Check the entry arrangements before travelling. San Marino does not issue its own entry visas. San Marino is reached through the Schengen area, so a traveller from a country without a Schengen agreement may need a Schengen visa for entry, transit or stay and a valid Schengen entry stamp. The relevant embassy or consulate of a Schengen state handles that visa. Carry a valid passport or equivalent travel document. For a stay of more than 30 days, apply by the thirtieth day for a permesso di soggiorno or residenza. A permesso di soggiorno is a temporary residence permit; depending on the purpose, it normally lasts from three months to one year and can be renewed up to a maximum of twelve months at a time. The Gendarmeria’s Ufficio Stranieri accepts applications by appointment and records the applicant’s personal details, photograph and fingerprints. Permits may cover tourism, employment, family reunification, cohabitation, education, sport, medical care, assistance, rehabilitation, rest, religious activity, humanitarian reasons, international volunteering or working holidays. A tourist permit allows up to 90 days in a six-month period and does not allow paid work. It also does not provide free access to ISS or state services. For stays exceeding 30 days, health, accident and maternity insurance must include emergency hospital treatment and repatriation. Employment normally requires a nulla osta or work authorisation from the Ufficio del Lavoro. Seasonal and temporary employment can last up to twelve months, subject to the conditions written in the permit and a return obligation after expiry. A limited RFND arrangement allows natural persons to stay temporarily for 30 to 150 days per calendar year in qualifying hotel structures; it is not a path to permanent settlement. Residenza means a longer-term registered residence. Residenza anagrafica is the registered address recorded by the civil registry. Residenza effettiva and dimora abituale refer to the person’s actual and habitual place of living. Options include family reunification with a Sammarinese citizen, establishing or relocating a company, certain management functions, elective residence based on property or financial investment, and special tax regimes for qualifying applicants with foreign income. Elective and atypical residence require health insurance and impose restrictions, including no access to the Settore Pubblico Allargato or state contributions. These forms generally consolidate after ten years. A person with five years of continuous ordinary residence may have a transition option to residenza, subject to the applicable rules. Applications commonly require a valid passport or identity document, birth, nationality, residence and marital-status certificates, a criminal-record certificate and confirmation of pending proceedings from the country of origin. Depending on the purpose, also provide proof of employment or function, financial resources, health insurance and accommodation. Foreign documents must be in Italian, accompanied by a certified Italian translation or issued as a multilingual certificate, and usually require an apostille or legalisation. Certificates are generally limited to six months’ validity, and authorities may request additional evidence. Submit residence applications through the Dipartimento Affari Esteri and handle first address registration personally with Immigrazioni at the Ufficio Stato Civile, Servizi Demografici ed Elettorali. The office can provide the document list by telephone or email after receiving a copy of the identity document. First registration is normally processed within 48 hours and costs EUR 100 plus a EUR 15 stamp duty. A residence application costs EUR 50 at filing and EUR 50 after approval. An ordinary permit costs EUR 50 at application and EUR 30 at collection; elective, atypical and pensioner residence arrangements carry a EUR 1,000 administrative charge, with application and stamp fees absorbed into that charge. Fees depend on the selected status and these amounts reflect the 2026 information. After registration, the Codice ISS identifies the person within the Istituto per la Sicurezza Sociale. Registered residents can contact the Ufficio Prestazioni about choosing a medico di base, the primary-care doctor, and about payments and available services. The carta di identità is issued by Anagrafe by appointment and costs EUR 30, or EUR 15 for children under six. It is valid for five years, or three years for children under six; for non-Sammarinese registered residents it is not valid for travel abroad. In a medical emergency call 118, which is public and free around the clock. Call 112 or 113 for the interforce emergency service and 115 for the Polizia Civile. Useful contacts include the Ufficio Stato Civile at 0549 882080 and info.statocivile@pa.sm, PA Aperta at 0549 882837 and paaperta@pa.sm, the tourist information office at 0549 882914 and informazioni.turismo@pa.sm, the Ufficio Stranieri at stranieri.gendarmeria@pa.sm, and the Dipartimento Affari Esteri at residenze.permessidisoggiorno@esteri.sm. Keep the purpose, insurance, financial means and accommodation consistent with the selected status, and comply with the conditions attached to the permit or residence decision.
Arrival in San Marino
Arriving and settling in San Marino involves entry documents, an appropriate stay status, address registration and access to health and public services. San Marino does not issue its own entry visas, so entry may depend on Schengen visa and transit rules. Stays longer than 30 days require a permesso di soggiorno or residenza, with different conditions for tourism, work, family, study and long-term settlement.
Tip
Treat arrival in San Marino as a choice of stay status, not just a travel plan. Match your purpose and intended length to the correct permit or residence option, and resolve Schengen entry, insurance, documents and accommodation before committing to work, housing or long-term settlement.

