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Foreign Press Handbook

 

Entry into Italy

Foreign journalists applying for a visa to enter Italy shall apply for accreditation with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation through the Press Accreditation Portal.

Upon the conclusion of the online accreditation procedure, the Unit for Communication of the Foreign Ministry’s Secretariat General can issue and send the clearance document necessary for the visa to the Italian Diplomatic Mission to which the journalist submitted his / her application.

The laws and regulations in force allow non-EU correspondents of foreign press organisations to be granted the following types of visa:

  • Employment Visa: the representatives of foreign press organisations fall within the special categories of employees for whom authorisation from the Single Immigration Desk for employment is not required to carry out their activity (Consolidation Act (T.U.) No. 286/98 and relevant implementing regulation);
  • Mission Visa: it is granted to foreign journalists who work for State press organisations or to journalists that intend to come to Italy to participate in short-term missions.

Foreign journalists intending to work in Italy can apply to the relevant Italian Consulate for a specific visa for any family members travelling with them, provided that they are dependants.

If journalists are already in Italy and have a regular residence permit, they can apply for a family reunification visa. This type of visa is granted to:

  • spouse;
    • children under 18;
    • dependent children over 18, if for objective reasons they are unable to provide for their own essential needs due to their state oh heath resulting in total disability;
    • dependent parents, if they have no other children in the country of origin, or parents over 65, if the other children are unable to provide for them due to documented severe health conditions.

 

How to obtain the residence permit for Italy

  • EU citizens: pursuant to Legislative Decree No. 30 of 6 February 2007 (“Implementation of Directive 2004/38/EC relating to the right of citizens of the Union and their family members to move and reside freely within the territory of the Member States”), EU citizens who intend to settle in Italy, or in another Member State, are no longer obliged to apply for a residence permit. After three months from entry, however, they shall register with the registry office of the municipality of residence (no procedure is required for stays lasting less than three months). Further information is available at www.interno.it.
  • Non-EU citizens:  within eight days of arriving in Italy, non-EU journalists shall apply for a residence permit to the relevant territorial Questura.

Journalists can contact the Unit for Communication (email: accreditamentostampa@esteri.it) if they need assistance in filling in the form provided in the so-called yellow band kit (so-called kit a banda gialla) in order to apply for the issuance/renewal of a residence permit. The kit can be collected by the applicant at authorized post offices. The completed form and the documents requested shall be sent to the relevant Questura through these post offices.

While waiting for the issuance of the electronic residence permit, the postal receipt (containing the Password and Used ID) is valid documentation allowing legal residence in Italy. Once a copy of the postal receipt has been obtained, the Unit for Communication of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, can arrange an appointment with the Immigration Desk at the relevant Questura.

Residence permits can be renewed after expiry.

 

The procedure for importing personal belongings

At the request of the journalists concerned, the Unit for Communication can arrange the temporary import of personal belongings into Italy, with customs exemption. To use this service, journalists shall submit to accreditamentostampa@esteri.it

  • a request indicating the relevant territorial Customs, the name of the company handling customs clearance in Italy and the date of arrival of the personal belongings;
  • a list of the personal belongings.

Requests shall be submitted within six months of the date of the journalists’ arrival in Italy.

 

Press pass

The “Press Pass” is issued by the Presidenza del Consiglio dei Ministri – Dipartimento per l’Informazione e l’Editoria (Office of the Prime Minister – Department for Information and Publishing) to correspondents of duly accredited foreign media.

Useful information:  https://informazioneeditoria.gov.it/it/attivita/lasciapassare-stampa-per-pubbliche-manifestazioni/

 

TV or film shoots in Italy

Authorisations for photo, film and TV shoots

For shoots requiring media vehicles to be positioned on public land or State property with historical, artistic and architectural interest, it is necessary to request specific authorisations. Depending on the type of shoots, authorisations are granted by the relevant territorial Municipality or by the Ministry of Cultural Heritage and Activities (https://cultura.gov.it/). Authorisation requests shall be submitted by the persons concerned, by their representative in Italy or by the Embassy in Rome of the country where the applicant’s press organisation has its offices.

CITY OF ROME

The Department for Cultural Activities of the Municipality of Rome issues the necessary authorization and permits to carry out photo, film and TV shoots.

Useful information: Department for Cultural Activities

OTHER ITALIAN CITIES

Various Italian Municipalities have set up offices to assist foreign TV crews. It is recommended they consult the websites of the Municipalities involved or contact directly the Municipalities’ Press Offices or Mayors’ Cabinets.

 

Foreign Press Association in Italy

The Foreign Press Association in Italy provides a complete service with workrooms for its members, professionals and freelance journalists. Telephone lines, Internet connection and access to news from the most important press agencies are provided. Further information is available at http://www.stampaestera.org/

The association has also an office in Milan (Tel. +39 02/29000966 email: segreteria.milano@stampaestera.it).

 

Unit for Communication – Foreign Ministry’s Secretariat General

Unit for Communication – Secretariat General

Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Internaitonal Cooperation

Piazzale della Farnesina 1 – 00135 Rome

Telephone numbers: +39 06.36913432 – 06.36918573 – 06. 36913078

E-mail: accreditamentostampa@esteri.it