Public Petition
COLLECTIVE PETITION: RIGHTS AND LEGAL PROTECTION FOR THE SRI LANKAN COMMUNITY IN ITALY
Official appeal addressed to the Italian Ministry of the Interior, the Department for Immigration, and the Police Headquarters (Questure) of the Italian Republic.
We, the humanitarian organization Ponte Sri Lanka - Italia Org (Tax Code: 96666690589, Rome) together with the Sri Lankan community of over 10,000 citizens residing across Italy, present this historic petition for 4 burning issues directly to the Italian Central Government (Ministero dell'Interno) and the Immigration Police Headquarters (Questura).
1. Simplification and Transparency for Residence Permits (Permesso di Soggiorno) and Sanatoria
Under current practice, when minor document deficiencies arise during residence permit renewal, applications are kept pending for years without answers and then abruptly rejected (Rigetto). This is fundamentally unjust. We call for a mandatory, reasonable period (Integrazione) to allow applicants to supply missing documents.
Immediate resolution must be granted to thousands of Sanatoria applicants who have been stranded without legal status for years. Our community stands fully prepared to pay any outstanding state taxes, fees, or contributions (Tasse/Contributi) required to unlock and finalize their legal status.
2. Streamlining "Decreto Flussi" and "Nulla Osta" Procedures (Work Visa Protections)
Workers who entered Italy legally through the official government quota system (Decreto Flussi) must not be abandoned when an employer disappears or refuses to sign the official residence contract (contratto di soggiorno).
In such cases, instead of deporting the worker, authorities must establish an expedited procedure to convert the application into a permit for "Attesa Occupazione" (Awaiting Employment), allowing the worker to legally regularize under a new employer.
3. Rights of Asylum Seekers (Asilo Politico) & International Protection
Asylum applicants must not be kept waiting for years solely on temporary renewable paper receipts (Cedolino). Territorial Commission hearings must be expedited, and legal residence permits granted on humanitarian grounds.
The Italian government should engage in diplomatic mediation to ensure that the Sri Lankan Embassy in Rome does not reject or withhold essential civil registration documents (birth and marriage certificates) necessary for family reunification and legal protection.
4. Worker Protection (Colf/Badanti), Universal Healthcare, and Family Welfare
Universal healthcare registration must be provided to all vulnerable and undocumented migrants and their children. In addition, real-time medical translation technology and professional interpreters must be introduced in hospitals to eliminate language barriers.
Strict monitoring by the Labor Inspectorate (Ispettorato del Lavoro) must be implemented to protect domestic caregivers working excessively long hours (Lungo Orario) from employer exploitation.
Psychological and legal counseling support networks (Counseling & Legal Shield), coordinated in direct partnership with our organization, must be expanded for women and children facing family distress or vulnerability.
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Ponte Sri Lanka - Italia Org & Sri Lankan Community in Italy
Via Andrea da Garessio 115/117, 00126 Roma | Codice Fiscale: 96666690589Sign this petition
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