Quick Guide for Foreigners in Florence by Lisa Bailey
Step 1 Codice Fiscale
First thing you MUST do is get your ”codice fiscale” It is your personnel Tax number. You will be asked for it, for every other document you need/want to get in Italy. (Even to get a loyalty card from your local supermarket!)
This can be applied for at Via Santa Caterina d’Alessandria, 23. The opening hours are from 8.30 till 12.30. But I’d advise you to get there early, as they only serve a certain number of people, as soon as the tickets run out, they stop working!!
They will give you a temporary card, and within 5 weeks your card ‘should’ arrive out to you by post.
For EU citizens the office recommends for you to bring a Photo ID and be able to supply a postal contact address.
Step 2 Residency
Next you should go and get residency. This procedure has changed recently (whether temporary or forever, no one seems to know!) This is obtained at Via Pietrepiana 53, Florence. It is behind the Duomo.
There is now a staff of 16, (as opposed to 3 or 4 in the Comune). It is located inside the post office . Ask for the ‘Sportello Unico Comunale Immigrazione’
Bring your passport, codice fiscale, work contract or proof of school enrollment, rent or ownership contract of a property. Minors also need birth certificates and written permission from a parent. Documents in English, such as birth certificates, must be translated and certified by your Embassy, consulate or a notary (notario) or Registrar (Cancelliere).
They will give you a sheet of paper that states that you have made a ”richiesta di residenza’. After 3 months, you will have a home visit from a local police officer. His job is to verify that you actually live at the address given. If everything goes well, within 6 months you should have you new Italian identity card! For those expecting, your residency, entitles you to claim a maternity check after your baby is born.
Step 3 Tessera Sanitaria
With your residency, you can go get your Tessera sanitaria. For those expecting, the benefit of getting your tessera sanitaria before doing any of your ultra scans or tests is that under Italian law, all pregnant women with residency in Italy, receive free health care during/after the pregnancy.
With your tessera, you choose a doctor. (all done is ASL) Then go back to your doctor , who will register you as his patient and who will send you to a public gynecologist. The gynecologist, will give you a ‘pregnancy book’ which must be carried with you at all times. It contains all the details of your pregnancy. The Gynecologist will send you for all your tests/exams.
There are many ASL offices in florence. If you are a resident in Florence, you can use ASL at Via Borgo Ognisanti 20 or Via Santa Monaca 37, 50124. Again be sure to be there early as they have a limited number system.
Depending on what Zone you are in, you can find the ASL closest to you.
When you go to get your tessera sanitaria, since you don’t have full residency yet (takes a few months) you will be given a temporary tessera, normally for about 3 months. When that expires you must return with the document that proves you have full residency, and it will be renewed, depending on whether you are European or ”extra European”(outside EU) it may be for 6 months, a year or even 3 years.
My Son was delivered in Santa Maria Annuziata, Via dell’Antella, 50012 Bagno a Ripoli. I loved it there, everybody was really nice. Plus a big benefit I found was that they let the baby sleep with you during the night, where as in Torregalli, san Giovanni da Dio, Scandicci, they take the babies off the mothers at night and bring them back in in the morning.
Carreggi is also very popular and therefore also very busy! The pediatric hospital is located next door. Nuovo Meyer, c/o Villa Ognissanti Viale Pieraccini, 24 – Careggi (Firenze).
Firenze Moms 4 Moms Network 