Among our ten most-read stories in 2021, half concerned Portugal and half were written by outside contributors. Merry Christmas.
One firm claimed Italian citizenships were available for South Africans in “less than a year” for just EUR 100,000. “It’s a scam,” says the Italian embassy.
The most common reasons for rejection were “weakness of the business model” and “lack of innovative value of the business project”.
No more physical presence requirements and the possibility to apply and invest through a company rather than as an individual.
The new minimum places Italy’s investment low end of the cost-spectrum among European golden visas but also calls for a much higher level of risk tolerance.
The Italian Investor Visa (IIV) has been around for almost three years without gaining any meaningful traction. Why?
Eight of ten startups end up in the wealthier Northern regions, and fully 56% of founders launch their business within a two-hour drive from Milan.
Italy offers three routes to residence by investment: Lump-sum taxation on high earners, an investor visa that begins at €500,000, and tax-free retirement.
