Italy Pro Bono Directory

Click here to see the numbers and origins of refugees hosted by Italy.

For Italy country of information (COI) experts, reports, commentaries and relevant documents, please click here.

As UNHCR statistics generally rely on data from host countries, statistics on refugees alone can give an insufficient account of refugee numbers, as some host countries will not grant refugee status to certain groups. Including statistics for individuals in refugee-like situations is an attempt to account for unrecognised refugees and does not include internally displaced persons. Statistics for stateless refugees are included if available.

Important information for persons seeking asylum in Italy: Legal aid for asylum seekers is available only for appeals. Lists of legal aid lawyers can be found at the Legal Services Commission of the competent court. (If you google ‘Ordine degli avvocati’ + the name of the town/city where the competent court sits, you can find the website or phone number of the body dealing with legal aid. Sometimes they have lists of legal aid lawyers on their webpages. Often the information you are looking for is found clicking on ‘Patrocinio a spese dello stato’ and then on ‘Elenco degli Avvocati’).

For Afghans Seeking Assistance

Collaborazione Italiana Pro Bono per I Rifugiati Afghani (CIPBRA)

Launched in March 2022, a collaboration between Coalizione Italian per le Liberta e i diritti civili (CILD) and four international law firms. Expert lawyers at CILD provide training and supervision for volunteer lawyers to work on family reunification applications and other legal pathways to Italy for Afghan individuals and families.

Afghans seeking advice should contact fabi@cild.eu.

Associazione Ricreativa e Culturale Italiana – ARCI

Website link
Contact person: Filippo Miraglia
Email: miraglia@arci.it

Siamo una grande associazione culturale e di promozione sociale. Centinaia di migliaia di socie e soci e tantissime associazioni, circoli, case del popolo, società di mutuo soccorso in tutta Italia.

w2eu.info – Welcome to Europe

This hyperlink –w2eu.info – leads to an independent source of information for refugees coming to Europe. w2eu.info might be useful on their journey to and through Europe by giving access to counseling and useful contacts in different European countries.

Programma Integra (Migration, Asylum and Social Integration Centre)

http://www.programmaintegra.it/
Via Assisi 41 – 00181 Rome – Italy
Email: socio-legale@programmaintegra.it
Phone: +39 06.7885.0299 or +39 06.7835.9839

Programma Integra is an integrated social cooperative founded in 2005. Its main function is facilitating and supporting the social integration of migrants, refugees and asylum seekers into local communities in Italy.  It provides a range of services such as social and legal counselling, job orientation, encouraging employers to hire migrants and refugees, vocational training courses and Italian language courses, intercultural mediation initiatives,and social mediation services in the field of housing. Such interventions are carried out by a team of professional social workers. They identify an individually tailored set of services to help each beneficiary achieve his/her social and economic autonomy.  Programma Integra also offers training courses for social workers, provides information services through a web platform, organises seminars and workshops, and carries out research for best practices. Finally, they promote the involvement of the community in the challenge of ensuring integration and provide support to institutions and local authorities encouraging the social inclusion of migrants and refugees.

Advocates Abroad

AdvocatesAbroad.org
Facebook
Email: cases@advocatesabroad.org

Advocates Abroad is a non-profit organization of field based and remote volunteer attorneys, interpreters, asylum experts providing essential and free legal aid to refugees and asylum seekers without discrimination or compensation. Advocates field attorneys operate throughout Greece, Turkey, and Switzerland – and now Italy. These Advocates attorneys on the ground in Northern Italy are a new and critical addition to European operations. Remote Advocate attorneys are widely diverse in background and placement – these attorneys are qualified in, and based out of, states around the world: the United States, Europe, Syria, Turkey, Jordan, Lebanon, Israel, and Palestine. Remote attorneys have even provided in person aid to a refugee in need, where geography permitted.

