🌍 Embrace Borderless Opportunities with Lexidy’s New Global Mobility Department. Learn More!
 
 

Italy Entrepreneur Visa Legal Services

Expert Italy Entrepreneur Visa legal advice to foreign entrepreneurs looking to start a business and reside in Italy.

How can a lawyer help with Italy’s Entrepreneur’s Visa?

Our office of Immigration experts can help with all documentation. Depending on what you need, they can also advise on the appropriate residence permit for your case.

Our team of experienced legal professionals will review all your documentation and advise you on the appropriate residence permit for your situation. In addition, we can arrange for translated documents and certification services. Our support offered is in English, French, Greek, Spanish, Portuguese or Italian.

There are already nine different Work Visas offered that can be granted. Each has its own requirements and situations, with more to come based on recent legislation by the Italian government.

Deciding on which one to apply could be a confusing process.

A Lexidy Immigration Lawyer is your best option to avoid useless effort and waste of time.

Our Attorneys will assess not only if you meet the requirements to be granted the Visa but also advise you on what could be a better manner to set up your activity. We work with all business entities, products or services and even small business owners. 

Establishing yourself in Italy as a self-employed worker, a business owner or a company Director can become way more straightforward with the assistance of Lexidy and our qualified Attorneys. 

¨We will be with you each step of the journey.¨

 

What is an Entrepeneur's Visa?

This visa is a national type “D” visa for foreigners and ex-pats who wish to reside in Italy and open a business activity.

It is issued for those who wish to start a business, set up a company or hold a corporate position in a company. The business can be an innovative startup, industrial, professional, artisanal or other commercial activity. There are very few limitations on the business idea, type of business or the business structure.

Corporate positions include the following:

  • Chief Executive Officer
  • Sole Administrator
  • Holder of Power of Attorney
  • Curator
  • Common Representative
  • Shareholders with corporate positions

The applicant must demonstrate that he has sufficient assets to sustain the business and that in the last year, they earned at least €8,500.

How to get an Entrepreneur’s Visa in Italy?

More than one type of visa allows entrepreneurs to open their businesses and stay in Italy. 

The most common is the Autonomous Work Visa, which is granted to those who start a company or commercial activity in the country.

Here, you’ll have to request a “Nulla Osta” from the Chamber of Commerce. This document will allow you to show the financial viability of the business. For self-employed workers, the minimum economic requirement to exercise a profession is of €19,000; If the idea is to set up a Company, you must invest €500,000 and create at least three job positions to satisfy current Italian requirements.

You will also have to prove that you have accommodation in Italy and earned at least €8,500 in the previous year while in your country of residence.

The Italian authorities then have 120 days to evaluate your application. If approved, they will issue a six-month visa to allow you to enter Italy.

Upon the first 8 days arrival in Italy you will need to request your Residence Permit to local authorities.

When applying, you will need a passport that’s valid for at least three months beyond the period of the “Permesso di Soggiorno”. This would be one year and three months at a minimum.

How do I Renew the Entrepreneur’s Visa?

The renewal of the Residence Permit is requested between 60 days before its expiration date and up to 60 days after it. You will have to demonstrate that you kept the same requirements for the Visa, and, in addition to that, that you still earned more than €8,500 in the previous calendar year.

Process of getting an Entrepeneur's Visa

General Process

1. Gathering Documentation

For this step, you need to collect all the essential paperwork. This includes the “Nulla Osta” from the chamber of commerce and the “Nulla Osta Provvisoria” from the local police station. You will also need proof of accommodation in Italy and evidence of available resources in Italy, among others.

All the documents that are not initially in Italian must be translated into Italian by a sworn translator.

Lexidy lawyers can act on your behalf to request the necessary authorisations from the Chamber of Commerce and Questura.

This step usually takes from 45 to 60 days;

2. Presenting the Application

You can file your application at your local Consulate or Embassy with all the paperwork and request an appointment with the immigration officials.

A fee of €116 is due upon the Visa request.

It takes up to 120 days to get an answer and you need to return to the Consulate to collect the Visa.

3. Getting the Permesso di Soggiorno

Once you have a visa, you have six months to enter Italy. After entering the country, you have eight days to request your “Permesso di Soggiorno”. 

This one will be valid for one year and renewable whenever the requirements are still in place.

This “Permesso di Soggiorno” will also allow the holder to be hired in Italy with a subordinate work contract.

Finally, after six years of residence in Italy, you can ask for a permanent residency card.

 

What Documents Do I Need?

  • The “Nulla Osta”, or authorization, to perform the business activity. 
  • Proof of enough wealth in Italy to support the business specified in the “Nulla Osta”. A bank statement is enough and must show a minimum of €19,000.
  • “Nulla Osta Provvisoria” from the local police station.
  • Proof of accommodation in Italy. This can be a lease agreement, owned real estate, or a hospitality declaration by an Italian citizen.
  • Evidence that you can support your lifestyle. This can be a bank statement or tax declaration showing that you earned at least €8,500 in the last year.
  • Valid passport with at least nine months validity when collecting the Visa.
  • Passport photos.

What Else do I Need to Know?

The majority of this Visa category is granted respecting the limits of the entry quotas established by the Flow Decree (”Decreto Flussi”). There’s no possibility to know in advance how many quotas are still left before applying.

OUR WORK

We are a department formed by qualified legal experts who have been trained in the field of immigration law. We work on these residency permit requests every day. It’s our passion. 

For us, Lexidy is a way of life and what excites us the most is to be able to deliver the happiness and satisfaction of a successful immigration process. We want to help you achieve your goals and dreams, whether it’s residence, investment or a new business in Italy.

Giancarlo Ostetto

Giancarlo Ostetto

Lawyer, Head of Milan Office
Alessia Peschiera

Alessia Peschiera

Lawyer
Marta

Marta Mascheroni

Immigration Consultant

IS TO MAKE CLIENTS HAPPY

Frequently Asked Questions

Yes, Italy’s type D visa allows your family members to join you. However, they can request a different visa and apply from their home country or Italy.

The applicant must prove that they can financially support the family. This is at least 50% of the minimum for the principal applicant per family member. They must also have suitable accommodation in Italy.

Yes, the Family “Permesso di Soggiorno” allows them to work or apply for jobs in Italy whenever the requirements are met. Our lawyers can help with any situation from the department of labor in Italy.

Italy allows permanent residence after six years of residency. You must have a “Permesso di Soggiorno” and have been legally residing in Italy.

Each business has its own needs and depending on the company structure it might require from €1 to €50,000; A consultation with one of our experts is the best way to understand what fits your reality.

However, the amount must align with the business stated in the “Nulla Osta” issued by the Chamber of Commerce.

How Can We help you?

Subscribe to our newsletter

Stay ahead of the changes that matter to you

icon