Ah, Italia! I do love it here, there is so much to recommend it. Gorgeous vistas, excellent food and wine, a mild climate, that sense of community, the lack of violence, particularly gun violence.
Of course, there are downsides. One of them is the infamous Italian bureaucracy. It doesn't matter how much you research, how much you prepare, or how much you read, there is always the unexpected.
I know that a certain piece of information is most definitely not anywhere included in the information on the Consulate website. I am sure I did not come across it in any of the articles or blogs that I read. With absolute certainty no one at the Questura advised us. And, even when we dutifully showed up at the Municipale with our very first Permesso, and we were issued "cittadine" cards (residents of this town) not a soul told us we would have to show up each and every time we got a new Permesso. After all, the cittadine cards are good for 10 years! Chissa? Who knew?!
Besides, there was a little virus going around, and our second Permesso was delayed by nine months.
A very official looking letter arrived yesterday. It was in duplicate, hand signed and stamped with an official stamp. It cited several ordinances, (you have violated regulation whatchemacallit , section such-and-such along with regulation blahdeeblah) which was a bit alarming.
Turns out, as foreigners here (outside of the EU) we have to present the new permesso within sixty days of applying for it, or, if the actual card is not ready, the receipt from the post office proving the request was sent in.
The new prime minister of Italy has appointed several people to the task of bringing Italy into the 21st Century with computer technology. It's there already! But, the left hand doesn't talk to the right hand. As in, why can't the Municipale just look up our new permessi via computer by accessing the Ministry of the Interior? Or, conversely, why can't the Posta or the Questura notify the Municipale when someone applies? It saves time, paper and potential problems. *like a pandemic
My husband reacted with his usual over the top anxiety, putting me on edge. I emailed the official who sent the letter to say that we would take care of it immediately.
We trucked off this morning...a lovely, almost warm, sunny day with a clear, blue sky. The Municipale is just up in the main piazza, housed in an ancient former monastery. The cards were presented, copied and that was that. Problem solved. Another hoop to jump through that you just have to know about because NOBODY tells you.
We were told to understand that this is a local level "thing"...it isn't like the Italian government is coming after us. Tranquille. Ok....so what would happen if we never showed the new Permesso? Well, maybe nothing. On the other hand, maybe you could be thrown out of the country. Hard to say. It's just....one of those things.
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