Asilo in Europa (Asylum in Europe)

http://www.asiloineuropa.it
Facebook
Email: asiloineuropa@gmail.com; ricerche@asiloineuropa.it; comunicazione@asiloineuropa.it

Asilo in Europa is an Italian NGO based in Bologna (Italy) and focuses on asylum protection in the EU. Their main aims are to promote the development of a common understanding of the European dimension of asylum law, as well as to improve the exchange of information among NGOs that work in different countries. Their blog Asilo in Europa provides news, analysis and commentaries on EU asylum law, jurisprudence and policy; and a description of the main points of the asylum systems of each EU Member State. They also regularly circulate a COI Newsletter that can be downloaded here, in addition to a video series titled ‘Asylum Postcards from Italy’, a semi-monthly press review series in which they present recent developments in refugee issues and asylum law in the EU, with a particular focus on Italy that can be found here.

Association for Juridical Studies on Immigration (ASGI)

www.asgi.it
Via Gerdil, 7 – 10152 – Torino, Italy
Tel/fax: 011.4369158
Email: segreteria@asgi.it

The Association for Juridical Studies on Immigration (ASGI) is a membership-based association focusing on all juridical aspects of immigration. As a pool of lawyers, academics, consultants and civil society representatives, ASGI’s expertise relates to various areas of immigration and migrants’ rights, including but not limited toanti-discriimination and migrants rights, xenophobia, children’s and unaccompanied minor’s rights, asylum seekers, refugees, stateless, and citizenship.

Avvocati per niente (APN) (Lawyers for Free)

www.avvocatiperniente.it
Facebook
Via della Signora, 3/a, 20122 Milano
Tel: +39 (0)2 76 31 67 18
Fax: +39 (0)2 76 31 30 16
Email: info@avvocatiperniente.it

APN is an association of volunteer lawyers that deal with immigration and asylum cases.

Borderline Sicilia

www.siciliamigranti.blogspot.it/
Via Ritiro, 24 Modica (Rg)
Email: borderline-sicilia@libero.it
Tel: +39 331 204 8044

Borderline Sicilia monitors migration in Sicily: the arrival of migrants, the arrival of migrants, their arrival in centres, and their administrative detention, with a particular focus on vulnerable categories (women, minors, psychic and physical vulnerabilities, victims of trafficking, potential asylum seekers). It publishes on their blog material about their activities, sends monthly newsletters, and provides legal and social assistance. It also focuses on lobbying and advocacy activities. It promotes important cases in different tribunals and works with other organisations, like Oxfam Italy and Waldensian Church.

Caritas Italiana

www.caritasitaliana.it/
Facebook | Twitter

MILAN (CARITAS AMBROSIANA)

Facebook | Twitter
Tel: +39 (0)2 76 03 73 37
Email: stranieri.ambrosiana@caritas.it

ROME (CARITAS ROMA)

Facebook | Twitter
Via Aurelia, 796, 00165 Roma
Tel: +39 (0)6 66 17 70 01
Fax: +39 (0)6 66 17 76 02
Email: segreteria@caritasitaliana.it

TREVISO (CARITAS TREVISO)

Via Venier, 50, Treviso, (ingresso davanti al Park Dal Negro)
Tel: +39 (0)4 22 54 65 85
Fax: +30 (0)4 22 41 20 11
Email:caritas@diocesitv.it

Caritas has offices in every diocese. The services they provide to asylum seekers vary and they may include legal advice as well as other support.
Monday-Friday 08:00-12:30

Casa della Carità

http://www.casadellacarita.org/english

Via Francesco Brambilla 10, 20128 Milano – Italy
Tel: +39 02 25 935 317

Email: relazione@casadellacarita.org

Casa della Carità is a foundation that pursues social and cultural aims. It provides assistance to refugees and migrants in pursuit of their rights, and brings individual cases to the attention of the legislature, where needed. The Legal Department has several functions, including advocacy, which is carried out in cases deemed appropriate, but is not the main activity of the office. Lastly, Casa della Carità provides free legal counseling and offers integration support.

