“Cure for Italy” decree: FAQ by Legal Studio for Expats!

by Expats living in Rome

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“Cure for Italy” overwiev

Legal Assistance for Expats kindly reviewed the decree and try to answer the most commonly aske questions.

Due to the COVID-19 emergency, the conversion law of the Cura Italia Decree (Decreto Cura Italia) extends the validity of all residence permits to 31 August 2020.

Also extended to August 31st:

• Conversion requests.

• The terms for the conversion of residence permits from study permit to subordinate work permit and from seasonal work permit to non-seasonal subordinate work permit;

• Permits to stay in Italy given to a non-EU citizen who holds a residence permit issued in his or her favor by another European country (entry visas, etc.);

• Travel tickets granted to beneficiaries of international protection;

• “Nulla osta” issued for seasonal work, for family reunification, for work in special cases, including research, blue cards, intra-corporate transfers, etc…

Residence permits for seasonal work, expiring between 23 February and 31 May 2020, are extended to 31 December 2020.

Indications have been given to the police headquarters by the Department of Public Security and Immigration -regarding the issue or renewal of residence permits.

N.B. According to Law Decree 18/2020 (Cure for Italy Decree) Art. 104 it was specified that the extension of the validity of the documents stated above is valid for Italy only (in other words it is impossible to travel with for example an extended by this law Permesso di Soggiorno to other Schengen countries)

If, on the other hand, your permit expires after the stated date, the regular procedure will be applied, since (at least until now) Police Headquarters and Post Offices should reopen by then. Should the government establish new rules, we will try to inform you as soon as possible!

I am in Italy with a tourist VISA that expires in the next few days. Is my tourist VISA extended?

As mentioned above, it is not clear which documents are subject to extension. Tourist visa is probably not among the extended deeds. To be on the safe side, please contact local police headquarters.

Is there a way to extend my tourist visa?

Extension of tourist visa is foreseen by Italian immigration law and is granted where there are documented needs (e.g. if airlines do not fly or for serious health reasons such as hospitalizations, etc.). Since these are urgent cases, the police must consider the application and decide upon it. It is not clear whether the coronavirus emergency could constitute an emergency hypothesis. For this reason we suggest contacting the local Police Headquarters to ask how it is oriented.

International protection

Police headquarters will be closed until April 15 (unless extended) but they still work on urgent cases. For example, they accept applications for international protection (NB. They only take the application and give an appointment, but the procedure remains on standby).

My appointment for fingerprinting or documentation delivery was set for this week, what
happens now?

You should have received official communication with a new date. If you have not received a message or email, contact the Police Headquarters by phone or email or hire a lawyer to do it for you via pec. This applies to both the police headquarters (Questura) and the Prefettura;

I am abroad and I’ waiting for my visa to arrive.

If you are abroad and need to get your VISA, contact the Italian Consulate directly and ask for info, as far as we know, everything is currently suspended. For example, if you need to get a study visa and you have already paid for your studies, contact the School immediately, and either ask them to freeze your payment or request a refund.

Funds to support workers, businesses and families residing in Italy

From 30 March 2020 companies are able to apply for “cassa integrazione” (wages guarantee funds) for their employees: 11 million workers involved.

Starting from Wednesday (April 1), you are able to ask for the 600-euro allowance for self-employed workers, VAT workers, seasonal workers, and for vouchers for babysitters and caregivers or for extraordinary leave.

In order to start the procedure you need your PIN or SPID username and password.
The procedure is done online, on the INPS website or on that of your professional fund (e.g. Cassa Avvocati, Architetti, etc).

For self-employed workers (e.g. Freelance teachers) and professionals (e.g. lawyers, architects, journalists, etc.) there is a bonus of 600 euros for the month of April (and probably 800 euros for the month of May – Should the government establish new rules, we will try to inform you as soon as possible!).

Who is eligible?

A) Those who have had an income below 35 thousand euros and up to 50 thousand in 2019;
B) Those who have had an income over 50 thousand in 2019 and have experienced losses in turnover during the first quarter of 2020.

Other categories that can access the grant:
– Tourism and spa workers who stopped working between 1 January 2019 and 17 March 2020;
– Agricultural temporary workers who in 2019 worked at least 50 days of effective agricultural work as employees;
– Entertainment workers enrolled in the Pension Fund for entertainment workers who have at least
30 daily contributions paid in 2019 have no more than 50 thousand euros of income and do not have, as of March 17, 2020, an employment relationship.
N.B. In the coming weeks, new provisions will also be introduced in favor of those who, for example, have always worked illegally and who find themselves in a difficult situation today.

Babysitter bonus

Those who have to work and have children at home can request a 600-euro babysitter bonus. Applications must be submitted from Wednesday 1 April on the INPS website. However, money will be accredited as from May 15th.

LOANS

Mortgage installments for those who have lost their jobs or are on “cassa integrazione” are frozen for up to 18 months.
This also applies to self-employed workers.
The application must be submitted to your bank with the corresponding form. ISEE income is not required and the confirmation usually arrives after 2 or 3 weeks.

RENTALS

There is no suspension of the payment of commercial rents, however a rent contribution possibility has been published recently.

For category C1 property leases, the tenant will be entitled to a tax credit equal to 60% of the rent paid. So when they pay 2020 taxes, it will be possible to offset this credit with the taxes he owes.

Regarding leases for residential use nationwide, “Cura Italia” has not provided any suspension of monthly rentals unless agreed between private individuals (landlord and tenant). However, some regions have envisaged an intervention plan (for example, the Campania region has allocated 604 million euros for families in difficulty.) We therefore recommend checking on the website of your Comune di residenza.

In any case, landlord/lady and tenant can agree on a temporary reduction of the monthly rental.
For any problem regarding your rental contracts you can contact us at [email protected]

Food vouchers

Each Italian Comune has a fund to help families in difficulty. In Rome, for example, support will be provided through ‘Food Vouchers’ to purchase food or necessity goods. The amount may vary according to the household unit:
– up to € 300 for 1 or 2 people household;
– up to € 400 for 3 or 4 people household;
– up to € 500 for 5 people houlsehold or more.
Citizens must complete the application form available on the Comune website and send it to the competent Municipio.
Current deadline is set for April 16, 2020.

LOANS FOR SMALL AND MEDIUM-SIZED ENTERPRISES and VAT WORKERS

Should the government establish new rules, we’ll inform you as soon as possible!

 

We assist Expats relocating to Rome and Italy with a variety of complex legal matters. We help foreigners to understand Italian law and solve their legal problems. For more information contact us: [email protected]

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