Italian Digital Nomad Visa Guide
Question: What is the Italian Digital Nomad Visa and what are the requirements and process to apply for it?
Answer: In early 2022, the Italian government approved a law introducing the Digital Nomad Visa and delegated another branch of the government to issue the regulations to actually implement the visa. Finally, after more than two years since the initial legislation, the government issued the long awaited regulations. As a result, as of April 5, 2024, it is possible to actually apply for the Italian Digital Nomad Visa. This new visa is meant for freelancers, self-employed digital nomads and remote employees on a company payroll.
We will update this page based on guidelines that the Italian authorities will progressively release and our experience as we process visa applications on behalf of our clients.
The requirements, process, and timing for an Italian Digital Nomad Visa and Digital Nomad Immigration Permit (permesso di soggiorno) are listed below (click on the links to jump to a specific section):
- Digital Nomad Visa Specifications and Registration in Italy
- When should I start planning for a DNV?
- Italian tax implications and tax strategies of getting an Italian visa
Requirements and Process of the Italian Digital Nomad Visa
- Who is eligible: highly-skilled people (see #3 below) who work through remote technology either as a freelancer or as an employee on the payroll of a business based either in Italy or outside of Italy.
- Digital nomads and remote workers: the regulations, for the purposes of this visa, refer to freelancers as “digital nomads” whereas they refer to employees as “remote workers”. The requirements to apply for and get the visa are almost identical for the two categories, with a few exceptions, described below as applicable.
- Skills and Education: applicants must prove they have a university or college degree (minimum 3 years) from an accredited institution, an accredited professional license, or accredited superior professional experience. Although the law does not say that you need education in the field in which you are going to work, there are some consulates who might apply a stricter interpretation. If your consulate does, there are ways to satisfy the requirement in situations where your education is not in the same field as the work to be performed.
- Work Experience: applicants must document at least six months of experience in the industry in which they intend to work remotely. More experience (up to five years) is required for applicants without a university degree.
- Work contract: remote workers must provide evidence of an existing employment contract, or a binding employment offer, requiring the employee to possess skills consistent with a higher level of education as defined above. The regulation does not say anything about proof of contracts for digital nomads. However, it is possible the Italian Consulate will ask for engagement letters, retainers, or other evidence of contracts between the freelancer and his/her clients with respect to the required high skills work.
- Criminal background affidavit: remote workers must file an affidavit with the Italian Consulate signed by their employer stating the latter has not been convicted of specific immigration crimes within the past five years. The regulation does not provide any information about a criminal background check with respect to the visa applicant himself/herself. Therefore, we do not expect Italian Consulates to ask for it. Although we have seen that some Italian Consulates require a criminal background check certificate for some types of visas in spite of the fact that the respective regulations do not list it as a requirement, we have not seen any Consulate asking for it so far. However, it is possible some Consulates might ask for the applicant’s background check as well.
- Annual Income: applicants must prove to have an annual income of EUR 24,789 or more (approximately USD 27,000, or GBP 21,100). The law does not require the applicant to prove that such income is generated through his/her freelance or remote working employment. However, many Italian Consulates expressly require such evidence and expressly mention that other sources of income will not be taken into consideration, like social security, rental, or financial investments income. Each Italian Consulate might apply its own interpretation about qualifying sources of income and might require a higher amount as well. Check in advance the approach of your specific Italian Consulate and options to structure your application to meet the locally applied interpretation.
- Housing: applicants must provide evidence of a place to stay in Italy. For example, some Italian Consulates have indicated that they will accept even a 30+ day hotel reservation or letter of hospitality from a relative or a friend. However, most Italian Consulates expressly require a lease agreement in your name for the duration of the visa, or ownership evidence. Bear in mind that an accepted purchase offer or preliminary purchase contract or compromesso are not sufficient to meet the housing requirement.