Centro Servizi per i Cittadini Extracomunitari ACLI – Caritas

Via del Sale 4a, 34121 Trieste
Tel: +39 (0)4 03 13 486
Fax: +39 (0)4 03 13 497

Consiglio Italiano per i Rifugiati (CIR) (Italian Refugee Council)

www.cir-onlus.org/
Twitter
CIR Rome, Via del Velabro 5/A, 00186 Roma
Tel: +39 (0)6 69 20 01 14
Email: cir@cir-onlus.org
Contact Persons: Christopher Hein
Email: hein@cir-onlus.org
Contact person: Maria Dedonato
Email: dedonato@cir-onlus.org

The CIR have offices all over Italy, in Malpensa, Gorizia, Venezia, Verona, Ancona, Caserta, Napoli, Lecce, Brindisi, Badolato, Palermo and Catania, details of which are available on their website. The goal of CIR is to defend the rights of refugees and asylum seekers through assistance at the border to ensure access to refugee protection; social and legal assistance for asylum seekers and beneficiaries of international protection; Reception and care for victims of torture; assistance to refugee women; legal assistance and social guidance for unaccompanied minors; and assistance to refugee communities. CIR are a member of Euromediterranean Human Rights Network. The Italian Refugee Council is a  member of the  Euromed Human Rights Network’s Migration and Asylum Working group.

Comunità S. Egidio

It provides accommodation centres for migrants and refugees and provides service including counselling and canteens. Integration through language classes and creation of links between migrants and community.

Cooperativa sociale K-Pax

www.k-pax.eu
Via Pelabrocco 14, 25043 Breno (BS)
Email: info@k-pax.eu or segreteria@k-pax.eu
Tel: +39 (0)3 64 32 13 65

K-Pax is a managing body of Italian SPRAR (Services for asylum seekers and refugees). It works in direct link with the local public services. It offers social, legal and medical services.

Fondazione Franco Verga

www.fondazioneverga.org/
Facebook
Via Anfiteatro 14, 20121 Milano
Tel: +39 (0)2 86 93 194
Fax: +39 (0)2 87 90 95
Email: info@fondazioneverga.org

Provides social and legal assistance to asylum seekers and refugees in Milano.

Gruppo Everyone (Everyone Group)

www.everyonegroup.com
Facebook
Viale Monte Grappa, 30, 24047 Treviglio (Bergamo)
Tel: +39 33 13 58 54 06
Email: info@everyonegroup.com

International Human Rights organisation with particular reference to protection of the rights of refugees, migrants and other social groups victims of persecution, discrimination and marginalisation.

NAGA – Associazione Volontaria di Assistenza Socio – Sanitaria e per i Diritti di Stranieri e Nomadi

www.naga.it/

NAGA facilitates access to legal aid for refugees in securing asylum, in gaining residence permits, for family reunification, the right to work, regularisation for children and marriage, and fight deportations. All services are offered free of charge and with a constant attention to individual cases and the affirmation of individual rights. They also provide basic health services and specialist psychological advice, guidance and psychiatric all of which is offered free of charge.

Officine Corsare

Officine Corsare engages in social activities and one of its main purposes is to become a point of reference in Turin for young workers, migrants and people in the need. In particular, a migrants information point is opened for migrants, refugees and asylum seekers on Wednesday and Friday from 1 to 3 pm.

Servizio dei Gesuiti per i Rifugiati (Italian Jesuit Refugee Services)

www.centroastalli.it
Facebook JRS Italy
Facebook Centro Astalli | Twitter
Associazione Centro Astalli – Servizio dei Gesuiti per i Rifugiati, Via degli Astalli 14/a, 00186 Rome
Tel: +39 (0)6 69 70 03 06
Email: astalli@jrs.net

The Astalli Center provides food, a place to shower, access to medical care and psychological support, access the legal advice, Italian language lessons. The San Saba reception centre provides 37 beds for refugee men. La Casa di Giorgio provides 35 beds for refugee women and children. There is also the Pedro Arrupe Centre which comprises a community of refugee families, the Aver Drom centre for unaccompanied minors aged 15-18, Marco House for children aged 0 to 10 and the Maria Theresa home for women experiencing psycho-social problems and their children. Help finding employment and accommodation are also provided. The Centre runs a laundry business that provides employment for refugees.

