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AFFITTO STUDENTIUNIPV · PAVIA

Arriving in Pavia

Arriving from abroad: your first steps in Pavia

Tax code, residence permit, bank account, healthcare and housing. What to do, in what order, and what you actually need.

4 min readUpdated 20 Sept 2026

key: international title: "Arriving from abroad: your first steps in Pavia" description: "Tax code, residence permit, bank account, healthcare and housing. What to do, in what order, and what you actually need." category: arrivare order: 1 updated: 2026-09-20

If you are arriving in Pavia from abroad, the hard part is not the university: it is everything else. This is the sequence that makes sense, in the order things unlock each other.

Before you leave

  • Look for a room, but pay nothing. You can find a place from a distance, but the deposit is only paid after you have seen it, at least on a live video call. Read the guide on scams: people arriving from abroad are the favourite target.
  • Bring several copies of your documents: passport or ID card, passport photos, your university acceptance letter, and your European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) if you are from the EU.
  • Consider temporary accommodation for the first two weeks. Looking for a room while already in Pavia is far easier than doing it from a thousand kilometres away.

The codice fiscale: before anything else

The codice fiscale is an alphanumeric code you need for practically everything in Italy: signing a tenancy agreement, opening a bank account, getting a phone contract, registering with the health service.

Get it as soon as you arrive, or even before:

  • in Italy, at the Agenzia delle Entrate with your ID and form AA4/8;
  • or, before you leave, at the Italian consulate in your country;
  • many universities request it on behalf of international students: ask the registry or the mobility office whether they do it for you too, as that is the quickest route.

It is free. If somebody asks you to pay for it, that is not the right channel.

Residence permit or declaration of presence

It depends on where you are coming from.

  • EU citizens: no permit. If you stay longer than three months you can register with the municipality, but it is not compulsory in order to study.
  • Non-EU citizens with a study visa: you must apply for the permesso di soggiorno within 8 working days of arriving. You pick up the kit at a designated post office (Sportello Amico), fill it in, and send it by registered post. You are then given an appointment at the Questura for photos and fingerprints.
  • Keep the registered post receipt: until the permit is ready, that receipt works as your document.

Do not wait until you have found a flat to do this: the 8 days count from your arrival.

The tenancy agreement and registration

To sign, you need a codice fiscale and an ID document. The contract must be written and registered with the Agenzia delle Entrate: that is the landlord's obligation.

Two things to watch:

  • If you want residency in Pavia, a registered contract is essential. Ask before signing, because not every landlord is willing.
  • If your stay is short, for example one Erasmus semester, look for a 6-month transitional contract. It is easier to find among the takeovers, where rooms free up mid-year.

Bank account

You need one to receive your grant and to pay rent traceably.

  • With a codice fiscale and an ID you can open an account at almost any Italian bank.
  • Many banks have a free under 30 or student account.
  • Alternatively, European online banks that give you an IBAN work for receiving and paying, but for some paperwork an Italian IBAN makes life simpler.

Always pay rent by transfer, never in cash: it is your only proof of payment.

Healthcare

  • EU citizens: the EHIC covers urgent care. For a GP in Italy you need to register with the National Health Service.
  • Non-EU: you can register voluntarily with the Servizio Sanitario Nazionale by paying an annual contribution, or take out private health insurance. Registering with the SSN is generally worth it and gives you a GP.
  • Registration is done at the ASST di Pavia, bringing your codice fiscale, residence permit or receipt, a self-declaration of residence or domicile, and proof of payment.

Getting around Pavia

Pavia is small: almost everything is walkable or cyclable.

  • The bike is what everybody uses. A second-hand one is easy to find in the Buy & Sell group. Buy a good lock too: it costs more than the bike, and it is the reason the bike stays yours.
  • The city bus covers the further areas such as Cravino and Policlinico, with student passes.
  • For Milan, the train is frequent and takes about 35 minutes.

Language and paperwork

Almost all public offices operate in Italian only. Two practical tips:

  • Always bring a written note with what you need to ask, translated on your phone if necessary. It works better than trying to explain out loud.
  • Ask in the Student Forum: somebody went through the same procedure last month and knows which desk to go to and when the queue is shortest.

The right order, in short

  1. Codice fiscale.
  2. Residence permit or declaration of presence, if non-EU, within 8 days.
  3. Housing and a registered contract.
  4. Bank account.
  5. Health service registration.
  6. Residency or domicile, if you need it.

If you get stuck on any of these, write to us: we answer in English too.

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