- Health Insurance: The Italian government provides a universal healthcare system that covers Italian residents, regardless of nationality. However, Italian Digital Nomad Visa applicants must provide evidence that they have coverage of medical treatment and hospitalization for the duration of stay, in the form of medical insurance. As an alternative, some Italian Consulates accept an affidavit through which you commit to acquire medical insurance upon your arrival in Italy. A private medical insurance usually costs approximately EUR 350-EUR 700 per year. The coverage of a private medical insurance is limited to its terms, hence its cost is lower than the amount required for the registration with the National Health Service, which provides unlimited medical coverage. However, voluntary sign up with the Italian National Health Service (EUR 2,000 per year) is not available for Digital Nomad visa applicant. Therefore, you can only apply for this type of visa if you have evidence of some other Italian medical coverage or if you file the affidavit mentioned above, if accepted by the concerned Italian Consulate. If you wish to get a private medical insurance policy meeting the visa requirements, we will gladly assist you getting an eligible policy. Premiums depend on age and coverage. For example, you can find insurance policies with annual premiums as low as EUR 350 per person meeting the basic coverage required for the purposes of the visa. Private insurance upgrades are also available (prices range based on terms and conditions). For example, you can get private insurance for EUR 1,500 per family per year, in addition to the cost of basic coverage. Here are the minimum medical insurance coverage requirements for the Italian Digital Nomad Visa:
- Event: medical expenses (e.g., prescriptions, doctor visits, hospitalization, ambulance transportation);
- Coverage: at least EUR 30,000 per person per year;
- Territory: applicable in all European Union member States;
- Duration: 1 year.
- Digital Nomad Visa Duration: The digital nomad and remote worker visa is valid for one year. However, once in Italy, you apply for the immigration permit, which is also for one year but you can renew it from Italy, without the need to apply for a visa again. Below is more information about the renewal process.
- Where To Apply for an Italian Digital Nomad Visa: You must apply at the Italian Consulate which is competent for the geographical area where you have your home (residency). Check this link to see which Italian Consulate is responsible for your residency at the time of application. That also applies to those who have established residency (but not nationality) in another country (e.g. an American who has a Spanish visa, living in Spain can apply for the DNV in Spain). You cannot apply from Italy except in some limited cases, for example if you already have a qualifying Italian immigration permit (permesso di soggiorno).
- Digital Nomad Visa Application Form: Before going to the Italian Consulate, obtain the visa application form. Beware that each Consular office might have its own unique application form. For a point of reference, find here the form for the Italian Consulate in New York. Please refer to the Italian Consulate for your specific location and use their provided form. Be sure to complete the form with your full name as it appears on your passport. Once the visa application form is complete, do not sign it as you must sign it before an Italian Consular Visa Officer (more information below). However, some Italian Consulates might accept filing via mail (usually USPS only) after you sign the application in front of a U.S. notary public.
- Italian Consulate Appointment: Set up an appointment with the Italian Consulate ahead of time. Often the Italian Consulate’s schedule is busy and they might book appointments for the Italian Digital Nomad Visa 2 to 4 months in the future. Usually, no appointment is required if your Italian Consulate is accepting filing by mail.
- Photos: Two recent passport-size photographs on white background, full face and front view. Scanned or photocopied photos will NOT be accepted. Make sure to comply with the Italian ID size standards, which might be different from the standards adopted for documents in your home country (for example, photo size standards in the US are different).
- Passport: Along with the application form, also a valid passport with expiration date at least three months after the end of requested visa period. Make sure the passport has at least two pages that are completely blank (without stamps) to apply the visa sticker when issued and the first entry stamp.
- Travel Ticket: Some Italian Consulates expressly require evidence of your travel reservation document, e.g., flight ticket. If your Consulate does not require it, if you have it, you can file it. If no travel information is required and if you have not finalized your travel arrangements at the time of the visa application filing, you can simply indicate on the visa application your expected departure date.
