New on TikTok: Work Residence Permit Denied After Domestic Abuse Conviction: Italian Court Upholds Refusal Despite Employment and Social Integration Welcome to a new episode of the podcast Immigration Law. I am attorney Fabio Loscerbo. Today, we examine judgment number 1703 of the Regional Administrative Court of Emilia-Romagna, Bologna, published on October 26, 2026, concerning case number 1160 of 2026. The case involves a foreign citizen who applied to convert his residence permit for humanitarian reasons into a residence permit for employment. The Bologna Police Headquarters initially rejected his application because of a conviction for a minor drug-related offence. Following a Constitutional Court ruling that excluded automatic refusal for this category of offence, the authorities were required to reconsider his case. However, a new criminal conviction had subsequently been issued for serious domestic abuse against his wife, involving physical and psychological violence. The Police Headquarters therefore confirmed the refusal, despite the applicant's previous stable employment, financial resources, and long residence in Italy. The Court dismissed the appeal. The judges clarified that domestic abuse constitutes a particularly serious offence, relevant to the issuance and renewal of residence permits. A suspended prison sentence does not prevent the Police Headquarters from independently assessing the foreign citizen's danger to public safety. One particularly significant aspect concerns family ties. According to the Court, having a family in Italy cannot provide absolute protection against the refusal of a residence permit, especially when a family member is the victim of the violent conduct. The judgment therefore confirms that employment and lawful residence are not, by themselves, sufficient to demonstrate effective integration. Respect for the law and human dignity, beginning within the family, is an essential component of peaceful coexistence in society. Thank you for listening, and see you in the next episode.