Update June 29, 2026: As of June 26, 2026, it is now possible to sign ‘contracts of stay’ digitally for Blue Card applications, while handwritten signatures continue to be accepted. To utilize the digital feature, upon a foreign national’s entry into Italy (since ‘contracts of stay’ are a post-arrival requirement), the employer or their representative will enter the entry details into the portal. Following this, the government generates the documentation required for the contract of stay completion, which the employer (or their representative) and the foreign national are responsible to sign and re-submit via certified email. This enhancement is expected to streamline the Blue Card application process, though some delays may occur during rollout as individual immigration offices interpret and implement these changes at their own pace.
April 16, 2025: Country experts have observed that it is still not possible to sign ‘contracts of stay’ digitally. Rather, applicants must continue to sign such documents in person. We are continuing to monitor developments.
October 14, 2024: Effective January 11, 2025, employers of quota and non-quota subject work permit applicants will need to sign their contract of stay digitally instead of in person. The employer will need to use a digital signature to complete this process. This will speed up the possibility to submit residence permit applications as the contract of stay signature, a prerequisite to the residence permit application process, previously required an in-person visit to the immigration office (generally scheduled after a few weeks of the foreign national’s arrival). The processing time for the other steps of the work permit process will not change.
This alert is for informational purposes only. If you have any questions, please contact the global immigration professional with whom you work at Fragomen or send an email to [email protected].
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