Immigration to Italy is a chance to discover one of the most beautiful and culturally rich countries in Europe. Italy offers numerous opportunities for those who dream of a new life abroad. In our section, you will find detailed information on various ways to immigrate to Italy, including work immigration, business immigration, student visas, and investor visas. We will help you understand the complexities of the process and choose the most suitable option for your relocation.
Freelancer Visa (Lavoro Autonomo)
The freelancer visa in Italy is literally called a visa for self-employed individuals (Lavoro Autonomo). It is one of the visas for independent activities. This visa can be obtained by self-employed individuals, entrepreneurs, and representatives of other independent professions such as designers, programmers, coaches, influencers, doctors, engineers, journalists, lawyers, architects, and many others. The visa is quota-based, meaning there is a limited number of visas issued each year.
For each profession under this visa, there is a guild (order) or if the profession does not have an order, it is replaced by a recognized association. To obtain the right to apply for a visa under the Lavoro Autonomo category, you must first join the guild or association relevant to the applicant’s profession.
The visa allows you to apply for a residence permit upon arrival in Italy, which is an integral part of the process. To conduct business activities, you can open an individual entrepreneur account. In some cases, you can use a simplified tax system that allows you to pay only 5% income tax. You can read more about it here.
The freelancer residence permit in Italy can be converted into an employment permit, providing a backup plan in case your personal business does not succeed.
Requirements for obtaining the visa:
- Confirm income for the past year of at least 8500 euros.
- Confirm the legality of the income.
- Provide a business plan.
- Have savings in the account from 18000 euros. The more, the better. This amount is calculated by the Chamber of Commerce of each province and amounts can vary from 8000 to 30000 euros depending on the province.
- Have accommodation in Italy. It can be rented. Owned accommodation is considered an advantage. There are requirements for the area. A minimum of 14 sq.m. per person.
- No criminal record and no violations of the EU visa regime.
- Having health insurance.
After preparing the necessary package of documents, you need to apply for the corresponding visa and then come to Italy to submit documents for a temporary residence permit. The process can take from 3 to 9 months.
After 5 years of residence with a residence permit, you can apply for permanent residence, and after another 5 years, apply for Italian citizenship.
Digital Nomad Visa
The digital nomad visa is a new way to immigrate to Italy. The project for this basis of immigration was approved back in 2022, but the decree regulating the details of the process took another two years to be issued. Non-EU foreigners who can work remotely and meet the requirements can apply for a digital nomad visa in Italy.
Requirements for obtaining the visa:
- Confirm a minimum income of 24,789 euros;
- Confirm previous remote work experience of at least six months;
- Provide an employment contract or other agreement confirming the possibility of remote work;
- Have accommodation in Italy, either rented or owned;
- No criminal record;
- Health insurance.
More information about this visa can be found here.
Founder or Director Visa of an Italian Company
A foreigner who is either a founder or director of a company registered in Italy for at least three years can obtain a founder or director visa. The company must have been operational for the entire period. The legal forms of such a company can be S.p.A., S.r.l., or SAPA. This visa also falls under the category of independent activity visas.
Requirements for obtaining the visa:
- Police authorization – Nulla Osta;
- Company registration certificate;
- Proof of activity for the past three years;
- Copy of the declaration sent to the Territorial Labor Office;
- Accommodation in Italy.
In each case, the consul of the Italian Embassy has the right to request additional documents to confirm the basis for entry if the provided documents are deemed insufficient.
Visa for Managers of Representative Offices and Branches
This visa allows managers of foreign company representative offices and branches, as well as managers of Italian companies, to obtain a visa if they meet the necessary conditions. They can then apply for a temporary residence permit in Italy. This is another visa from the category of independent activities. A positive aspect of this visa is that it is not subject to quota categories. This means that there is no limited number of applications per year, as there is with the freelancer visa.
