Long-term residence permit_ the case of an Albanian citizen examined by the Regional Administrative Court of Lombardy

Episode Title Long-term residence permit: the case of an Albanian citizen examined by the Regional Administrative Court of Lombardy Complete Podcast Episode – English Version Good morning everyone.My name is Fabio Loscerbo and this is a new episode of the podcast Diritto dell’Immigrazione. Today we examine a particularly significant case concerning the revocation of a long-term residence permit issued to an Albanian citizen. The matter was assessed by the Regional Administrative Court of Lombardy in a judgment published on twenty-eight May two thousand twenty-five, decision number one thousand eight hundred sixty-five of two thousand twenty-five, related to case number two thousand three hundred twenty of two thousand twenty-one. The Police Headquarters had revoked the long-term residence permit and, at the same time, had rejected the request for its update. According to the applicant’s defence, the measure had been adopted automatically on the basis of the criminal conviction previously imposed, without a genuine assessment of his social dangerousness and without considering the family ties he had in Italy. The Court did not share this view.The judgment recalls that article nine of the Consolidated Immigration Act requires the administration to conduct an individualised assessment that considers not only any criminal convictions but also the duration of residence in Italy, social integration, family relations and the employment situation. Both the Constitutional Court and the Court of Justice of the European Union have repeatedly clarified that automatic mechanisms are not allowed. In this case, according to the Regional Administrative Court, the administration’s evaluation was thorough.The contested measure referred to the conviction for multiple burglaries and for receiving stolen goods, and highlighted that the criminal activity had not ceased voluntarily but only due to the intervention of law-enforcement authorities.After serving his sentence, the applicant had again been found in the company of individuals involved in illegal activities, which was considered an indication of the persistence of a criminal environment around him. The Police Headquarters also acknowledged the existence of family ties in Italy, but deemed that such elements were not sufficient to outweigh the assessment of social dangerousness.The Court found this reasoning complete and free of logical flaws, emphasising that the administration had carried out a real balancing exercise between the public interest in security and the applicant’s interest in protecting his family life. The result was the dismissal of the appeal and the confirmation of the revocation of the long-term residence permit. This decision offers a clear framework: the long-term residence permit is a particularly strong residence status, but it can be revoked when serious and current indicators of social dangerousness emerge, provided that the administration carries out a concrete, individualised assessment in line with the standards set by legislation and by the courts. That is all for today.Thank you for listening to this new episode of Diritto dell’Immigrazione.We will meet again soon for another in-depth analysis.