Moving to Italy

Italy Digital Nomad / Remote Worker Visa

Visto per nomadi digitali e lavoratori da remoto (art. 27 c.1 q-bis D.Lgs. 286/1998; DM 29 Feb 2024)

Highly qualified remote employees or freelancers (degree or 5 years' experience) earning at least about EUR 25,000-28,000 a year from work.

What you need

• Annual income from work of at least 3x the minimum income for exemption from healthcare cost-sharing. The New York consulate states no less than EUR 24,789 (2024 figure); other consulates quote about EUR 28,000. Passive income (Social Security, rent, stocks) does not count at New York. (EUR 24,789 a year)
• Bachelor's or higher degree (with CIMEA statement or Declaration of Value), or licensed profession attestation, or higher professional qualification plus 5 years' experience; ICT managers/specialists: 3 years' experience in the last 7.
• At least 6 months' prior experience as a remote worker or digital nomad. Employees: contract paying at least the collective-agreement rate and not below the ISTAT median salary; employer letter confirming no listed convictions in 5 years.
• Health insurance covering medical costs, hospitalisation and repatriation, minimum EUR 30,000.
• Lease or deed in your name for the whole visa period; a rental must be registered with the Agenzia delle Entrate. Hotels not accepted.

Not for

• People without a degree or 5 years' experience
• Passive-income earners (use elective residence)
• Work for Italian employers

Where you apply

From home, at a consulate. Italian consulate for your place of residence (US: the consulate covering your state). Apply for the permesso di soggiorno at the Questura within 8 working days of arrival.

How long it takes

Not stated at New York. Other consulates cite up to 30 days for remote workers and 120 days for self-employed nomads.

First permit

Permesso di soggiorno for 1 year.

Renewal

Renewable at the Questura while work, lodging and insurance continue.

Longer term

Permanent residence after about 5 years. Citizenship after about 10 years.

Family

Spouse and children under 18 can join through family reunification started at the Questura; adult children and parents cannot.

Italy Elective Residence Visa (ERV)

Visto per residenza elettiva

Retirees and people with stable passive income of about EUR 31,000+ per person who will not work in Italy at all.

What you need

• Stable, adequate passive income (pensions, annuities, property income, stable investments) in the applicant's own name. New York: typically around EUR 31,000 per person. Paris calls about EUR 31,000 (Table A of the 2000 Interior Ministry directive) only one parameter; Toronto quotes about EUR 32,000. Savings balances alone are often not accepted. (EUR 31,000 a year)
• Purchase or lease contract in Italy for the whole period, in the applicant's name, registered with the Agenzia delle Entrate (original).
• Health insurance (Paris: at least EUR 30,000 including repatriation).
• Letter explaining the move; last 2 years of tax returns; bank/financial letters.

Not for

• Any work in Italy, including remote work for foreign employers
• Applicants relying mainly on savings rather than recurring income

Where you apply

From home, at a consulate. In person at the Italian consulate for your US state of residence. Permesso di soggiorno at the Questura within 8 days of arrival.

How long it takes

Up to 90 days (consular pages); not stated at New York.

First permit

Usually a 1-year permesso di soggiorno (secondary; not stated on the NY page).

Renewal

Renewable if income and housing continue (renewal length not verified).

Longer term

Permanent residence after about 5 years. Citizenship after about 10 years.

Family

Dependent spouse, minor children and dependent adult children living with the parents can be included; must show enough income for all (New York says around EUR 31,000 per person). Secondary sources cite +20% for a spouse and +5% per child at some consulates.

Italy self-employment visa

Visto per lavoro autonomo (art. 26 D.Lgs. 286/1998), within the decreto flussi quota

Freelancers, company directors or founders who can secure one of a small number of annual quota places and a Questura nulla osta.

What you need

• A place in the annual decreto flussi quota for self-employment: 650 a year for 2026, 2027 and 2028 (DPCM 2 Oct 2025, GU no. 240 of 15 Oct 2025). Some categories (e.g. Italia Startup Visa, certain highly qualified roles) are outside the quota.
• Nulla osta from the Questura, plus documents showing the activity is lawful (licences, chamber of commerce parameters for the activity).
• Annual income above the minimum for exemption from healthcare cost-sharing (about EUR 8,263-8,500 per consulate pages); amount not verified for 2026.
• Suitable accommodation in Italy.

