I got mine in Milan with just a D visa and the ricevuta, no permesso yet. They said no at first, then a helpful person up front found a form and sent me to an operator who issued it.
D
Read the thread ✦Italy · Codice fiscale
Your codice fiscale, first. Guide 2026.
Without a codice fiscale you cannot open a bank account, sign a lease or see a doctor in Italy - so it is the very first thing you should sort out. We will show you how to get yours fast, even before your permesso arrives, plus free help from people who have done it.
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✦The essentials
What you actually need to know
Practical details pulled from the community guide, current for 2026.
16 characters
The codice fiscale is a 16-character alphanumeric code computed from your name, date and place of birth, for example RSSMRA85M01H501Z. It is your Italian tax ID, like a social security number.
Art. 6 DPR 605/1973
The law says the codice fiscale is issued to anyone with a lawful basis to stay in Italy. A D visa plus your ricevuta is a lawful basis, so you can apply before the permesso. Offices that refuse are acting on their own, not on the law.
Modello AA4/8
The application form for assigning a codice fiscale to foreigners. Download it from the Agenzia delle Entrate website and fill it in Italian, then bring it to the office.
Country code 135 vs 154
People born in the former USSR sometimes get the wrong country code on file (135 USSR instead of 154 Russia), which can mismatch later records. Check the code on your card and ask for a correction if it is wrong.
No fee
The codice fiscale is issued free of charge at any Agenzia delle Entrate office. Some offices take walk-ins, others need a prenotazione - check the local office page first.
✦Avoid these
Common codice fiscale mistakes
Waiting for the permesso before you apply
A D visa plus your ricevuta is already a lawful basis to apply under Art. 6 DPR 605/1973. Waiting for the permesso delays your bank account, lease and health registration by weeks or months.
Go to the Agenzia delle Entrate as soon as you have your D visa and ricevuta in hand - no permesso needed.
Accepting a verbal refusal without pushing back
Some offices refuse informally out of habit, not out of law. A verbal no has no legal force and the person refusing may not know the regulation.
Ask for a written, reasoned refusal citing the specific rule. That request alone often unblocks the issue on the spot.
Relying on the CF printed on the permesso card for your bank
Some banks, including major ones, treat the codice fiscale printed on a new permesso card as information-only and refuse to open an account with it.
Get a separate codice fiscale certificate document directly from the Agenzia delle Entrate and use that with banks.
Ignoring the country code on the card after it is issued
People born in the former USSR are sometimes assigned country code 135 (USSR) instead of 154 (Russia), which can cause mismatches in later official records.
Check the country code on your card as soon as you receive it and request a correction at the office before you use it anywhere.
✦Real cases from our community
People who did it
Condensed from the discussion on our forum, where members answer questions and post updates.
When I asked for a written, reasoned refusal citing the exact rule, the office suddenly found a way to issue the code. Asking for it in writing is the trick.
S
Read the thread My CF was printed on the new permesso card, but Intesa Sanpaolo called that information-only and wanted a separate document from the Agenzia delle Entrate. Get the standalone certificate.
M
Read the thread ✦The process
From documents to the code, in five steps
- 1
Gather your documents
Passport (original plus copy), D visa copy, and a copy of your ricevuta (the residence-permit application receipt). If you have one, add a lease or a letter from your employer or client.
- 2
Fill in Modello AA4/8
Download the form from the Agenzia delle Entrate site and complete it in Italian. This is the official request to assign a codice fiscale to a foreigner.
- 3
Write a short cover note citing the law
State that you live in Italy lawfully on a D visa and request the codice fiscale under Art. 6 DPR 605/1973, and that if refused you want a written, reasoned refusal citing the specific rules.
- 4
Go to an Agenzia delle Entrate office
Some offices need a prenotazione, others take walk-ins - check the local page. Give a concrete reason like opening a Partita IVA or a property deal, which works better than just asking for the code.
- 5
Check the card, then use it
Confirm your details and country code are correct, then use the codice fiscale to open a bank account, sign a registered lease and access the health system.
The mistake that gets you turned away: assuming you must wait for the permesso, or accepting a verbal refusal. The law allows it with a D visa, so try another office and ask for the refusal in writing - that alone often unblocks it.
✦FAQ
Codice fiscale questions, answered
Do I need the permesso di soggiorno to get a codice fiscale?
No. Under Art. 6 DPR 605/1973 a codice fiscale is issued to anyone with a lawful basis to stay in Italy. A D visa plus the ricevuta (residence-permit receipt) is a lawful basis. You do not need to wait for the permesso itself.
What documents do I need to bring?
Bring your passport (original plus a copy), a copy of your D visa, and a copy of your ricevuta. Adding a lease or a letter from your employer or client strengthens your application. Also bring the completed Modello AA4/8 form from the Agenzia delle Entrate website.
What is the Modello AA4/8?
It is the official form for assigning a codice fiscale to a foreign national. Download it from the Agenzia delle Entrate website, fill it in Italian, and submit it at the local office.
How much does the codice fiscale cost?
Nothing. The codice fiscale is issued free of charge at any Agenzia delle Entrate office. There is no application fee.
Do I need a prenotazione (appointment) to visit the office?
It depends on the local office. Some offices accept walk-ins, others require an appointment booked online through the Agenzia delle Entrate website. Check the page for your specific local office before you go.
What is the codice fiscale and what is it used for?
It is a 16-character alphanumeric code computed from your name, date and place of birth - for example RSSMRA85M01H501Z. It works as your Italian tax ID and is required to open a bank account, sign a registered lease, access the public health system and open a Partita IVA.
The bank will not accept the CF on my permesso card - what do I do?
Some banks treat a codice fiscale printed on the permesso card as information-only. Go to the Agenzia delle Entrate and ask for a separate codice fiscale certificate document - that is what banks typically accept.
Let's find your pathway
Free guidance ✦Read the full guides
Go deeper on our forum
Member-written, updated for 2026. Free to read.
Codice Fiscale, the full guide
How to get it, even before the permesso, and the bank-acceptance gotchas.
Permesso di Soggiorno
Documents, KIT and the Questura, step by step.
Partita IVA
You need the codice fiscale before opening a Partita IVA.
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