ItalySubsidiary protection

Subsidiary protection in Italy

Subsidiary protection is the status for people refused refugee status who nonetheless risk the death penalty, torture or the violence of an armed conflict at home. The application is examined by the territorial commission for international protection — the same body that decides refugee cases, and by the same procedure. It is claimed by people already in Italy or standing at the border. The status carries a residence permit and the right to work.

Visa term

Permesso for 5 years, renewable

Threshold

No state fee; reception system

Processing time

The 2026 reforms speed it up (border procedure up to 12 weeks)

Work

Full access to work

Source: normattiva.it — art. 14 of decree 251/2007: subsidiary protection, “serious harm”

What subsidiary protection protects against

The territorial commission recognises subsidiary protection on one of the two types of risk listed in the law — and each calls for different evidence.

Risk directed at the applicant personally

A death sentence at home or the threat of its execution
Torture, or cruel or degrading treatment or punishment
You must show that the threat is directed at the applicant personally, not at the population at large

Risk arising from armed conflict in the region

A serious and individual threat to life as a civilian
The source of the threat is indiscriminate violence in an internal or international armed conflict
Proven through the situation in the specific region of origin, not only through the personal account

When this programme will not suit you

I am persecuted personally — because of my race, religion, nationality, political opinion or membership of a particular social group

Refugee status under the Geneva Convention: the same body examines it on the same application, but the legal consequences differ, including a shorter route to citizenship

I have no right to international protection, but other reasons prevent my return — health, a settled life in Italy, family

Protezione speciale under art. 19 of D.Lgs 286/1998 — a different ground for a residence permit

I want to move to Italy to work or study, with no persecution or threat at home

A standard work or study visa — it does not require you to prove a risk of serious harm

I already hold the citizenship of an EU country or another lawful basis for living in Italy

International protection programmes do not apply — the general rules of free movement or the status you already hold do

What it costs

Duty stamp on the application (marca da bollo)	16 EUR
Production of the electronic residence permit card	30,46 EUR
The same card for each minor child entered on the parent's permesso	+30,46 EUR
Total government feesThe sum of the mandatory rows in the table. “The same card for each minor child entered on the parent's permesso” adds 30,46 EUR. Charges with no official price list are in the list below.	46.46–76,92 EUR

Paid separately

State fee (contributo) for the issue and renewal of a permesso — EUR 40-100 for other categories of residence permit — For protezione sussidiaria, asilo, richiesta asilo and motivi umanitari this contribution is expressly waived

Documents to gather

The package requested by the immigration office of the Questura at first issue and at renewal of the permesso di soggiorno per protezione sussidiaria.

Model C3 — the application for international protection
Passport, if held — the original and copies of the pages with personal details, visas and stamps
Any permesso di soggiorno per richiesta asilo already issued
The original decision of the territorial commission recognising subsidiary protection
4 photographs of the applicant, plus 4 for each minor child entered on the document
A EUR 16 duty stamp
Receipt for the EUR 30.46 payment for producing the electronic card

How the process runs

The route from application to residence permit runs through the Questura and the territorial commission.

1
Lodging the application and Model C3
The applicant lodges the application for international protection in person: with the border police on entering Italy, or at the immigration office of the Questura where they actually live. Each adult completes a separate Model C3; minor children are entered on the parent's application.
2
Registration and the temporary document
6 months, renewed every six months
The Questura photographs the applicant, takes fingerprints and issues a permesso di soggiorno per richiesta asilo — a temporary residence permit. Until it is issued, the receipt for the Model C3 applies. The document is renewed every 6 months until the territorial commission decides.
3
Access to work
after 60 days from lodging
If no decision has been taken within 60 days of lodging the application through no fault of the applicant, the permesso di soggiorno per richiesta asilo confers the right to work officially.
4
Examination of the case by the territorial commission
The application is examined collectively by the territorial commission for the recognition of international protection — the only body that decides whether to grant refugee status, subsidiary protection, another form of protection, or nothing.
5
Decision and issue of the residence permit
5 years on a positive decision
Where the right to subsidiary protection is recognised, the Questura issues a permesso di soggiorno per protezione sussidiaria for 5 years, renewable as long as the grounds for protection persist.
6
Appeal against a refusal
A negative decision of the commission may be challenged in court under the general appeal procedure for international protection decisions.

