Italy Digital Nomad Visa

To qualify for Italy’s new digital nomad visa, you will need to meet these requirements:

• Be a freelancer or work for a company, who will work remotely through the use of the technological tools and fall under the definition of a high qualified professional*. You will need to prove the employment relationship trough a work contract or a binding job offer and you will need to have at least 6 months of previous experience in the work activity you will perform in Italy.
• An annual minimum income of at least €25,500 annually (approx $ 27,210 or £ 21,800). If you plan on applying as a Remote Worker, your salary should respect the minimum salary established to the category by Italian Law – which might be higher than € 25,500.
• Hold a valid health insurance for medical treatment and hospitalisation and proof of accommodations in Italy, both need to respect the duration of the Visa (365 days). 
• Either be from a country who has a bilateral agreement in terms of Social Security with Italy, or abide to Italian Social Security rules and systems otherwise – that might be requested from your Company if you’re applying as a Remote Worker.
• Evidence of no criminal records. Consulates might as well request proof of no criminal records to comply with the general immigration Law in Italy. Nonetheless it will be mandatory for Italian Employers to present proof of no Criminal Records (even non-definitive rulings) related to immigration and illegal-labour exploitation.

The Visa will be valid for one year and the holder of the Residence Permit will be allowed to renew it in Italy for the same period, whether the conditions are met. Your spouse and/or children under 18 years old will be able to apply for a Family Visa in the Consulate or for a Family Reunion procedure in Italy when allowed.

If the applicant is applying for a Visa lasting less than 90 days, they might be asked to submit round trip flight tickets; If the request is for a Visa with more than 90 days, they might be required to submit one-way flight tickets to Italy

*High qualified professionals in Italy are those who possess any of the following: 

• a tertiary-level higher education degree, attesting to the completion of a higher education course lasting at least three years or a post-secondary level professional qualification lasting at least three years or corresponding to at least level 6 of the National Qualifications Framework;
• the requirements provided for by Legislative Decree No. 206 of 6 November 2007, limited to the exercise of regulated professions;
• a higher professional qualification attested by at least five years of professional experience comparable to tertiary-level higher education qualifications relevant to the profession or sector specified in the employment contract or binding job offer;
•  a higher professional qualification attested by at least three years of relevant professional experience acquired in the seven years prior to the submission of the application regarding managers and specialists in the field of information and communication technologies according to ISCO-08 classification, No. 133 and No. 25.
  

1. Gather all the documents and meet all the requirements
2. Apply for the Digital Nomad Visa in the Italian Consulate with jurisdiction to your place of legal residence. Contrary to what was released by the Italian Government, Consulates are requesting an in-person application rather than an online submission for the Digital Nomad Visa. Check here to find the nearest consulate to you. Be aware that usually the schedule will be busy and they can book appointments after 2 to 4 months to get the Digital Nomad Visa in Italy. Please note that you cannot apply from Italy unless some exemptions.
3. Get the Visa. You can expect to receive the visa within 30 to 90 days. In some cases, it may be even quicker than 30 days but it is not common. Please note that during the visa application, the applicants passports must be left with the Consulate. The Digital Nomad Visa in Italy will have an issue date, a starting date and an expiration date. The starting date will be similar to your departure date, and the expiration date of an Italian Digital Nomad Visa is 365 days after. 
4. Visa Application Fee: You will have to pay the visa application fee for the Italian Digital Nomad Visa, which is €116 EUR per person. 
5. Apply for a residence permit (permesso di Soggiorno) within eight days from the day you arrive to Italy: Upon arrival in Italy, applicants have eight days to apply for a residence permit at the police headquarters in their province of residence. Successful applicants can also seek residence permits for their family members.
6. Opening a VAT position in Italy will be required for freelancers, and the registration with the Social Security will be mandatory in case your home country does not have a bilateral agreement with Italy. The compliance with the Fiscal and Social Security in Italy will be a condition to keep and renewal the Residence Permit.

You will have different costs associated to get the visa. 

• Visa Application Fee: €116 (aprox $123) per person.
• Renewal of passport and photos (if needed): To apply for the visa, you will need an up-to-date passport and photos. If you need to renew it, it can cost you around 50€ ($55) depending on your country. 
• Health Insurance Coverage: One of the requisits to get the Digital Nomad Visa in Italy is to get a medical insurance, that will cost you around 350 to 700€ ($370 to $745) up to 2,000€ ($2130) per year, depending on the coverages you get.
• Immigration lawyer fee (optional): If you prefer to have an expert immigration lawyer by your side and helping you with all the necessary steps and documentation needed, it will have a a fee associated to it. At Lexidy, we can help you with your Visa application, feel free to contact us to evaluate your case and get an initial quote.