Italy

Elective Residency Visa

Italy’s Elective Residency Visa allows those who can demonstrate independent and stable annual incomes sufficient to maintain themselves to obtain a renewable one-year residence permit in Italy.

Following five years of physical residency in Italy, applicants are eligible for permanent residency and, after ten years, EU citizenship, subject to mastery of the Italian language.

Applicants may not take up employment in Italy but are free to earn income from asset-based sources both inside and outside Italy. 

Elective residents will, by virtue of the 183-day annual minimum presence requirement, become tax residents in Italy. 

Italy_Map

Program at a glance

Program TypeIndependent Means Visa
Time to citizenship10 years
Time to permanent residency5 years
Minimum investmentNone. Proof of EUR 31,200 annual income
Physical presence requirement183 days a year
Application processing time1-2 months
Citizenship grants visa-free travel to189 destinations, including Schengen countries
Contribution types availableNo contribution required

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Programs that offer citizenship in exchange for investments following a 1-2 year period, with minor/no physical presence requirements.

Active Investor Visas

Programs that offer residence permits within months to those who physically relocate to start and/or run a business. Startup and entrepreneur visas fall under this category.

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