Get an Elective Residence Visa in Italy

The applicant can apply for this visa from their home country as well as from within Italy. The application must be submitted to the Consulate or Embassy.

The main requirement for the visa is that the holder can show evidence that they can support their lifestyle in Italy. It’s important to work with a qualified Immigration Lawyer because each Consulate has different requirements for assessing an applicant’s financial position. 

In our experience, most Consulates require the funds to be deposited into an Italian bank account and we can assist you with opening a personal bank account in Italy. 

Some of the documentation may need to be certified and translated into Italian by a professional. We provide guidance and support here as well as help with choosing healthcare insurance providers in Italy. It’s not mandatory to purchase private health insurance when moving to the country but it’s highly recommended.

The general process is as follows:

1. Gather the paperwork

For this step, you need to collect all of the important documents. This includes bank records, criminal record background checks and proof of accommodation, among others. All these documents must be translated into Italian and formally legalized. The translation must be performed by a sworn translator

2. Apply at the Italian Embassy or Consulate

From your home country:

You can file your application at your local Consulate or Embassy with all the paperwork and request an appointment with the immigration officials. It takes up to 90 days to get an answer and you need to return to the Consulate to collect visa. Once you have the visa, you can enter Italy and the permit is valid for a year

3. Move to Italy

Once the application has been approved, you will be granted a visa that will allow you to travel to Italy. The visa is granted for one year and can be renewed for one further year.

Shortly after arriving in Italy, you must declare your presence in Italy to the “Questura”, which is a local police station, and request the “Permesso di Soggiorno”. Applying for the “Permesso di Soggiorno” allows foreigners to live in the country for more than 90 days.

You then need to request permanent residence with the Italian town hall called “Ufficio Anagrafe”. After this, you receive a physical document for the “Permesso di Soggiorno”.

The Italian Golden Visa holder the right to visa-free travel throughout all of Europe’s Schengen area.

The Italian government asks applicants to supply evidence that they can support their lifestyle. Most Consulates ask for a bank certificate. It must show the account bank and must have a date close to when the application was filed.

The applicant will need:

• Passive income of at least €31,000 annually for the main applicant

• Six months of bank statements

• The funds must be held by the name of the main visa applicant

The Italian government also accepts tax declarations and other legal documents as proof.

The funds don’t need to be in a local bank. However, every person in Italy should have a local bank account when moving to the country.

What Documents do I need:

Most Elective Residence visa applicants require the following documentation to obtain residence in Italy:

• Proof of accommodation in Italy

• Private healthcare insurance from a provider that servces Italy. This isn’t mandatory but is recommended.

• Bank certificate showing proof of sufficient funds

• A motivation letter stating the reasons why you want to move to Italy. This isn’t the case for all Consulates.

• A clean criminal record

• A passport

The timeline differs depending your country of residence but generally follows the below.

Applying From your country residence:

• Understand what’s needed: one day
• Collect and prepare the documents: one to two weeks
• File the request: one day
• Decision for the request: 90 days
• If approved, download and file the “Nulla Osta”: one day
• Schedule Consulate Visa Appointment: 25 to 45 days
• Receive Visa to enter Italy, which is valid for one year

Obtaining Reidence Permit in Italy:

• Declare your presence to the local Italian Police, or Questura: Within eight days of arriving.
• Request the “Permesso di Soggiorno”: Within eight days of arriving.
• File the “Permesso di Soggiorno” with the Italian Town Hall, or “Ufficio Anagrafe”: One day
• Issued with a physical “Permesso di Soggiorno” card.