Our website uses  cookies for statistical purposes.

Immigrate to Italy

With the help of our immigration lawyers in Italy, foreigners can benefit from complete services related to moving to this country. With a vast experience in immigration matters, our Italian lawyers can offer the necessary support to those interested in relocating to Italy for various reasons.

 Quick Facts  
Entry visa requirement (from EU)  (YES/NO) No

Entry visa requirement (outside EU) (YES/NO)

Yes (with certain exemptions – some third party nationals do not need a visa if they arrive in Italy for tourism purposes of maximum 90 days; for stays longer than this, the visa is imposed for all non-EU nationals)

Types of visas available

– a visa (transit visa),

– C visa (Schenen visa, issued for stays of maximum 90 days),

– D visa (long-term visa)

* the C and D visas can be issued as single entry or multiple entry visas for the purposes of family reunification, work, studies, medical treatment, elective residence, self-employment, busienss, investment, etc. 

 

Time frame for obtaining work visa (approx.) 

It depends on the visa:

– for short-term visa – approximately 15 days;

– for long-term visas – 30 days (the maximum is 60 days) 

Validity of temporary residence permit

 It depends on the purpose of stay

(min. 6 months – max. 2 years)

Temporary residence permit renewal requirements

– the valid passport,

– documents attesting the purpose of stay,

– the documents used for the visa application,

– proof of paying the processing fee

Documents for obtaining a residence permit

– the valid passport,

– the completed application form,

– the payment of the fee,

– recent passport size photos,

– the visa,

– other supporting documents regarding the purpose of stay 

Time frame for obtaining permanent residence (approx.)

After 5 years of staying in Italy (the application can be processed in 4-6 weeks) 

Investor Visa availability (YES/NO)

Yes

Start-up Visa Scheme availability (YES/NO) Yes
Sponsorship requirement (YES/NO)

Yes (it depends on the visa) 

Time frame for obtaining citizenship

10 years (through naturalization) 

Citizenship/Residency by investment scheme availability (YES/NO)

– citizenship by investment – not applicable,

– residency by investment – yes 

Taxation of foreign citizens

Taxed with local taxes only for the income obtained in Italy, by applying the same tax system charged to residents/nationals 

Tax benefits for expats

– tax benefits for expats retiring to Italy (7% flat tax rate for the first 9 years of residency for foreign retirees located in Southern parts of Italy),

– tax benefits for foreign workers for the first 5 years of work in Italy (only 30% of the income is taxed in that period) 

Who is required to apply for a visa for Italy?

Italy is an EU member state which means that citizens from EU countries don’t need to obtain residence permits when relocating here. However, they do need to register with the local police station in the city they live within 8 days from their arrival in the country.

For citizens of non-EU countries, the requirements are more stringent, meaning that these persons need to apply for one of the available types of visas prior to entering the country. The government provides for various types of visas. Through these visas, foreigners can simply reside, work or start their own companies in Italy.

With the help of our immigration lawyers in Italy, foreign citizens can discover the proper visa to suit their immigration needs. It should be noted that the residence permit in Italy is one of the most requested documents.

Immigration services available in Italy

Foreign citizens can rely on the following services offered by our lawyers if they want to immigrate to Italy:

  • assistance in obtaining various types of visas for immigrating to Italy;
  • consultacy for obtaining Italian citizenship under the local legislation;
  • legal help for applying for residence permits with the Italian authorities;
  • assistance in applying for appeals related to immigration to Italy;
  • legal advice in applying for work-related permits in Italy;
  • guidance in corporate and business immigration to Italy – obtaining golden visa for Italy

All the services offered by our specialists in immigration to Italy are personalized. You can also rely on us if you decide to apply for Italian citizenship.

Types of visas in Italy

Foreign citizens interested in Italian immigration can solicit one of the following types of visas with the authorities, under the Visa Code of 2009:

  • the Schengen visas, which are divided into 3 categories: A, B and C and which grant foreigners from non-EU countries to travel through the EU without applying for other visas;
  • the limited territorial visas which are usually issued for humanitarian purposes;
  • long-term residence visas which are issued for periods of more than 3 months and which allow for multiple exits and entries in Italy;
  • temporary and permanent residence permits which have a validity period of 5 years and which can lead to citizenship in Italy.

