Student Area · Residence Permit

Residence Permit · Yellow Kit step-by-step simulation

Full walkthrough of MOD. 209 — Modulo 1 and Modulo 2 of the Postal Kit (the "Yellow Kit"), filled in with a real student example. For non-EU students applying for the first issue of a residence permit for study reasons.

Last updated: May 2026 · valid for permit type "motivi di studio" / code 24 (university and language courses). For other purposes (work, family, asylum) the procedure changes.

01What is the Yellow Kit

The Yellow Kit (Kit Giallo, officially MOD. 209) is the yellow envelope with the official paperwork for applying for the Residence Permit. You pick it up for free at any post office with the Sportello Amico counter. Inside you find two forms (Modulo 1 and Modulo 2), instructions in Italian, and the pre-addressed envelope to hand in at the counter.

For a study permit you only need Modulo 1. You only fill in Modulo 2 if you are renewing a research permit, applying for an EU long-term residence permit, or converting your permit.

The kit is filed by registered mail through Poste Italiane. The Questura (immigration police) then summons you for fingerprints, and a few months later you collect the electronic permit card.

02Documents you need before you start

Prepare these documents before you sit down to fill in the forms:

• Valid passport + photocopy of every used page (visa, Schengen entry stamp).
• Study visa (glued inside your passport) — clean photocopy.
• 4 passport-size photos, recent, white/light background. The post office photobooth costs about €8.
• Italian tax code (Codice Fiscale) — if you don't have it yet, go to Agenzia delle Entrate first. It's issued on the spot.
• Acceptance letter from Accademia di Italiano (we sent it to you by email and by post) — original AND photocopy.
• Proof of accommodation in Italy — rental contract, hostel receipt, or a Declaration of Hospitality from your host.
• Proof of sufficient financial means — bank statement covering the last 3 months showing roughly €5,825 per year (figure updated annually). Alternatives: scholarship, guarantee from a resident relative, parent's letter + their tax return.
• Health insurance policy valid for the entire stay — if you don't have one, register with the Italian SSN once here (recommended, around €700/year for non-EU students).
• €16 revenue stamp (marca da bollo) — buy at any tobacco shop (tabaccheria) or at the post office.

03Our example student

To make this simulation realistic, we follow Maria Hernandez from the moment she opens her Yellow Kit. Every field below is filled in with her real-looking data — you can copy the pattern and replace with your own.

04Filling in MOD. 209 — MODULO 1

Fill in capital letters with a black pen. No correction fluid. If you make a mistake, take a fresh copy from the kit (it comes with extras). Do NOT sign or date the form before the post office counter — the official watches you sign.

Header — addressee

Pick the Questura of the province where you actually live in Italy. Maria lives in Florence so she writes FIRENZE and FI.

SEZIONE 1 — Request data (fields 3–20)

Permit-type codes you might need: 24 = study (university / language course), 27 = research, 09 = EU long-term residence permit, 13 = family (adults), 14 = family (minors), 16 = subordinate work, 28 = job-seeking after research, 30 = job-seeking after study, 5 = job-seeking (other).

SEZIONE 2 — Application data (fields 22–29)

SEZIONE 3 — Personal data (fields 31–38)

SEZIONE 4 — Identity document (fields 40–46)

SEZIONE 5 — Entry visa data (fields 48–57) · only for first issue

SEZIONE 7 — Italian address (fields 70–84)

For study permit Maria stops here. Skip SEZIONE 6, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12 unless a family member also lives in Italy with her.

05MODULO 2 — when (and how) to fill it

For a first-issue study permit you do NOT fill Modulo 2. Leave it blank in the envelope. You only need Modulo 2 if you are:

• Renewing a research permit (fill SEZ. 1, 2, 5).
• Converting your permit into a job-seeking one after graduation (fill SEZ. 6).
• Applying for the EU long-term residence permit (fill SEZ. 1; SEZ. 2/3/4 depending on job type; SEZ. 5).

If your situation is one of these, the structure of Modulo 2 mirrors Modulo 1 (personal data on top, then specific sections). The most-asked section for students is:

Modulo 2 — SEZIONE 5: financial means

06Fees — what you will pay

You pay everything at the post office at the moment of delivery. The revenue stamp is the only item you bring yourself (sticking it to the form is done by the postal officer).

07Where to deliver the Kit — addresses & hours

The Kit is filed only at a post office with a Sportello Amico counter (the dedicated immigration desk). Not every post office has it — find the closest one on poste.it/sportello-amico or by calling 803.160. Always book your appointment before going — walk-ins can wait several hours.

08After delivery — Questura appointment

1. The clerk weighs the envelope, takes payment, and gives you a postal receipt. This receipt acts as a temporary permit — carry it with you at all times.
2. On the receipt you find a file number and a password. Track your application at questure.poliziadistato.it/stranieri.
3. Within 30–60 days the Questura — Ufficio Immigrazione summons you for photos and fingerprints (rilievi fotodattiloscopici). Bring your passport, the postal receipt, photocopies and 4 extra passport photos. Go only at the date/time on the summons letter.
4. Another 2–4 months later (varies by Questura) you collect the electronic permit card. Valid for the duration of your course.

Questura — Ufficio Immigrazione

09Common mistakes to avoid

• Filling in English. The kit must be filled in Italian, in CAPITAL LETTERS, with a black pen.
• Signing at home. Sign only at the post office counter (fields 28–29 and equivalents on Modulo 2).
• Italian address mismatch. The province on the Questura header and on SEZIONE 7 must match.
• Wrong photo format. White/light background, no reflective glasses, no big smile, face fully visible.
• Insufficient proof of means. Bank statement must cover at least 3 months and show the minimum annual amount.
• Forgetting passport copies. Photocopy every used page, not just the personal data page.
• Filling SEZIONE 11/12. Only complete if your spouse / children under 14 actually live with you in Italy.
• Codice fiscale missing. If you have it, write it in field 31 — it speeds the Questura's lookup.

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