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The short answer
When you renew a permesso di soggiorno, the questura checks that you still meet the conditions of your permit, which for work and family permits means lawful, declared income. Evidence usually means your certificazione unica, tax return, recent payslips and employment contract, with copies placed in the post-office kit. The benchmark the law uses for family and long-term permits is the annual assegno sociale, €546.24 a month in 2026 (INPS circolare 153/2025).
What the questura is checking
A renewal is not automatic. The questura looks at whether the reason for your permit still exists and whether you can support yourself and anyone who depends on you. For a work permit the starting point is that you are still working or actively self-employed; for a family permit it is the income of the family member you joined. The Testo unico immigrazione sets an explicit income figure in two places that matter to renewals: article 29, for family reunification, and article 9, for the EU long-term permit. Both use the annual assegno sociale as the measure.
Poste Italiane's guide to the kit says that, besides your passport and a copy of the expiring permit, you include A4 photocopies of "any other documents required" for your motive. It does not list them, because each type of permit has its own. Treat the list below as what offices commonly ask for, then confirm with your questura or a patronato.
Evidence by situation
| Your situation | Evidence commonly asked for |
|---|---|
| Employee | Certificazione unica (CU), last payslips, contract or employer's letter confirming employment |
| Domestic worker (colf, badante) | INPS contribution statements, contract registered with INPS, employer's ID |
| Self-employed | Partita IVA certificate, last tax return (modello Redditi), F24 tax payments |
| Family permit | The sponsoring family member's CU or tax return and payslips, proof of cohabitation |
| Between jobs | Termination letter, registration with the job centre and any NASpI payments |
Copies go in the open envelope at the post office; originals come with you to the questura appointment for fingerprinting, where officers can ask to see them.
The benchmark: the assegno sociale
For 2026 the assegno sociale is €546.24 a month. Paid over 13 months, that is €7,101.12 a year (our calculation). For family reunification, article 29 adds half of the annual amount for each family member and doubles it for two or more children under 14. Example: a worker supporting a spouse and one child over 14 would need at least €7,101.12 × 2 = €14,202.24 a year of declared income.
For an ordinary work permit renewal, no single national figure is written into the articles we checked, so practice varies between offices. Many use the assegno sociale as a reference point. If your income dipped because of illness or a gap between contracts, include a short covering letter and documents explaining why.
Showing income from Nigeria
Some Nigerians in Italy have income at home: rent from a flat in Lagos, profits from a business, or support from family. The commentary on article 9 says income counts when it is lawful, stable and declared for tax or otherwise documentable. In practice that points to three steps:
- Declare it on your Italian tax return where it has to be declared there (a CAF can confirm your position). A declared figure is the strongest evidence. See Italian tax on income from Nigeria.
- Document the source: tenancy agreement, company accounts or CAC records, and bank statements showing the money arriving.
- Translate what the office asks for. Nigerian documents in English often need an Italian translation; sworn translation explains when that has to be sworn.
Money a relative sends you as a gift is usually weaker evidence than earned income, because it is neither stable nor taxed as income.
If the questura asks for more
It is common to be asked for an extra document at the fingerprint appointment or by letter afterwards: a more recent payslip, a lease, or an updated employer's declaration. The request is sent to the address you gave in the kit, so keep that address current and check your post. Answer within the time stated, and keep a copy of what you hand in, with the date. If the office says your income is too low, ask it to say so in writing. A patronato, a CAF or an immigration lawyer can tell you whether other income in the household can be added, whether a period of low earnings can be explained, or whether a different type of permit fits your situation better. Meanwhile, the post-office receipt attached to your expiring permit is the document that shows you applied on time, so keep it safe and carry it with your passport.
What to check first
- Post the kit before your permit expires, and keep the receipt with your expiring permit.
- Ask your questura or a patronato for the current list for your permit type.
- Check that the income on your CU or tax return matches what you claim.
- Pay the right contribution: €40 for permits of more than three months up to one year, €50 for more than one up to two years, plus €30.46 for the card.
Where Pryme fits
If you receive rent or business income from Nigeria, keeping it in one place makes the paper trail clearer. A Pryme account holds naira and euros side by side, and you can generate a verifiable statement through VerifyDoc.ai that anyone can check has not been altered. The questura decides what it accepts. See statements and multicurrency accounts.
Questions people ask
What documents do I need to renew my permesso di soggiorno for work?
Usually your passport, a copy of the expiring permit, the CU, recent payslips and your contract or an employer's letter. Your questura's own list for your permit type is the one to follow.
How much salary do I need to renew my permesso in Italy?
For family and long-term permits the benchmark is the annual assegno sociale, €7,101.12 in 2026 for one person (€546.24 × 13). For ordinary work permits there is no single national figure in the law we checked.
Can I use rent from my house in Nigeria as income for my permesso?
It helps most if it is declared on your Italian tax return and backed by a tenancy agreement and bank statements.
What if I lost my job before renewing my permesso?
Bring the termination letter, job-centre registration and any NASpI records, and ask the questura or a patronato about the options for job seekers.
Sources
- Poste Italiane: Permessi di soggiorno, guida al rilascio e rinnovo (motive table updated 30 May 2024) · accessed Oct 2026
- Brocardi: D.Lgs. 286/1998 art. 29, family reunification, updated 16 Jul 2026 · accessed Oct 2026
- Brocardi: D.Lgs. 286/1998 (Testo unico immigrazione) art. 9, updated 16 Jul 2026 · accessed Oct 2026
- Manageritalia: Pensioni 2026, citing INPS circolare 153/2025 (Feb 2026) · accessed Oct 2026
- Questura di Bergamo notice via Confindustria Bergamo: new contribution amounts for issuing and renewing permits (12 Jun 2017) · accessed Oct 2026
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