Digital nomads with their sights set on Italy can now apply for a one-year visa – but it’s only available to people who can meet a minimum income requirement. Marisa Cannon reports
Fancy spending your days permanently quaffing Chianti and scarfing carbonara? Now you can thanks to Italy’s new digital nomad visa, which launched on April 4, 2024, for those who want to sample la dolce vita full-time.
The €116 visa is open to “highly skilled workers”, with an annual income at least three times the minimum level needed to be exempt from contributing to healthcare costs in Italy. (The amount stated is €28,000 per year.)
The visa comes with other stipulations, including a Bachelor’s degree or an equivalent qualification, medical insurance valid for the entirety of the applicant’s stay, proof of accommodation and evidence that they have been working as a digital nomad for six months before.
Freelance workers using the visa will need to establish a Partita IVA (Italian VAT number) to do business from Italy and they won’t be able to use a foreign company to renew the visa.
Applicants will also need to submit a signed declaration from their employer, at which point a one-year visa will be issued and can be renewed each year as long they meet the requirements.
This new visa will serve as a pathway to a permanent EU residency card, and holders can sponsor spouses, children and parents under the European Commission’s family reunification scheme.
To apply for Italy’s digital nomad visa, you need to arrange an in-person appointment at your local diplomatic consular office (visit ambasciata.net). Consular staff will then provide you with the relevant forms to make your application and any further considerations.