Applying for international protection means asking the Italian State to recognize that the person would be at risk in case he or she would go back to their country of origin. If this risk is acknowledged, the applicant is allowed to regularly stay in the Italian territory, receiving a residency permit that may vary depending on the type of risk or harm he or she would be, or has been subjected to.

 

The procedure is long and complex. It begins with the formalization of the application for protection, first at Cinformi and then in the Questura (the regional headquarter of the Ministry of the Interior). The second step is an interview of the applicant with the Territorial Commission for the Recognition of International Protection. The Commission, which is located in Verona for those who apply in Trento, listens to the person’s story, asks questions to prove its truthfulness, and takes a decision which is delivered through an official response.

 

If the response is positive, the person needs to go back to the Questura in order to receive the residency permit. If it is negative, the applicant may decide to appeal the decision to the Court, assisted by a lawyer.

 

In this process many are the technical aspects, hitches and shades that can make it hard, for an asylum seeker who is not familiar with the Italian system, to understand and carry out the paperwork. On the other hand, it is extremely important to pay attention at each step, since it might take little to risk losing the rights one has acquired