- Visa Application Fee: EUR 116 per person. Some Consulates accept cash and even local currency. However, in most cases they ask for a Money Order, payable to the Consulate of Italy, with the applicant’s name and address on the money order. Italian Consulates around the world update their websites quarterly with the equivalent converted amount in local currency as per the applicable currency exchange rate. Check on the website of your competent Italian Consulate for the applicable fee in local currency right before submitting the Italian Digital Nomad Visa application form.
- Fingerprints: As of January 1, 2025, the Italian government is requiring fingerprints for any long term visa applicants. This will be collected at the time of the appointment at the consulate. This is not something that needs to be done ahead of time.
Digital Nomad Visa Specifications and Registration in Italy
Visa Issue Timing: If your paperwork is in order, you might expect the visa within 30 to 90 days. The maximum term in which the Consulate must respond under the law is 90 days. In some cases recently, we have seen visas issued also on the same day of the application, although it is not common. Please bear in mind that during the entire process, from filing the visa application to when the visa is issued, the applicants’ passports must be left with the Consulate.
Visa Duration: The Digital Nomad Visa will show an issue date, a starting date and an expiration date. The visa start date will likely be the same or close to your departure date, if you filed a travel ticket along with your visa application. The expiration date of an Italian Digital Nomad visa is 365 days after the starting date. If you must postpone your departure, you can do so, as long as you enter Italy before the visa expiration date. No further notice to the Consulate is required. However, we recommend entering Italy and starting the Permit to Stay process within the first six months after the visa start date.
Permit to Stay (permesso di soggiorno): Within eight days of your arrival in Italy (and before your visa expiration date) you must apply for a Permit to Stay (“Permesso di Soggiorno”). The Permit to Stay for an Italian Digital Nomad and Remote Worker Visa usually is issued for one or two full years starting from the date of your filing your Permit to Stay application with the Italian post office, regardless of the visa expiration date. In order to continue to live in Italy past the Permit to Stay expiration date, you will be required to renew it at the latest 60 days before its expiration. After renewing it for five years and meeting the applicable requirements (e.g., evidence of filing Italian taxes), you can apply for a long-term Permit to Stay. Check here to see what an Italian Permit to Stay looks like.
Registered Residency: After you complete the immigration registration and obtain your Permit to Stay, you can file an application to become an Italian registered resident with the Italian Municipality where you are going to live.
Family reunification: Family members are eligible to join of people holding a Digital Nomad and Remote Worker immigration permit receiving a family reason permit of equal duration.
Social Security: Bilateral social security agreements apply. Meaning, if the digital nomad’s country of origin has a bilateral agreement with Italy about social security contributions, which for example allows the worker to continue to make social security payments in their country of origin while working in Italy, he/she would be exempted from paying social security in Italy. Otherwise, Italian legislation on pension and insurance coverage during the stay in Italy would apply.
Tax code (Codice Fiscale): Pursuant to the regulations, upon permit issuance, the immigration office will communicate to the digital nomad and remote worker the tax code (codice fiscale) automatically generated the Italian Tax office. However, in our opinion it would be virtually impossible for a person to apply for the digital nomad visa or the digital nomad immigration permit (permesso di soggiorno) without having already obtained an Italian tax code (codice fiscale), because you are required to have a tax code (codice fiscale) in order to comply with some of the mandatory requirements based above. For example, you need a tax code to buy a property, to lease an apartment, to get medical coverage, being it via a private health insurance or through registration with the Italian National Health Service, etc. There will probably be situations where an applicant might be able to get to the permit issuance without a tax code. For example, if they get a European private health insurance, not issued in Italy, or if they have an alternative form of housing that does not require contract registration with the Italian tax authorities. But we expect these to be rather rare situations. Therefore, you might want to start looking into your tax code as a first step to pursue this visa. Here is more information about it and how to get it for free.
VAT Account (Business Tax ID): Self-employed workers will apply for a VAT number (business tax ID) directly at the local tax office once in Italy. It is also possible to delegate a third party to apply remotely. We assist self-employed workers setting up their Italian business tax compliance formalities.
