Italy Digital Nomad Visa
The newly launched pathway for specialists to work from Italy's most beautiful regions.
For: Highly skilled remote workers.Estimated Timeline
2-4 months
The Application Process
Step by step, from start to approval.
Skills Verification
Italy's Digital Nomad Visa, launched in April 2024, is open to 'highly skilled' workers as defined by EU Directive 2009/50/EC. You'll need to evidence either a relevant university degree (3+ years) plus 5 years of professional experience, or 6+ years of professional experience in the field.
- Apostilled degree certificate plus academic transcripts. Non-EU degrees may need a declaration of value (dichiarazione di valore) from an Italian consulate.
- Proof of at least 6 months of remote work experience, with explicit reference letters from clients or employers.
- Annual gross income of at least 3x the minimum exemption from healthcare contributions: approximately €28,000 to €29,000 for 2025-2026, indexed annually.
- Apostilled criminal-record certificate covering the last 5 years from every country of residence.
- Comprehensive private health insurance with full coverage in Italy, valid for at least the duration of the visa.
Visa Request
Apply at the Italian consulate that covers your area of residence. The visa is technically a long-stay 'remote work' visa under article 27, comma 1, lettera q-bis of the Consolidated Immigration Law.
- Required documents: the contract or freelance evidence, recent payslips or invoices, proof of accommodation in Italy, and the income/qualification evidence above.
- Consular fee is approximately €116, plus the standard service fees where VFS is used.
- Decisions usually come back within 30 to 90 days. Some consulates conduct interviews to verify the remote nature of the role.
- Your employer (if you're an employee) must demonstrate clean tax compliance for the last 2 years and be operating outside Italian payroll.
Arrival in Italy
An approved visa allows entry within 6 months. Once in Italy, you have 8 days to apply for your Permesso di Soggiorno via the post office kit giallo, which sets a Questura appointment.
- First permit is valid for 1 year and renewable. Extensions require continued income, tax compliance, and active social-security contributions where applicable.
- Get your Codice Fiscale (tax code) at the same Agenzia delle Entrate where you register your local address. Many activities (banking, signing leases, utilities) need it.
- Register with INPS for social security if you're freelancing locally or if your employment contract requires Italian social-security payment.
- Renewal at year-2 requires evidence of declared and paid taxes in Italy on your nomad income.
Tax Registration
Tax residency in Italy starts after 183 days, or earlier if you're permanently registered at the Anagrafe. The nomad visa has specific tax compliance rules: you must declare worldwide income and pay Italian income tax on the relevant share.
- The 7% flat-tax regime for inbound retirees does not apply to nomad workers. Standard IRPEF rates apply (23% to 43%) on remote-work income.
- Some applicants qualify for the 'impatriati' regime: a 50% to 60% reduction in taxable income for inbound workers meeting specific conditions, available for the first 5 years.
- Engage a commercialista (Italian tax adviser) before your first declaration. Mistakes at year-1 are hard to unwind.
- After 5 years of legal residence you can apply for an EU long-term residence permit; after 10, for Italian citizenship.
Core Requirements
What you need to qualify for this visa.
Minimum annual income of approx. €28,000
Proof of status as a 'highly skilled' worker
At least 6 months of experience in remote work
Accommodation proof in Italy
Health insurance and no criminal record
Do You Qualify?
Answer a few quick questions to see if you meet the key requirements for this visa.
Do you earn at least €28,000/year (approximately €2,333/month) from remote work?
Other Italy visa pathways
If this option is not the right fit, here are the alternatives we work with for Italy.
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