Requirements for obtaining the visa:
- Open a branch or representative office in Italy (works only for WTO member countries);
- Show about 18,000 euros in an account. The amount also depends on the province and type of activity (if it is a branch);
- Accommodation in Italy;
- Have income in the country of permanent residence;
- Police authorization – Nulla Osta;
- Employment contract with a salary of at least 8,500 euros per year;
- Certificate from the Territorial Labor Office.
Intra-Company Transfer Visa
The intra-company transfer visa allows foreigners from non-EU countries who need to temporarily relocate to Italy for work to obtain a temporary residence permit. This visa is not immigration-based. This means that permanent residence cannot be obtained on this basis. On the other hand, a significant advantage of this visa is that it is not subject to quota categories and there are no restrictions on the number of applications per year.
Eligible for the visa are:
- Highly qualified specialists;
- Executive managers or managers sent to a representative office of a foreign company in Italy;
- University lecturers;
- Professors;
- Translators;
- Researchers;
- Nurses;
- Trainees and others.
Requirements for obtaining the visa:
- Have a host entity in Italy (representative office or branch of a foreign company);
- Police authorization – Nulla Osta;
- Provide proof of experience;
- Employment contract;
- Documents of the representative office or branch registration.
The residence permit is issued for one to five years, depending on the applicant’s role in the company. For example, trainees can only obtain a residence permit for one year, without the right to extend, while top managers can expect a residence permit for up to five years.
Startup Visa
Immigration to Italy based on an innovative business is another way to obtain residence documents in Italy. This visa category is subject to quotas, meaning there are limits on the number of visas each year. Only non-EU foreigners can apply for this visa. The startup must have high technological value and produce, develop, or promote innovative goods or services with high technological value.
To apply for a startup visa, the business idea must meet specific requirements, which will be assessed by a special committee. After a positive response from the committee, the visa application process can begin.
Requirements for obtaining the visa:
- A detailed business plan focusing on innovation;
- A minimum of 50,000 euros with proof of the source of income to be used for business activities; 100,000 euros if joining an existing startup;
- Nulla Osta;
- Registration of a limited liability company in Italy to implement the startup;
- 30% of the company’s budget must be invested in research and development, or at least one-third of the company team must have a PhD, be engaged in research for the last three years, or the company must hold a patent registered in Italy.
This is not the complete list of requirements. Official information on the startup visa process can be found at this link.
The startup visa has many advantages, including fast visa application processing, tax and administrative benefits, and the possibility to apply for residence documents for family members.
Investor Visa or Golden Visa
The investor visa, also known as the Golden Visa, was introduced in January 2017. This visa can be obtained by foreigners aiming to make significant investments in Italy. The first residence permit is issued for two years through an expedited procedure. The residence permit can be extended for another three years, subject to meeting the requirements. After five years of living in Italy, one can apply for permanent residence.
Requirements for obtaining the visa:
- Invest at least 500,000 euros in an Italian company or 250,000 euros in the case of a startup, or;
- Purchase Italian government bonds worth at least 2 million euros and hold the securities for at least two years or;
- Donate at least 1 million euros to charitable funding to support projects of public interest in the areas of culture, education, immigration, scientific research, restoration of cultural assets, and landscapes.
Elective Residence (Residenza Elettiva)
This type of immigration to Italy provides for a residence permit for financially independent individuals who have stable and high passive income. The income must not come from active activities such as work, business, self-employment, etc., but from passive sources. Such sources may include: pensions, company shares, interest and royalties, rental income from real estate.
Along with the primary applicant, a spouse, minor children, and dependent children can apply for the visa.
This type of visa is also subject to quotas, but after five years of living in Italy, the applicant can apply for permanent residence in Italy, and after another five years, for Italian citizenship.
Requirements for obtaining the visa:
- Confirm stable and high passive income;
- Confirm the availability of accommodation in Italy (rented or owned);
- Health insurance;
- No criminal record.
More details about this visa can be found here.
Family Reunification Visa
The family reunification visa in Italy is available to foreigners from both EU and non-EU countries if a family member is an Italian citizen or has residence documents in Italy.