If you want to apply for one of the types of visas or residence permits mentioned above, our Italy immigration attorneys can advise you.

Document requirements for obtaining Italian visas

In order to apply for any type of Italian visa, a foreigner will need to prepare and submit various types of documents. These will depend on the visa applied for and the reason for coming to Italy. For the tourist visa, for example, the requirements are less stringent and the foreign citizen will need to submit the application form issued by the Italian Immigration Office, the valid passport, the flight ticket, the travel insurance and the proof of accommodation. The tourist visa is quite easy to obtain.

When it comes to other types of visas, foreign citizens will need to present: the valid passport (the usual validity period of a passport ranges between 5 and 10 years), the reason for which they enter Italy (supporting documents, such as invitations and official letters), recent photographs and a valid insurance policy. Foreigners will also need to prove that they are self-sufficient, meaning they have enough money to support themselves during their stay. A bank receipt will usually suffice in this case.

In the following cases, specific documents will be required:

  • for students, the enrollment forms and sponsorship from the university are required;
  • for employees, the employment contract must be submitted with the visa application form;
  • for sole traders, the valid business license is required as a proof;
  • for retired foreign persons, the pension coupons of the last 6 months are also required.

Those who want to bring their children along must have their birth certificates on them. In case one of the spouses travels alone with the children, a court order allowing the parent to take the children out of the country and the consent of the other parent are required.

The documentation needed to be submitted when applying for an Italian visa is not complicated, however, the applicant must pay attention to their status and the reasons they enter Italy for in order to prepare in accordance. This is why in most cases specialized advice is needed. Our specialists in immigration to Italy can help foreign citizens from third-countries to prepare and put in order the documentation related to applying for any type of visa

We can also assist those who want to apply for a residence permit in Italy.

We have also prepared a scheme showing the main ways of immigrating to Italy:

How to immigrate to italy in 5 steps

The residence permit or permesso di soggiorno in Italy

The residence visa or permesso di soggiorno is one of the most sought types of visa for Italy. This document allows third-country nationals to legally live and work in Italy. Moreover, it guarantees the right to travel to other EU countries without being required to apply for additional visas.

The residence permit can be obtained based on a temporary visa, the applicant is required to go to the nearest police station in the city or town he or she lives in order to be taken into evidence.

Do not hesitate to reach out to our immigration lawyers in Italy for more information on the requirements related to appearing before the police officers in order to be taken into evidence.

The work permit in Italy

A foreign citizen who has applied and obtained a job with an Italian company will be issued a work permit or employment visa. In this case, the procedure is different, as the employing company must conduct the necessary procedures in order to obtain the work permit on behalf of the foreign worker.

The foreign citizen will need to contact the Italian Embassy or Consulate in his or her home country in order to apply for the work visa there. Our immigration attorneys in Italy can guide in this procedure. The work permit comes with a residence permit in Italy.

How to obtain residency by investment in Italy

In 2017, the Italian government created a program through which foreign citizens who want to relocate to Italy can apply for a residence permit by investment. The conditions for this program are:

  • the minimum amount to be invested is 2 million euros in bonds issued by the government, bonds or shares issued by companies;
  • investments in innovative startups are also allowed – the minimum amount required is 500,000 euros;
  • investments of 1 million euros can be made in cultural projects or activities;
  • the investment must be kept for a minimum period of 2 years.

Based on any of these investments, the businessman will be issued a 2-year investor visa which can be renewed for an additional period of 3 years. This is also one of the most suitable visas for Italian citizenship.

We invite you to watch a short video about our immigration services in Italy:

Self-employment in Italy

One of the main ways of immigrating to Italy is through a self-employment visa. This is one of the most important options for those who want to have a small business after relocating to Italy. In order to obtain such a visa, a foreign citizen must meet certain requirements.

