# Italy Work Visa to Residence Permit: First Steps for Indians > From Nulla Osta to permesso di soggiorno: the 8-working-day Questura deadline for Indian D-visa holders, the full timeline, documents to carry and family options. _Published: 2026-11-01 · Reading time: 5 min · Words: 1160_ ## TL;DR An Italy work visa is a national D visa that gets you into the country; the residence permit (permesso di soggiorno) lets you stay. The Embassy of Italy in New Delhi says D-visa holders must apply for it at the Questura within 8 working days of arrival, so plan the steps before you fly. ## Key takeaways - National (D) visa holders must apply for a permesso di soggiorno at the Questura within 8 working days of arriving in Italy. - The employment D visa costs EUR 116 / INR 12,410 plus a INR 631 VFS service charge, and needs a Nulla Osta from the SUI. - Book the VFS appointment within 6 months of the Nulla Osta's issue; VFS lists 30 working days for an employment visa with a SUI Nulla Osta. - A spouse or parent can apply at the same time as an accompanying family member (familiare al seguito) with a Questura Nulla Osta. - Official India-facing pages do not publish the residence permit fee or appointment procedure, so confirm them in Italy. **According to the Embassy of Italy in New Delhi, anyone entering Italy on a national (D) visa, including the employment visa, must apply for a residence permit (permesso di soggiorno) at the Questura within 8 working days of arrival. The D work visa itself costs EUR 116 (INR 12,410) and needs a Nulla Osta.** ## Article Many Indian workers treat the visa sticker as the finish line. It is really the halfway point: the visa gets you into Italy, and the permesso di soggiorno is the residence permit you must apply for once you are there. The deadline is short, so the work starts in India. Everything below is as published on the official sources, checked on 15 October 2026. For every other Italian visa category, see our Italy visa guide for Indian applicants. ### What is the permesso di soggiorno, and why does a D visa need one? Italy issues two kinds of visa: short-stay Schengen C visas for up to 90 days, and national D visas for longer stays such as work, study and family reunion. The Embassy's rule on the residence permit applies to D-visa holders. Once you land on a D visa, you apply for the permesso di soggiorno, the residence permit for your stay, at the Questura. The permit also matters for your future plans. If your spouse or children later join you through family reunion, the Embassy's checklist asks for an attested copy of the inviting person's Italian permit of stay. Your own permesso becomes part of their file. ### How many days do you have after landing? Eight working days. The Embassy of Italy in New Delhi and the VFS employment route both state that national-visa holders must apply for the residence permit at the Questura within 8 working days of arrival. Do not plan to the last day. Agree with your employer, before you fly, who will guide you through the first week and which Questura you should go to. ### How does the timeline run from Nulla Osta to permesso? StageWho actsOfficial time limit or timeframeNulla Osta (work authorisation)Italian employer, via the C-Stag form to the SUI on the ALI portalNot published on the India-facing pagesVFS appointment for the D visaYouWithin 6 months of the Nulla Osta's issue dateVisa decision (employment long stay with N.O. SUI)Italian mission for your state30 Working DaysResidence permit applicationYou, in ItalyWithin 8 working days of arrival, at the QuesturaThe visa fee is EUR 116 / INR 12,410 for an employment D visa, and VFS New Delhi asks employment applicants to pre-pay its INR 631 service charge when booking. VFS processes the file only if the Nulla Osta protocol number appears in the records the Embassy shares with it. Since 11 January 2025 Italy also collects fingerprints for D visas. ### What should you carry from India for the first weeks? The official pages do not publish a permesso checklist for Indian applicants, so carry the documents that built your visa file. They establish who you are, who employs you and on what basis you entered: - Your passport with the D visa. The employment checklist requires at least 3 months' validity beyond leaving the Schengen area, and the checklist for ANPAL-authorised employment asks for at least 18 months, so a passport close to expiry creates problems later. - Copies of the Nulla Osta and the C-Stag form submitted by your employer - A copy of the employer's ID, and their permit of stay if they are not Italian - Your medical insurance policy: the visa checklist asks for at least EUR 30,000 of cover for at least 90 days, with a repatriation clause - Spare passport photos on a white background Keep scans of everything in your email as well. If your degree or training certificates were part of the job offer, carry the originals too. ### Can your family come with you, or join later? There are two routes, and both start before or after your own move: - With you (familiare al seguito): a spouse or parent applies at the same time as your work visa. They need a Nulla Osta for "familiare al seguito" from the competent Questura in Italy (valid 6 months), obtained through a person in Italy nominated by a "delega" signed at the consulate, plus a declaration of economic dependence made at the consulate and legalised marriage or birth certificates. - Later (family reunion): once you live in Italy, the family member applies with a Nulla Osta from the competent