Who you can bring with you

Family unity is protected by law separately from the decision on the applicant.

Spouse or partner in a registered union

Receives a permesso di soggiorno per motivi familiari (art. 30 of D.Lgs 286/1998) and the same rights as the main holder of the status, if they are not entitled to protection in their own right.

Minor children

Form part of the applicant's family nucleus; the card for each child entered separately costs the same EUR 30.46 as the parent's card.

Relatives arriving later through reunification

A holder of subsidiary protection is entitled to ricongiungimento familiare under art. 29-bis of D.Lgs 286/1998 — on terms simplified compared with the ordinary procedure.

Family members with personal grounds for exclusion

The rule does not apply to persons whom arts. 10, 12 and 16 of decree 251/2007 themselves exclude from refugee status or subsidiary protection.

Trips, renewal and the grace period

Live in Italy; a return home may lead to withdrawal of the status

The residence permit for subsidiary protection is issued for 5 years and renewed as long as the conditions that justified the grant persist. For renewal you submit to the Questura the commission's decision, 4 photographs and the receipt for the EUR 30.46 electronic card; no separate state fee (contributo) is charged for this category. After 5 years of continuous stay you may claim EU long-term residence — for holders of international protection this period is counted from the date the protection application was lodged, not from the date of the commission's decision, and the suitability of accommodation does not have to be proven.

How it differs from the routes next to it

The comparison is built from the official terms of the routes themselves — the source links sit on their own pages.

	Subsidiary protection	Special protection	Medical residence permit
Visa term	Permesso for 5 years, renewable	Permesso usually for 2 years, renewable	Valid for the duration of treatment; renewable (one of the rules sets 1 year)
Grounds	Threat to life	Right to private/family life, health	Serious state of health
Money	No state fee; reception system	Fee of about EUR 98 plus the duty stamp; state legal aid possible	No income threshold stated; duty stamp of EUR 16
Work	Full access to work	Allows work (employed/self-employed); SSN, residenza	Disputed: sources conflict — check the type of permesso
Residence	Live in Italy; a return home may lead to withdrawal of the status	Residenza can be obtained; live in Italy	A territorial permit tied to the treatment

What comes next: permanent residence and citizenship

Route to permanent residence

EU long-term residence after 5 years

Route to citizenship

Citizenship under the general rule after 10 years (not the reduced 5); B1

Frequently asked questions about Subsidiary protection

How does subsidiary protection differ from refugee status?

Both statuses are examined by the same body — the territorial commission — on a single application. Refugee status is granted for persecution on a specific ground: race, religion, nationality, political opinion, membership of a social group. Subsidiary protection is granted where no such ground exists but the applicant faces the death penalty, torture or inhuman treatment, or a serious and individual threat to life as a civilian arising from indiscriminate violence in an armed conflict.

How much does it cost to obtain or renew a residence permit for subsidiary protection?

No state fee (contributo) is charged for issue or renewal — the category is expressly exempt. You pay a EUR 16 duty stamp on the application and EUR 30.46 for producing the electronic card; for each minor child entered on it, another EUR 30.46.

Is it true that applications will be examined faster from 2026?

Yes, for some applications. From 12 June 2026 Italy applies decree-law No. 100/2026, which introduces the compulsory border asylum procedure under EU Regulation 2024/1348: the whole cycle from lodging to decision in such cases must fit within 12 weeks. The rule covers not every applicant, but those channelled into the border procedure.

When can a holder of subsidiary protection apply for Italian citizenship?

Under the general rule — after 10 years of lawful residence in Italy with Italian at level B1 or above. The reduced 5-year period that the law gives refugees and stateless persons does not extend to subsidiary protection: this category is not among those placed on a par with stateless persons for citizenship purposes.

Does subsidiary protection give a right to EU long-term residence?

Yes, after 5 years of lawful stay — as for other categories. For holders of international protection this period is counted from the date the protection application was lodged, not from the date of the commission's decision; the suitability of accommodation does not have to be proven and Italian language knowledge is not tested when this particular document is issued.

Other ways to move to Italy

Every route in one list — migration programmes: Italy.

The terms and the amounts are checked against official sources — the link sits under each section.Last checked on: 8 August 2026.