” must also cover situations in which the refugee, and in general the holder of international protection, appears to be the family member best placed to provide support.
- Court of Cassation, Third Civil Section, judgment no. 20127/2021: for a foreign national with refugee status in Italy, the presence of another child in the country of origin does not prevent reunification with parents under 65 if that child is unable to support them.
- Court of Rome, order of 20 January 2024, RG no. 21787/2023: children living in countries other than the country of origin are not an obstacle to reunification, and a child in the country of origin who is young, still studying and not financially independent is not considered able to support the parents.
Income
- Court of Justice of the EU, judgment of 4 March 2010, case C-578/08: the assessment of sufficient resources cannot lead to an automatic application of the minimum threshold based on the annual social allowance. It must also consider factors such as the nature and strength of the family ties, the duration of the marriage, the length of residence in the Member State and the family, cultural or social ties with the country of origin.
Issue of the visa
- Court of Rome, order of 27 March 2024: the two stages of the procedure, the Immigration Desk for the nulla osta and the Embassy for the visa, are independent. The lack of a nulla osta does not prevent the Embassy from deciding on the visa application. Article 6, paragraph 5, of Presidential Decree no. 394/1999 provides that the consular authorities issue the entry visa once they receive the nulla osta or, if ninety days have passed since the nulla osta application, a copy of that application and the related documents.
What are the official sources?
- Portale Servizi of the Ministry of the Interior, for the nulla osta application.
- INPS, social allowance, for the 2026 amount (in Italian).
- Legislative Decree no. 286/98, Consolidated Immigration Act (in Italian).
How can SH Immigration Specialists help you?
SH Immigration Specialists, a brand of SH Group, handles the administrative side of family reunification: checking the requirements, collecting the income and accommodation documents, and reviewing the data before the application is sent. Notices of intended refusal and appeals are handled by the qualified lawyers on the team. The outcome of the application always depends on the competent authorities.
