Since April 2024, Digital Nomad visas to Italy have finally become available.
At the beginning of 2022, the Italian Government officially approved a Digital Nomad visa program and instructed the immigration authorities of the country to develop the regulations for its implementation. After more than 2 years, the regulations have finally come out. Beginning April 5, 2024, foreign nationals can file applications for Digital Nomad visas to Italy. This opportunity is available to both freelancers and remote workers with job agreements.
The qualification criteria and the process of obtaining a Digital Nomad visa to Italy
Below we list the requirements and the stages in the process of obtaining a residence permit (permesso di soggiorno) in Italy by applying for a Digital Nomad visa.
- Who can qualify: skilled professionals working via the Internet including freelancers and remote workers of companies located in Italy or other countries.
- Skills and education: the applicants have to prove having attended a university for at least 3 years; alternatively, they can demonstrate having a professional license or many years of professional experience.
- Work experience: applicants holding university diplomas have to have at least 6 months of professional experience; applicants without diplomas have to have a few years of experience (up to 5).
- Job contract: remote workers have to supply a job contract or a job offer; the position has to require the skills that the applicant possesses.
- Police clearance: all applicants have to supply police clearances; in addition, they should have committed no crimes related to illegal immigration and illegal border crossing during the last 5 years.
- Annual income: the applicants have to demonstrate an annual income of at least 28,000 euros. The Italian legislation does not require that the entire income should come from freelancing or remote work. Consequently, it can be an income from any legal source such as rent, dividends, royalties, and so on.
- Residential accommodations: the applicants have to demonstrate having a place to stay in Italy. That is, they have to buy or rent a piece of property in the country and supply a document that confirms it such as a purchase or a rent agreement.
- Medical insurance: all residents of Italy regardless of their nationality have universal medical insurance policies with unlimited coverage. Applicants for Digital Nomad visas have to register with the Italian national healthcare service and buy universal insurance policies. Their cost is 2,000 euros per year.
- Validity term of a Digital Nomad visa: an Italian Digital Nomad visa is valid for 1 year but it can be extended afterwards.
- Where to apply for a Digital Nomad visa to Italy: you should file an application to the Italian consulate in the geographical area where you live. Normally, applications for Digital Nomad visas cannot be filed in Italy but there are exceptions. If you are a freelancer and you already hold a residence permit (obtained on some other grounds), you can apply in Italy.
Please note that Italian consulates in some countries are still waiting for additional instructions and they have not started accepting applications for Digital Nomad visas. You have to inquire with the consulate in your area. Italian consulates have official websites and this is where you can find the information.
Obtaining a Digital Nomad Visa to Italy and legalizing your stay in the country
- Visa issuance timeframe: If your documents are in good order, you will have to wait for a Digital Nomad visa from 30 to 90 days. The consulate has not more than 90 days to give an answer in accordance with the law. Please bear in mind that your passport will have to remain at the Italian consulate while your application for a visa is processed.
- Visa validity term: A Digital Nomad visa will carry the date of issue, the date when it becomes valid, and the date of expiration. The visa start day will most probably be close to the date of your departure if you have supplied an air/ train ticket together with other application documents. The validity term of an Italian Digital Nomad visa is 365 days since the start date. If you have to postpone your departure to Italy, you can do it. You only have to enter Italy before your visa expires. If you are late, you don’t have to inform the consulate. Anyway, it is recommended to enter Italy no later than 6 months after the date when the visa becomes valid.
- Residence permit (permesso di soggiorno): When you enter Italy, you have 8 days to apply for a residence permit by visiting any post office in the country. The residence permit issued to a Digital Nomad visa holder is usually valid for 2 years notwithstanding the fact that the visa has a shorter validity term. Similarly to the visa, the residence permit is extendable. Please bear in mind, however, that it has to be extended not later than 60 days prior to the expiration date. After living on a temporary residence permit in Italy for 5 years, you can apply for a permanent residence permit. There are additional requirements that you will have to meet though. For instance, you will have to be paying taxes in Italy.
- Registration at the place of residence: When you are through with the bureaucratic process and you have a residence permit, you can register in the Italian municipality where you are planning to live.
- Family reunification: When you hold an Italian residence permit obtained on the grounds of holding a Digital Nomad visa, you are eligible to apply for residence permits for members of your family.
- Social security: Bilateral agreements on social security govern the matter in Italy. If your home country has such an agreement with Italy, you can keep paying social security taxes at home and you won’t have to make any social security contributions in Italy. Otherwise, the Italian social security regulations will apply.
- Tax code (Codice fiscale): In accordance with the law, the immigration office will assign a tax code to the holder of a Digital Nomad visa. The code is automatically generated by the Revenue Service in Italy. Experience shows, however, that it is almost impossible to apply for a Digital Nomad visa without first obtaining an Italian tax code. The matter is that the code is required for carrying out some mandatory operations such as buying or renting an apartment, registering with the national healthcare system, and so on.
- VAT number (for entrepreneurs): Self-employed individuals have to apply for a VAT number to the local tax office after arriving in Italy. This task can be delegated to a trusted agent.
Whether you are going to hire an agent to apply for a VAT number or not, you will be well-advised to use professional support when applying for an Italian Digital Nomad visa. The visa program is brand new in Italy and not all processes run smoothly so far.