Eligible applicants:
- Spouse;
- Long-term partner in a stable relationship that can be proven;
- Minor children;
- Financially dependent adult children;
- Financially dependent parents if they have no other children who can care for them in their home country;
- Parents over 65 if they have no other children who can care for them in their home country.
Requirements for obtaining the visa:
- Accommodation in Italy, either rented or owned, providing living space of 14 sq. m per person;
- Proof of financial ability to support family members;
- Proof of kinship;
- If the applicant is a child wishing to reunite with one parent, notarized consent from the other parent is required.
Student Visa
Another very popular way to immigrate to Italy is through a student visa. Non-EU foreigners can enroll in a university in Italy and, along with receiving an excellent European education at a prestigious Italian university, can also obtain residency in Italy.
Who can apply for the visa:
- Students who are already studying at a university in their home country but have the opportunity to participate in an overseas study program (if their university has agreements with Italian universities)
- Students taking an independent course in Italian language or culture
- Foreigners undergoing vocational training in Italy
- Students admitted to full-time studies at an Italian university
Requirements for obtaining the visa:
- An invitation from the university indicating the student’s address in Italy or an invitation letter from the host institution (language school, educational institution, etc.)
- A bank statement proving financial support for the period of study in Italy, calculated at 50 euros per day
- A personal credit card with the indicated credit limit
- Health insurance
- National ID, driver’s license, and student ID depending on the basis of the application
The list of required documents may vary depending on the specific type of student visa.
With a student visa, a foreigner can work during their studies for no more than 20 hours a week and 1040 hours a year. This type of residence permit can be converted into a work residence permit. Generally, it falls under quota categories, available from December to February, but if you graduate from a university in Italy with a full education, you have the opportunity to stay and work in Italy without waiting for quotas.
Permanent Residence in Italy
After five years of official residence in Italy, non-EU foreigners have the right to apply for a permanent residence permit in Italy. EU, EEA, or EFTA nationals can register as residents in Italy without the need for additional documents, including without the need for a permanent residence permit.
Requirements for obtaining permanent residence:
- Confirm an income not lower than the minimum subsistence level
- Be a continuous resident in Italy for the last five years
- Pass an Italian language exam at least at level A2
- Have accommodation in Italy, either rented or owned
- Provide a certificate of no criminal record
Italian Citizenship
As a general rule, foreigners who have lived legally and continuously in the country for the last ten years can apply for Italian citizenship. However, there are exceptions to this rule, and in some cases, the term can be significantly reduced.
- Three years of residence are required for foreigners born in Italy or who have parents or grandparents who are Italian citizens.
- Four years of continuous legal residence are required for EU residents.
- Five years of legal residence are required for stateless persons or refugees to apply for citizenship. The same rule applies to foreigners adopted by Italian citizens.
- No legal residence is required for foreigners who have worked for the Italian government for at least five years. The period counts even if spent abroad.
Other ways to obtain Italian citizenship:
- Through official marriage or civil union with an Italian citizen. To start the process, the marriage must be at least two years old, or one year if the couple has a child or has adopted a child under Italian law. Three years are required for couples living abroad. The term can be reduced to 18 months if the couple has a child.
- By Italian descent. Repatriation to Italy, based on the fact that at least one parent or grandparent was an Italian citizen. This applies if the ancestor was born no later than 1948. Otherwise, obtaining citizenship is unlikely.
Conclusion
On this page, we have tried to describe the most popular ways to immigrate to Italy so that you can choose the most suitable option for you.
It should be noted that these are not all the ways to immigrate to Italy, and in particular, we have not covered:
- Visa for hired workers, including seasonal work
- Visa for religious activities
- Visa for athletes
- Visa for models
- Visa for movie actors and film crews
- Visa for world-famous artists
- Italy’s Blue Card
If you are interested in immigrating to Italy and want to receive a consultation or complete assistance with the document process, leave a request on our website or contact us in any convenient way.
We will be happy to help you resolve all the challenges of relocation!