Foreign citizens interested in immigration in Italy through a self-employment residence permit must know that there is a limited number of activities they can undertake. Among these, there are handcrafts and professional activities that require qualifications. It is also possible for those applying for a self-employment visa for Italy to engage in various trades and commercial activities. The good news about this visa is that it can be obtained by sole traders immigrating to Italy.

The self-employment visa is also available for foreign citizens coming as employees of Italian companies in which they take directorship roles.

The documents required to obtain such a visa imply submitting proof of sufficient financial resources and qualifications when it comes to professionals.

Our lawyers in Italy can explain all the requirements related to obtaining a self-employment visa in this country.

The student visa in Italy

Italy is not attractive not only for those looking to immigrate for work reasons, as some of the Italian cities are recognized as university centers in which the number of foreign students has increased in the last years. For those who want to study here, the student visa is the most suitable option.

In order to obtain a student visa for Italy, a foreign citizen must first enroll with a university in this country and be accepted. After that, the foreign student must present proof acceptance with the Italian consulate or embassy in their home countries. Other documents must also be presented, however, most students do not know they need such proof.

There are also other conditions to be accepted in Italy based on a student visa and these conditions can be explained by our lawyers.

It is good to know that the student visa is the only type of visa that can be converted into a work permit. In other words, a student finishing the courses of an Italian university can work in Italy after converting the student visa into an employment permit.

How to retire to Italy

Italy is one of the few European countries to provide special conditions for senior citizens to immigrate to Italy after they have retired from work in their home countries. In order to retire to Italy, a foreign citizen must submit proof of pension where the minimum amount of money earned per year is 31,000 euros.

Foreign citizens can retire with their spouses, however, Italy also welcomes their children to provide that an additional amount of money is presented as proof of sustenance. It is also possible to obtain Italian citizenship and retire permanently here.

Schengen visas for Italy

Italy is not only an EU member state, but also a Schengen area member, which means that the government has adopted the policies related to immigration based on Schengen visas. The most required Schengen visa is the national one which enables foreign citizens to travel to other member states freely.

Our immigration lawyers in Italy can help foreigners apply for any type of visa based on their eligibility criteria.

How can our Italy immigration lawyers help you?

The first thing to do when interested in immigrating to Italy is to get in touch with us and present us your situation. Based on that preliminary discussion, our lawyers will propose the proper way for you to immigrate to Italy.

An important aspect to consider when immigrating to Italy is that the visa will depend on whether you are an EU or non-EU citizen, so our lawyers know how to guide you in the proper way and present all of the options available based on your citizenship.

Once our solution has been tailored to your needs and requests, you will be required to send us the documents imposed by the law, so we can start the immigration or permanent visa application procedure.

Our immigration attorneys in Italy will keep in touch with you through all the phases of the procedure.

Why choose our immigration services in Italy?

As mentioned earlier, all our services are personalized, therefore your case will be treated individually from the beginning to the end. Also, once you have decided to work with us all your personal information will be confidential and disclosed only to the authorities upon filing the documents needed for immigration to Italy.

Why immigrate to Italy?

There are many reasons for which foreign citizens seek to immigrate to Italy. According to the National Statistics Office, the number of migrants has increased at a steady pace in the last few years, in 2017 being registered one of the largest numbers of migrants of 301,000 persons.

Here is what you need to know if you want to immigrate to Italy:

  1.  as a student, you will need at least 900 euros per month as proof of self-sustenance;
  2.  for investors, the minimum amount of money required is 50,000 euros invested through the StartUp Visa Program;
  3.  foreign citizens must register with the local police station within 8 days from arriving in the country;
  4.  the validity period of a temporary residence permit for Italy can be of 5 years for non-EU citizens.


What are the main benefits for immigrating to Italy?

Here are 7 of the many advantages of immigrating to Italy:

  1. access to a large labor market – Italy offers plenty of temporary and permanent jobs for immigrants;
  2. the possibility of entering other European Union countries, considering Italy’s membership;
  3. Italy is one of the most open European countries for migrants from EU and non-EU countries;
  4. the easy integration with the locals is one of the main advantages of immigrating to Italy;
  5. the possibility of immigrating to Italy through a wide range of visas (Italy offers a great number of visas compared to other countries);
  6. Italy has a special program for citizenship for investors, thus addressing all types of immigrants;
  7. safety – Italy is one of the safest countries in Europe and the European Union at the moment.

