If you come from a third country, you need to check whether your nationality exempts from the requirement to have a visa for the first 90 days. However, even if you do not come from a visa free country, you are allowed to transit Italy to return to your home country – if it is safe for you.

If you want to stay in Italy longer, and your family is Ukrainian or you hold international protection in Ukraine, you can apply for a permit of stay for temporary protection at Questura. However, if this is not your case, you can apply for asylum if you do not feel safe returning to your home country. Alternatively, you could apply for a permit of stay (‘permesso di soggiorno’ in Italian) if you meet specific requirements, but you need to know that you cannot apply for a work or study permit directly in Italy.

Yes, you may be able to access the Temporary Protection scheme. The following people who fled Ukraine on or after February 24 and have arrived in Italy can apply for temporary protection:

• Ukrainians and their families, who were living in Ukraine before February 24;
• Holders of international protection or another protection and their families, granted in Ukraine before February 24;
• Holders of a permanent residence permit, granted in Ukraine before February 24, who cannot safely return to their home country.

If you apply for both temporary protection and asylum, the Commission will examine and decide on your asylum claim once your temporary protection ends.

Third country nationals who can prove that they were legally residing in Ukraine before 24 February 2022 on the basis of a valid permanent residence permit issued in accordance with Ukrainian law, and who are unable to return in safe and durable conditions to their country or region of origin are eligible to get temporary protection in Italy.

More information here .

Ukrainians and people from other free-visa countries can stay in Italy without a visa or without applying for a permit of stay for the first 90 days. If you got your passport stamped in another EU country and then you entered Italy, the 90 days start from the stamp. If you do not come from a visa free country, you are allowed to transit Italy to return to your home country – if it is safe for you.

If you want to stay in Italy longer, you have to get a permit, by applying for the temporary protection permit - if you are eligible - or for asylum. Temporary protection lasts for one year starting from 1 March 2022, extendable up to one year. Italy and/or the EU can interrupt this scheme if the Ukrainian situation changes in a positive way.

We also advise you to contact the embassy of your country in Italy to get the most updated information.