Not for

• Remote workers for foreign clients (use the digital nomad visa)
• People who need certainty of timing (quota and click-day dependent)

Where you apply

From home, at a consulate. Nulla osta first, then the visa at the Italian consulate for your residence.

How long it takes

Not officially stated; depends on quota windows.

First permit

Not verified.

Renewal

Not verified.

Longer term

Permanent residence after about 5 years. Citizenship after about 10 years.

Family

Family reunification possible with sufficient income and housing; details not verified.

Quota number is official. Document list, income minimum, permit length and renewal were not verified from an official consular page in this pass.

Italy work visa (employer-sponsored)

Visto per lavoro subordinato (nulla osta, decreto flussi)

People with an Italian employer willing to apply for a nulla osta in the annual quota.

What you need

• Employer applies to the Sportello Unico per l'Immigrazione for a nulla osta within the non-seasonal quota (76,200 places for 2026 under the DPCM 2 Oct 2025); first click day 12 Jan 2026.
• Employment contract (contratto di soggiorno) meeting collective agreement pay; housing.

Not for

• Self-employed and remote workers

Where you apply

From home, at a consulate. Employer gets the nulla osta in Italy; worker then applies for the visa at the consulate.

How long it takes

Not officially stated.

First permit

Not verified.

Renewal

Not verified.

Longer term

Permanent residence after about 5 years. Citizenship after about 10 years.

Family

Family reunification possible with sufficient income and housing.

Only the quota figures were verified. Permit terms not verified.

Italy EU Blue Card

Carta blu UE (art. 27-quater D.Lgs. 286/1998)

Graduates or experienced professionals hired by an Italian employer above the Blue Card salary floor; outside the annual quota.

What you need

• Gross annual salary at or above the Blue Card threshold set by ministerial decree. Secondary sources give figures from about EUR 28,400 to EUR 36,300 and disagree on the year.
• Higher education qualification or qualifying professional experience.
• Employment contract of at least 6 months (not verified).

Not for

• Self-employed

Where you apply

From home, at a consulate. Employer requests the nulla osta (outside quota); worker applies for the visa at the consulate.

How long it takes

Not officially stated.

First permit

Not verified.

Renewal

Not verified.

Longer term

Permanent residence after about 5 years. Citizenship after about 10 years.

Family

Family reunification is facilitated for Blue Card holders (not verified in detail).

No official 2026 salary threshold found; secondary figures conflict. All terms need verification.

Italian-descendant work visa outside quotas

Ingresso per lavoro fuori quota per discendenti di cittadini italiani (Testo unico immigrazione, art. 1-bis Law 74/2025; DM 17 November 2025)

US, Canadian or Australian descendants of Italian citizens who no longer qualify for jure sanguinis recognition and have an Italian job offer.

What you need

• Descent from an Italian citizen, residence abroad, and citizenship of a listed country: Argentina, Brazil, United States, Australia, Canada, Venezuela or Uruguay (DM 17 Nov 2025, GU 24 Nov 2025). UK nationals are not covered.
• Subordinate employment in Italy; entry is outside the annual decreto flussi quotas. Employer-side work authorization steps follow the standard employment procedure (details not verified).

Not for

• Remote workers or the self-employed
• Nationals of countries not on the list (e.g. UK)

Where you apply

From home, at a consulate. Work visa at the Italian consulate with jurisdiction over the applicant's residence, after the employer's authorization (procedure not verified on an official page).

How long it takes

Not officially stated.

First permit

Not verified.

Renewal

Not verified.

Longer term

Permanent residence after about 5 years. Citizenship after about 2 years.

Family

Not verified.

Only a law-firm summary was read. Procedure, permit length, documents and the 2-year naturalization rule are not confirmed on an official page.