Stranieri in Italia (Foreigners in Italy)

www.stranieriinitalia.it
Tel: 166 105 612 open Monday-Friday 10:00-19:00

Provides a telephone ‘advice line’ for all foreigners in Italy, including asylum seekers. The website has some useful information about the Italian asylum system in 9 languages: Italian, English, French, Spanish, Turkish, Albanian, Russian, Arabic and Farsi (go to the website address, and click on “Vademecum Rifugiati” – or ask about this when you call the advice line.

Ufficio Pastorale Migranti, Turin (UPM)

www.migrantitorino.it
Via Ceresole 42, 10155 Torino
Email: migranti@diocesi.torino.it
Tel: +39 (0)1 12 42 092

The Ufficio Pastorale Migranti engages in Family reunion practices, furnishes help regarding citizenship requests and papers renewal, preparing CVs and work interviews. It also provides Italian classes and vocational guidance.

UPM – Il Punto di Domande – Centro Aiuti Elaborazione Storie Richiedenti d’Asilo

www.migrantitorino.it
Via Porporati 3, 10152 Torino
Email: puntodidomande@upmtorino.it or schedepaese@upmtorino.it
Tel: +39 (0)11 43 68 038
Mobile: +39 38 89 85 37 85

The UPM guides asykum seekers in the bureaucracy of the asylum seeking process. It helps them prepare interviews at the “Commissione Territoriale di Torino” (Territorial commission of Turin) and find legal services.

LGBTI ORGANISATIONS IN ITALY

Arcigay

Arcigay is an association which takes action to promote and protect the right to equality for everyone regardless of their sexual orientation or gender identity. The association operates in Italy with 52 offices. One of the services offered by Arcigay concern Migration and Homosexuality, providing  information and orientation to LGBT people on the documents needed to stay in Italy, on the right to asylum and on the protection of fundamental rights such as health assistance. Arcigay helped several people in their international protection claim process, providing support in the claim formulation and also providing integration activities, legal and social support.

Arcilesbica

Arcilesbica is a lesbian association, which arose from splitting the Arcigay association into two different agencies. The main objectives of the association are:

• Lesbian defence from discrimination
• Increase lesbian visibility through the promotion of cultural and political activities, demonstrations and meetings on a local and national level

MigraBo LGBTQI

The group “MigraBò LGBTQI” was formed in Bologna in 2012 with the aim to help immigrants of LGBTQI community (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transsexual, transgender, “queer” and intersexual) from any country to integrate easier in Italy and in the LGBTQI community.
The group relies on a network of organizations that deals with these migration issues, in Bologna and its surroundings.
One of the primary services offered by MigraBo LGBTQI is support and assistance during the initial stage of the asylum procedure for individuals seeking international protection in Italy due to persecution based on sexual orientation and gender identity. All services are provided free of charge and anonymity is guaranteed.

Movimento Identità Transessuale (Transexual Identity Movement)

MIT is an association which aims to protect human rights. The association provides the first clinic for transsexual health in Europe, a legal help desk and a documentation centre. It is active in the reduction of the damages caused by prostitution, provides reception for those in housing emergency conditions and guarantees a safe place for victims of exploitation and human trafficking.

Rete Lenford – Avvocatura per i diritti LGBTI (Professional body of lawyers for LGBTI persons)

Rete Lenford is an association formed by a group of lawyers, aiming to develop and spread respect for LGBTI persons. The association provides legal protection to LGBTI people, and in particular works to counteract discrimination.