No Exams, No Conversion: Why Procedure Matters in Italian Immigration Law

 No Exams, No Conversion: Why Procedure Matters in Italian Immigration Law

A recent decision of the Regional Administrative Court of Emilia-Romagna has once again clarified a crucial principle in Italian immigration law: a residence permit cannot be transformed retroactively, and procedural accuracy is not a mere formality — it is the substance of legal protection.

In judgment no. 254 of 13 February 2026 (general register no. 114/2026), the Court addressed the case of a foreign national who had entered Italy with a student visa. Upon expiration of his residence permit, he claimed that he had applied for conversion into a work residence permit. The Police Headquarters rejected the request and also issued an expulsion decree.

The full decision is available here:
https://www.calameo.com/books/0080797759fa26ea8a2c4

The core issue examined by the Court was whether a formal application for conversion had actually been submitted. The applicant produced only proof of payment of the administrative fee, not a documented request expressly asking for the conversion of the permit. Furthermore, the employment contract relied upon began after the renewal request had been filed.

This detail proved decisive.

The Court clarified that the administration had correctly treated the case as a request to renew the student residence permit. Under Italian law, the legality of an administrative decision must be assessed on the basis of the request effectively submitted and the requirements existing at the time of that request. Subsequent developments — such as a later employment contract — cannot retroactively validate a conversion that was never formally requested.

Equally important is the Court’s reaffirmation of another well-established principle: the Police Headquarters is not obliged to evaluate, on its own initiative, whether the applicant might qualify for a different type of residence permit if no specific request has been made. Immigration procedures are driven by the individual’s application. Authorities must decide on what is requested — not on what might hypothetically have been requested.

The judgment also addressed the argument concerning the lack of written translation of the refusal into a language understood by the applicant. The Court reiterated that the absence of written translation does not automatically invalidate an administrative act if the foreign national has been able to challenge the decision within the legal deadline and fully exercise the right of defense. In this case, the appeal was filed in time.

Perhaps the most substantive aspect of the decision concerns the nature of the student residence permit itself. A permit granted for study purposes presupposes a genuine academic path. In the case at hand, no university exams had been passed. Without demonstrable academic progress, the renewal of the student permit could not be justified.

This ruling sends a clear message: immigration law is built upon typified residence titles, each linked to specific purposes and concrete requirements. A student permit cannot become, by inertia or convenience, a work permit. Conversion requires a formal request and the existence of legal conditions at the time of application.

Administrative procedure, therefore, is not a technical obstacle. It is the legal framework within which rights are formed and protected.

For foreign students in Italy, the lesson is straightforward: study permits require real academic engagement. And if the objective is employment, the legal pathway must be formally and correctly followed.

Avvocato Fabio Loscerbo
Lawyer in Bologna
Immigration Law