When should I start planning for a Digital Nomad Visa?
We suggest accounting for a minimum of 4-5 months for the entire process (that includes the 3 months, by law, that the consulate has to get back to you about whether your visa has been approved or not).
Let’s do the math:
- For example, it is April and you are aiming to move to Italy in October.
- That means that in June you should be making your appointment with the Italian Consulate and starting to gather the required documents to submit (getting the appointment can be a challenge, in and of itself).
- But what about the Italian typical August business “break”, when most work in the government grinds to a halt?
- So let’s add another month for buffer and say you should start the process in May.
Is this kind of roadmap on the consulates’ websites? No, but this is what we know from our extensive experience in working on thousands of applications with consulates around the world. It’s not just knowing the law, but the experience that informs the kind of guidance our team can provide.
Italian Tax Implications of Getting an Italian Visa and Tax Efficient Strategies
Although Italy is known for its high tax system, currently there several tax programs that allow to remarkably reduce a person’s tax burden.
In particular, in the past few years Italy issued several tax incentives for newly residents. Additionally, there are some tax options for small businesses owners and freelancers, regardless whether they just relocated to Italy or if they lived in Italy for a while.
Tax incentives, the proper application of bilateral tax treaties between Italy and your country of origin, estate and tax planning strategies, present the opportunity to significantly reduce not only the Italian tax burden, but your global tax burden in general.
For example, in many treaties against double taxation there are provisions that will override your home country domestic tax code rules in favor of Italian tax exclusivity. There are also some provisions that will allow you to acquire any Italian visa WITHOUT becoming an Italian tax resident, even if you are registered as a resident with an Italian townhall (Comune) and even if you are physically present in Italy for more than 182 days.
At this page we have updated some tax information that might help give you an idea of possible tax programs options and tax treaty opportunities.
Additionally, we will continue to share information about Italian taxes to answer some of the most frequently asked questions, such as, how to acquire an Italian visa without becoming an Italian tax resident, how to legally avoid Italian tax obligations while spending in Italy more than 182 days, how to prepare your home assets and income structure in the most tax efficient way prior to moving to Italy, etc.
How do I choose between Italian visas if I am eligible for more than one?
How do I retain control over the inheritance of my estate if I acquire an Italian visa or move to Italy?
These are some of the questions we are working on and for which we plan to provide more information on this page in the future. If you are ready to move forward, contact us to effectively prepare your next steps. Our team of immigration, tax, and estate lawyers will review your specific case circumstances and will provide you with the most comprehensive and holistic advice to pursue your goals.
We assist non-EU citizens with immigration and visa matters, tax and estate planning. We offer comprehensive services tailored to the needs of each case. Our services include advice on immigration law, cross-border implications related to dual residency, change of residency, visa application, permit to stay processing, residency application, tax planning, avoidance of dual taxation, cross-border wills, etc.
Here are some reviews clients wrote about our visa application service:
From Google Reviews: “My husband and I obtained our Digital Nomad Visa for Italy through the help and support of Martina and Antonio. Our main communications were with Martina and we found her to be kind, responsive to our questions, willing to talk us through all of the details and effective. After our visa was issued, she also helped us through the additional steps of obtaining our health insurance and assisting us in completing/filing our paperwork to obtain our appointment for our permission to stay. We felt her knowledge and calm demeanor was so beneficial in fulfilling our dream.“
“I wanted to let you know that the appointment [at the Italian Consulate] went as smooth as silk. The woman looked at me at one point and said, ‘well you have certainly done your homework!’. Everything you suggested I initially give them was all that they wanted. It was perfect. We watched four out of the five people ahead of us be told to get the proper documentation, make another appointment and come back. We couldn’t have nailed it the first time without your guidance in both the application process and the documents you obtained on our behalf in Italy. It feels wonderful to have our application successfully submitted”.
Contact us to discuss your specific case circumstances and receive personalized legal advice.
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