In Italy, “la residenza”, residency, is not just an attribute that describes where you live, it is an actual legal certificate.

When we moved back to Padova, Ilenia decided to officially change her residency from that of her parents’ home to our apartment. Just moving isn’t enough, of course. The proper authorities must be notified, which she duly did, providing them with a copy of our rental contract. They even sent a police officer around to check up on our house and make sure that she indeed lives here!

Unfortunately, all this was in aid of nothing. The governmental office sent Ilenia a letter (at her parents’ address of course) stating that she had not been granted residency at our…err… place of residence. Well it doesn’t have the ‘at our place of residence’ part, but that is, in effect, what they told her!

I am happy to report, though, that after having filled out all the requisite paperwork a second time, the authorities have deigned to acknowledge that we live where we say we do.