Applying for asylum

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Anyone who is in Italy can seek protection from the Italian state by applying for asylum, if they fear persecution or danger in their country of origin.

If you apply for asylum, and you get international protection or another form of protection, you have the right to stay in Italy and not to be sent back to your home country.

You can use this article to learn more about:

• Asking for asylum
• Identification and fingerprinting
• Formalization of asylum request (C3)
• Interview with the Territorial Commission
• Decision of the Territorial Commission

Where and how to ask for asylum

Italian law states that you can ask for asylum either at the Border Police upon arrival, or at the Immigration Office of the Police (‘Questura’ in Italian) if you are already in Italy.

You can request to apply for international protection orally or in writing, in your own language with the help of an interpreter. If the interpreter for your language is not available at that moment, Questura will schedule an appointment for you.

Seeking asylum is a fundamental right and Questura or Border Police cannot deny you this right. They must allow you to submit your asylum request. If you have troubles accessing your right to asylum, drop us a message on our Facebook page.

As an asylum-seeker, you have the right to stay in a reception center.

If you are in Milan

If you want to apply for asylum in Milan, you cannot go directly to the Immigration Office. First you must contact and get an appointment with one of the local associations identified by Questura that will then schedule an appointment with the Immigration Office or police station for you to proceed with the identification procedure and asylum application (C3). Please consult the document "Disponibilita' Terzo Settore" on the top right at this link and take an appointment with one of the associations in the list. 

At the appointment with the association, you should take your ID or passport, or give your personal data and two passport-sized photos if you do not have any identification documents. 

If you are a woman (with priority for pregnant women) or you are over 60, you can also call AVSI association at +39 3515735567 or go to their office at viale Monza 79 on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday between 9am and 1pm to book the appointment with them. At the appointment with AVSI, you must bring any identification document (if you have it) and medical certificate if you are pregnant. They will give you the appointment with the police for the identification and C3.

If you are a person with disabilities, elder person, family or single parent with minor children, person with serious physical illness or mental disorder, or you are a victim of violence or human trafficking, you can send an email to dipps146.00p0@pecps.poliziadistato.it, inserting in the email object "4^Sezione - rifugiati. Richiesta appuntamento per soggetto vulnerabile", and attaching the documents that attest that you are in one of these categories of people. If your request is fine, you will receive the appointment with AVSI association. At the appointment with AVSI, you should bring your identification document (if you have it). They will give you the appointment with the police for the identification and C3.

Identification and fingerprinting

After expressing your intention to seek international protection, the police will identify you by registering your personal data, taking photos of you and recording your fingerprints. The police will also ask you to hand over your passport, if you have it. The fingerprinting and photographing process is called ‘fotosegnalamento’ in Italian.

It could happen that Questura fingerprints you once you ask for asylum, or that they give you a specific appointment for that – which could be later than you might expect.

Authorities will upload your fingerprints to the European database Eurodac. If they find out that you were fingerprinted in another EU country before Italy, they send a request to the Interior Ministry - Dublin unit, who will determine which country is responsible for examining your asylum claim.

Once the police have fingerprinted you, they will give you a paper containing your next appointment with Questura for the formalization of your asylum request.

Not having a valid address in Italy should not affect your right to submit your asylum application. Nevertheless, in the past some questure denied asylum requests because the applicant did not have a declaration of hospitality or house contract. If this is also your case, we suggest that you get in touch with a lawyer.