There are also other reasons for which one can decide to immigrate to Italy and our lawyers who specialize in immigration matters can help them no matter their nationality.

If you need to know more advantages of immigrating to Italy, you will be interested in knowing that immigration has had a positive impact on the local economy considering:

  • non-EU immigrants have contributed with 16,5 billion euros to the Italian economy in recent years;
  • compared to that amount, the Italian government has spent 12,6 billion euros with them;
  • more than 600,000 pensions have been received by Italian citizens thanks to the value added by immigrants to the economy;
  • considering 1 in 10 Italians is over the age of 75, immigrants have contributed to the rejuvenation of the population.

What are the main aspects to consider when preparing to immigrate to Italy?

There is no definition of a “correct” preparation for immigration, however, there are a few steps which can help applicants know the documents required and what to expect during the procedure.

Our lawyers in Italy strongly advise you to:

  1. verify the Italian legislation which is applicable to your country of residence;
  2. check the type of visa you are interested in and see if you qualify for it (each visa comes with different requirements);
  3. obtain firsthand information from specialists at the Italian Embassy or Consulate in your country and specialists in Italy (our lawyers can assist);
  4. start preparing the documents you will need to obtain the visa (the passport, first of all);
  5. prepare for the interview with the authorities (most visa applicants will go through an interview).

If you check at least the first 3 points of the advice above, you will find it easier to go through the actual visa application process. With the help of our immigration lawyers in Italy, the preparation for immigrating to Italy can be easier.

Immigrants and the Italian legislation

One of the most important aspects to verify when preparing to immigrate to Italy is the laws of the country. We can tell you that Italy has a friendly approach to foreign citizens coming from both EU and non-EU countries, with the mention that visa requirements apply for non-EU immigrants.

When it comes to the type of visas required, there are several types of visas under which a foreigner can enter Italy, according to the laws here.

If you need more information on the legislation and immigration policies in Italy, our lawyers can guide you or can direct you to the regulations applicable to your country of origin.

How can an immigration lawyer prepare you for relocation to Italy?

First of all, our immigration lawyers in Italy will offer tailored advice, meaning that they will address your specific situation. Then, we will help you prepare all the documents you need for a successful application (we will even review every document). The last stage will be preparing you for the visa interview.

Here is what you should know about Italian visas:

  • your passport must have at least a 3-month validity period at the time you apply for the visa;
  • if you are a non-EU citizen, you will also need health insurance which covers medical expenses of at least 37,500 euros;
  • you must register with the police station in the Italian city you have moved to within 8 days from your arrival;
  • temporary residence permits have different validity periods, between 6 months and 2 years.

For full details on the immigration services available in Italy and for a personal consultation, do not hesitate to contact us anytime. Our immigration lawyers in Italy can offer detailed information on the investor visa which can be obtained under this program. We also have the necessary experience in assisting with obtaining other types of visas for Italy.

Persons interested in acquiring citizenship in Italy can have 3 main options: 1) citizenship by Italian descent, 2) citizenship by marriage with an Italian national and 3) citizenship by naturalization.

Foreigners who arrive here for business purposes can qualify for citizenship by naturalization, a right which they can have only after becoming permanent residents.

If you want to move to Italy for other purposes, such as studying here, apply for a job or to reunite with family members, you can contact our team.

Our lawyers can help you navigate the complex list of visas regulated under the national law, and find the one which is the most suitable to your case. Visa requirements can also vary depending on the nationality of the applicant.

Foreigners interested in business opportunities here can address to our team to find out the current list of visas designed for this specific purpose. One of the visas available in this category is the Golden Visa in Italy.

This visa was introduced in 2017 to promote the expansion of foreign direct investments and it grants foreign investors with the possibility to stay in Italy for 5 years. Contact us for more details and legal help.