SUI, valid for 6 months. The passport must have at least 2 years' residual validity, and the birth certificate must be apostilled and issued in English or bilingual Hindi-English or Punjabi-English. VFS lists 30 working days for family reunion long-stay processing. Refusals of family-reunion visas are challenged before the immigration section of the Ordinary Court of Rome; other visa refusals go through a lawyer to the T.A.R. of Lazio within 60 days. ### What do the official pages not tell you? The Embassy, consulate and VFS pages for India do not publish the residence permit fee, the appointment procedure at the Questura or the length of the permit. Do not rely on figures from forums. Ask your employer, who deals with the SUI and Questura in Italy, and confirm on arrival. Three mistakes are worth avoiding in the meantime: - Travelling on a short-stay C visa for a long-term job: long-term employment uses the national D visa with a Nulla Osta. - Letting the Nulla Osta's 6-month booking window lapse while you sort out paperwork in India. - Booking flights so late in the visa window that the first week in Italy is a rush to meet the 8-working-day deadline. The employment checklist asks for a one-way flight reservation. Yatra For Fun's India office in Gurugram prepares flight reservations from INR 1,000, and a package with hotel booking, itinerary and cover letter for INR 3,000 when a family member's file needs them too. Reach us on WhatsApp at +91 95230 91018 or through our contact page. ### Frequently asked questions #### Does the 8-working-day permesso rule apply to Indian students as well? Yes. The Embassy of Italy in New Delhi states the rule for national (D) visa holders, and the long-stay study visa is a national D visa. Students must also apply for the residence permit at the Questura within 8 working days of arrival. #### Is the residence permit fee included in the EUR 116 visa fee? The EUR 116 (INR 12,410) is the fee for the national D visa. The Embassy and VFS pages for India do not list a residence permit charge, so confirm the permesso cost with your employer or the Questura in Italy. #### Can my spouse travel to Italy with me on my work visa? Your spouse needs their own visa. As an accompanying family member (familiare al seguito) they apply at the same time as your work visa, with a Nulla Osta from the competent Questura obtained through a person in Italy holding a signed delega. #### How long is the Nulla Osta valid for booking the work visa? You must book the VFS appointment within 6 months of the Nulla Osta's issue date. VFS processes the application only if the Nulla Osta protocol number appears in the records shared by the Embassy. ## Steps 1. **Employer obtains the Nulla Osta** — Your Italian employer submits the C-Stag form to the Sportello Unico per l'Immigrazione through the ALI portal and obtains the Nulla Osta (work authorisation). 2. **Book the VFS appointment** — Book within 6 months of the Nulla Osta's issue date at the VFS centre for your state, and pre-pay the INR 631 VFS service charge. 3. **Submit the D visa file** — Lodge the employment D visa application with copies of the Nulla Osta and C-Stag form, pay EUR 116 (INR 12,410) and give fingerprints. 4. **Prepare for travel** — Carry your passport with the D visa, copies of all employer documents and medical insurance of at least EUR 30,000 covering at least 90 days. 5. **Apply for the permesso di soggiorno** — Within 8 working days of arriving in Italy, apply for the residence permit at the Questura. 6. **Keep copies for family reunion** — Keep attested copies of your passport and permesso di soggiorno, which the Embassy's family-reunion checklist requires from the person in Italy. ## FAQ ### Does the 8-working-day permesso rule apply to Indian students as well? Yes. The Embassy of Italy in New Delhi states the rule for national (D) visa holders, and the long-stay study visa is a national D visa. Students must also apply for the residence permit at the Questura within 8 working days of arrival. ### Is the residence permit fee included in the EUR 116 visa fee? The EUR 116 (INR 12,410) is the fee for the national D visa. The Embassy and VFS pages for India do not list a residence permit charge, so confirm the permesso cost with your employer or the Questura in Italy. ### Can my spouse travel to Italy with me on my work visa? Your spouse needs their own visa. As an accompanying family member (familiare al seguito) they apply at the same time as your work visa, with a Nulla Osta from the competent Questura obtained through a person in Italy holding a signed delega. ### How long is the Nulla Osta valid for booking the work visa? You must book the VFS appointment within 6 months of the Nulla Osta's issue date. VFS processes the application only if the Nulla Osta protocol number appears in the records shared by the Embassy. ## Sources 1. [Embassy of Italy New Delhi - Visas (fees incl. national study EUR 50, EU family members free, appeals, permesso di soggiorno)](https://ambnewdelhi.esteri.it/en/servizi-consolari-e-visti/servizi-per-il-cittadino-straniero/visti/) — Embassy of Italy in New Delhi 2. [VFS Global - Apply for VISA to Italy In North India](https://www.vfsglobal.com/one-pager/italy/india/new-delhi/english/) — VFS Global 3. [Embassy of Italy New Delhi - Accompanying Spouse/Parent (Familiare al Seguito, D) checklist (via VFS)](https://www.vfsglobal.com/one-pager/italy/india/new-delhi/english/pdf/Req-documents-familiare-al-seguito-21-04-13-New.pdf) — Embassy of Italy in New Delhi