Italian citizenship by descent (jure sanguinis)

Riconoscimento della cittadinanza italiana iure sanguinis (Law 91/1992 art. 3-bis, as amended by Decree-Law 36/2025 converted into Law 74/2025)

People born abroad whose Italian parent or grandparent held ONLY Italian citizenship (never naturalized elsewhere) at the time of the claim or at death, or whose Italian parent lived in Italy for 2 consecutive years before their birth; most US lines through a grandparent who naturalized as a US citizen no longer qualify.

What you need

• Since 28 March 2025, a person born abroad who holds another citizenship is treated as never having acquired Italian citizenship unless one exception applies: (a) recognition was applied for, or a consular appointment was confirmed, by 23:59 Rome time on 27 March 2025 (old unlimited-generation rules then apply); (b) a parent or grandparent holds, or held at death, ONLY Italian citizenship; (c) a parent lived in Italy for at least 2 consecutive years after becoming Italian and before the applicant's birth or adoption.
• Italian ancestor's birth certificate (estratto) from the Italian comune, issued within the last 6 months; ancestor's marriage certificate.
• Long-form birth, marriage and (where applicable) death certificates for every generation down to the applicant, with apostille and Italian translation.
• Proof of the ancestor's naturalization status: certificates showing the ancestor never naturalized, or a notarized copy of the naturalization certificate (USCIS); if it lacks a correct birth date, certified NARA copies of the declaration of intention, petition or oath. Under the new rules this evidence must show the parent/grandparent held ONLY Italian citizenship.
• For the 2-year-residence exception: proof the parent resided in Italy for 2 consecutive years (e.g. certificato di residenza storico).
• Consular forms notarized and apostilled, dated within 6 months of the appointment; passport copy; proof of residence in the consulate's district.
• No language test for recognition by descent.

Not for

• Descendants whose Italian-born parent or grandparent naturalized as a US (or other) citizen before death, unless a pre-27 March 2025 application or appointment exists
• Great-grandchildren and more distant descendants filing after 27 March 2025
• People who want the consulate to pre-check eligibility (consulates do not)

Where you apply

From home or inside the country. Abroad: the Italian consulate with jurisdiction over the applicant's US residence, booked through Prenot@mi ('Cittadinanza per Discendenza'); New York no longer runs a waiting list and takes applications by certified mail on the appointment date. In Italy: the comune (civil registry) of legal residence. Court cases in Italy are also subject to the new limits if filed after 27 March 2025.

How long it takes

Not stated on the New York consulate page ('within the time limits established by law'). Secondary sources cite a 36-month statutory maximum; consular appointment waits in the US have historically run years.

First permit

Not a permit: recognition confirms citizenship from birth.

Renewal

Not applicable.

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Family

Each adult applies separately; minor children follow the declaration rules above.

Investor Visa for Italy (Italy golden visa)

Visto per investitori (art. 26-bis D.Lgs. 286/1998)

Investors willing to put EUR 250,000-2 million into Italian startups, companies, government bonds or philanthropy.

What you need

• Italian government bonds, held at least 2 years. (EUR 2,000,000 a lump_sum)
• Capital of a company established and operating in Italy, held at least 2 years. (EUR 500,000 a lump_sum)
• Capital of an innovative startup registered in the special section of the companies register. (EUR 250,000 a lump_sum)
• Philanthropic donation to a public-interest project (culture, education, immigration management, scientific research, cultural/landscape heritage). (EUR 1,000,000 a lump_sum)
• In addition to the investment, means of subsistence above the minimum for exemption from healthcare cost-sharing.
• Medical insurance for the visa (minimum EUR 30,000 for the Schengen stay).

Not for

• Real estate investors (property does not qualify)

Where you apply

From home, at a consulate. Apply online to the Investor Visa for Italy Committee for a nulla osta (investorvisa.mise.gov.it platform); then the visa at the consulate for your residence within 6 months of the nulla osta (secondary).

How long it takes

Nulla osta: secondary sources say within 30 days of a complete application.

First permit

Visa valid 365 days (embassy checklist); permit 2 years (secondary).

Renewal

Renewable for 3-year periods while the investment is kept (secondary).

Longer term

Permanent residence after about 5 years. Citizenship after about 10 years.

Family

Family members can join through family reunification (secondary).