When you enter Italy by sea, you will get emergency assistance and you will go to a governmental first reception center, or in some cases, a center called a “hotspot”.

You can use this article to learn more on:

• What to expect when you arrive in Italy by sea
• What your rights are

What to expect when you arrive in Italy by sea

If and when you go to a governmental first reception center or hotspot, authorities:

• Take your fingerprints. They use your fingerprints to determine if they have been taken in Europe before, for border control and security reasons. You will also be asked to provide your full name, place and date of birth, and country of origin.
• Give you a health screening to determine whether you need any medical treatment.
• Determine whether you wish to seek asylum.
• Conduct an age assessment, in some cases.

What are your rights?

You can expect to stay at a governmental first reception center or hotspot center for a short period if you provide your fingerprints when asked to do so. While you are at the governmental first reception center or hotspot center, you will get basic material reception, including:

• Food
• Water
• A health screening
• A place to sleep

Interview or foglio notizie

While you are the governmental first reception center or hotspot, authorities will either interview you or make you fill out a form called “foglio notizie.” You are entitled to an interpreter if you need one. In both cases they will ask you about why you left your country of origin and came to Italy.

It is important that if you are in need of asylum/international protection, that you fill out the foglio notizie form, you always check the boxes that say “asylum” or “international protection” and never the words “study,” “job,” “work” or any similar words.

During this process you will also be asked if you have family members in other EU countries, and if you wish to reach them. If you do, you must tell the authorities during this time. Changing your decision later will be very difficult.

During the interview you will also be asked if you want to apply for asylum. Learn more:

Applying for asylum

This stage is used to decide whether you are an asylum-seeker. If you are, you will be transferred to a reception center.

Sometimes, to keep hotspots from getting too crowded, people get transferred to governmental first reception centers even before they say they want to seek asylum.

If you are not seeking asylum, you may get an order saying you have to leave the country.