Into each expat life in Italy comes the day when you must appear at the Questura, or the police station for immigration. I’ve been waiting since February of 2025 for my Permesso di Soggiorno, or permission to stay in the country. All of sudden, after months of checking the website for information, I got a dm telling me to appear on May 19 at 8:34 a.m., to collect my Permesso.

And away I went to collect it! I arrived at the Questura at 8:27 a.m., showed my dm to the officer in charge at the front door, he gave me a slip of paper telling me that I was F`11. I went inside and waited for my number to appear on the board.

All tolled, I was probably in the Questura for 35 minutes this time. What a break! In the past I have spent hours waiting for my number to come up after waiting hours in line for the opportunity to submit the paperwork.

So, I’m legal now for a couple of years! Arrividerci questura!