SettledkitHow to get a codice fiscale as a foreigner in Italy (2026)
Before you book anything, check your papers: many foreigners receive a codice fiscale automatically. If you do not have one, you request it at an Agenzia delle Entrate office (no fee is listed for it), and first-time requests by foreigners require an in-person appointment.
What the codice fiscale is
A 16-character code of letters and numbers that identifies you to the Italian state. Your employer, landlord, bank, phone company, doctor and pharmacy will all ask for it. It does not expire and normally stays the same for life.
It is built from your name, birth date and birthplace, but only a code issued by the Agenzia delle Entrate is valid. Codes from online calculators can be wrong for you or clash with someone else's.
Step 1: Check whether you already have one
| Your situation | Who gives you the code |
|---|---|
| Non-EU, arriving with a work or family-reunification visa based on a nulla osta | The Sportello Unico per l'Immigrazione at the Prefettura. It may start as a provisional numeric code; the permanent one comes with your permesso. |
| Non-EU, applying for or renewing a permesso di soggiorno | The Questura, during the permit procedure |
| Asylum seekers | The Questura or Border Police when you apply |
| You applied at an Italian consulate before travelling | Already done; bring the paper |
Look at your Sportello Unico papers, your permit receipt or your permit card.
Step 2: Book an appointment at the Agenzia delle Entrate
The Agenzia states that EU and non-EU citizens requesting their first codice fiscale must go to an office in person so their identity can be checked.
Book online on agenziaentrate.gov.it ("Contatti e assistenza", then "Prenota un appuntamento"), in the AgenziaEntrate app, or by phone on 800 90 96 96 (free, from a landline) or 06 96668907 (from a mobile). Book early: slots open up to about three weeks ahead.
Step 3: What to bring
- [ ] form AA4/8, filled in (download it from agenziaentrate.gov.it)
- [ ] non-EU: a valid permesso di soggiorno, or a valid passport with visa where required, or another document recognised by Italian authorities
- [ ] EU: passport or national ID card valid for travel
- [ ] a short reason for the request (work, study, renting, opening an account)
Step 4: The certificate, then the card
At the counter you receive a certificato di attribuzione del codice fiscale. This sheet is valid proof of your code until the card arrives by post:
- if you register with the national health service, you get the tessera sanitaria, which doubles as your codice fiscale card;
- otherwise you get a plain tesserino del codice fiscale.
The card is posted to your residence or the address on your form, so keep your address up to date with the Agenzia.
From abroad
An Italian consulate in your country of residence can also issue the code before you travel. Procedures vary by consulate; check its website.
Common mistakes
- Using a code from an online generator.
- Requesting a code you already received from the Sportello Unico or Questura.
- Turning up without an appointment.
- Keeping a provisional numeric code after your permesso is issued: update your employer, bank and doctor with the permanent one.
Sources: agenziaentrate.gov.it (tax code for foreign nationals leaflet; tax identification number for foreign citizens; codice fiscale e tessera sanitaria; appointment booking; AA4/8 instructions); esteri.it. Checked October 2026.