Residence card of a family member of Union citizen in Italy

The family members of a Union citizen who are not nationals of a Member State may require the "card of a family member of Union citizen".

According to the EU Law, Union citizen means any person having the nationality of a Member State.

While, family member means: the spouse; the direct descendants who are under the age of 21, also those of the foreign spouse; dependent direct ascendants, included those of the foreign spouse.

The residence card of a family member of Union citizen shall be valid for five years from the date of issue. Afterwards, the foreign family member acquires the right of permanent residence if he has resided legally for a period of five years in the country with the citizen of the Union.

The validity of the residence card shall not be affected by temporary absences not exceeding six months a year, or by absences of a longer duration for compulsory military service or by an absence of a maximum of twelve consecutive months for important reasons such as pregnancy and childbirth, serious illness, study, training or job in another Member State or a third country.

Divorce and annulment of marriage shall not cause the loss of the right of residence for the family members who are not nationals of a Member State, provided that they have acquired the right of permanent residence or any one of the following conditions:

- the marriage lasted three years, of which at least one year in the country;

- the foreign spouse has custody of the children according to an agreement between the spouses or a judicial decision; 

- the person is offended party in a criminal proceedings, pending or defined, for crimes against the person committed within the family;

- the foreign spouse has the right of access to a minor child, provided that the court established that such access must be made in the national territory.

If you need a legal help to obtain a Residence card of a family member of Union citizen in Italy, please contact English speaking lawyers in Italy

Please, see also: 

How to get Italian citizenship by marriage

How to appeal visa refusal in Italy

Lawyers in Rome