In short
Americans who want to live in Italy apply for a long-stay visa at the Italian consulate for their US state — the digital nomad visa (at least €24,789 a year), the elective residence visa (about €31,000 per adult in passive income, no work), the investor visa, a work visa or the startup visa. Within 8 working days of arriving you file for a residence permit (permesso di soggiorno), get a codice fiscale and register at the town hall. Workers join the national health service free; retirees pay at least €2,000 a year. Income tax is 23%, 33% and 43%, but new residents can use a 50% impatriate exemption, a 7% regime for pensioners in small southern towns or a €300,000 flat tax on foreign income. A single person in Rome spends about €1,650–1,950 a month including rent.
Living in Italy: key facts
Last verified 28 September 2026| Visa-free stay | 90 days in any 180-day period across the Schengen area; the Entry/Exit System registers entries since April 2026; ETIAS (€20) not yet running# Source: Polizia di Stato: entry and short stays · French Foreign Ministry: the EU Entry/Exit System live from 10 April 2026 · European Commission: ETIAS |
|---|---|
| Where to apply | Long-stay (D) visas come from the Italian consulate for your US state of residence; a tourist stay cannot be turned into a residence permit in Italy# Source: Consulate General of Italy in New York: digital nomad / remote worker visa · Italian Foreign Ministry: rights and duties of D-visa holders (Jun 2026) |
| Digital nomad / remote worker visa | At least €24,789 a year; a degree, licensed profession or 5 years' experience (3 for IT); 6 months of remote work; insurance of at least €30,000; 1 year, renewable# Source: Consulate General of Italy in New York: digital nomad / remote worker visa · Embassy of Italy in Washington: digital nomad / remote worker visa |
| Elective residence visa | About €31,000 a year of passive income per adult (US consulates ask about €62,000 for a couple); registered lease or deed; no work of any kind, including remote work# Source: Consulate General of Italy in Houston: elective residence visa checklist (Dec 2025) · Embassy of Italy in Washington: elective residence visa |
| Residence permit | Apply within 8 working days of arrival, usually with the post-office kit; about €116–176 in fees# Source: Italian Foreign Ministry: rights and duties of D-visa holders (Jun 2026) · Money.it: residence permit costs |
| Codice fiscale | Tax code needed for leases, bank accounts and contracts; free from the tax office in Italy, or from a consulate in some cases# Source: Consulate General of Italy in Chicago: codice fiscale |
| Healthcare | Workers are enrolled in the national health service (SSN) for free; retirees and others not working in Italy pay at least €2,000 a year to join voluntarily (since 2024)# Source: Arletti Partners: voluntary national health service enrolment (€2,000 minimum) |
| Permanent residence | EU long-term permit after 5 years: no more than 6 months away in a row or 10 months in total, A2 Italian and enough income# Source: Assolombarda: EU long-term residence permit |
| Citizenship by residence | 10 years of legal residence, B1 Italian and enough income; €250 fee; dual citizenship allowed# Source: InfoImmigrazione: citizenship by residence (Jul 2026) · Chamber of Deputies: Italian citizenship law — current rules |
| Citizenship by descent | Since 28 March 2025: only if a parent or grandparent held only Italian citizenship, or an Italian parent lived in Italy for 2 years before your birth; earlier filings keep the old rules. Upheld by the Constitutional Court (ruling 63/2026); fee €600 per adult# Source: Constitutional Court: ruling 63/2026 on citizenship by descent · Consulate General of Italy in Chicago: citizenship fee (€600 from 2025) |
| Income tax (IRPEF) | 23% up to €28,000, 33% to €50,000, 43% above (2026), plus regional and municipal surcharges# Source: ECNews: 2026 Budget Law — new IRPEF rates |
| Impatriate regime | 50% of work income tax-free for 5 years (60% with a minor child), up to €600,000; you must have lived abroad 3 years and be highly qualified# Source: BDO: Italy's impatriate tax regime after the 2024 reform |
| 7% regime for pensioners | 7% on all foreign income for 10 years if you receive a foreign pension and move to a southern town of up to 30,000 people (since April 2026); no Italian tax on foreign assets# Source: Fiscomania: 7% flat tax for foreign pensioners — towns up to 30,000 · Il Sole 24 Ore: no foreign-asset reporting for the 7% regime |
| Flat tax for new residents | €300,000 a year on all foreign income (€50,000 per family member) for people moving from 2026; €200,000 for moves from 10 August 2024 to 2025# Source: DWF: Italy 2026 Budget Law — key tax changes |
| US tax treaty | Signed 1999, in effect since 2010; US citizens still file US returns# Source: Accounting Today: the US–Italy tax treaty enters into force |
Not American?
Canadians, Australians, Brits and other non-EU citizens: the same rules apply
Italian residence rules are the same for all non-EU citizens, so Canadians, Australians, New Zealanders and Brits follow the same routes as Americans. Only a few points differ:
- Canada
- Australia
- New Zealand
- United Kingdom
- Japan
- South Korea
- + other visa-free countries
| Consulate checklists | Each Italian consulate sets out its own document list and income figures — check the one for where you live. |
|---|---|
| Home-country tax | US citizens remain taxable in the US on worldwide income; most other nationals who move are taxed only where they live. |
| Pensions | Under the US–Italy treaty, US Social Security is taxed only in the US; private pensions and IRA withdrawals are usually taxed in Italy. Other countries' treaties differ. |
| Documents from abroad | Need an apostille; the US, Canada (since 11 Jan 2024), the UK, Australia and NZ issue them.Source: HCCH: Apostille Convention status table |
Overview
Italy — La Dolce Vita, With Paperwork
Italy offers Americans a rich daily life, moderate costs outside Milan and several routes to residence. The price is bureaucracy — consulate appointments, the residence permit, town-hall registration and tax codes all take time, and much of it happens in Italian.
We help you choose the right visa, prepare your documents and settle into Italian life.
Choose the visa that matches how you will earn a living in Italy. The elective residence visa forbids any work — remote workers belong on the digital nomad visa.
Our Services
Your Pathway to Italy
Visa route analysis
Digital nomad, elective residence, investor, work, startup visa or citizenship by descent — which fits you.
Consulate application
Document lists, apostilles and translations, registered leases and the appointment at your consulate.
Arrival in Italy
Permesso di soggiorno kit, codice fiscale, town-hall registration and health service enrolment.
Tax planning
The impatriate regime, the 7% pensioner regime or the flat tax — with your US tax adviser.
Long-term planning
The EU long-term permit, the Italian language tests and citizenship.
Visas & Residency
Navigating Italian Visas & Residency
US citizens can visit visa-free for 90 days in any 180 across the Schengen area; since April 2026 the Entry/Exit System records each crossing. To live in Italy you need a long-stay (D) visa from the Italian consulate for your US state — a tourist stay cannot be converted in Italy.
Digital Nomad / Remote Worker Visa
At least €24,789 a year; a degree, licensed profession or 5 years' experience (3 for IT); 6 months of remote work; insurance of at least €30,000; a registered home. No nulla osta needed. 1 year, renewable; family can join.
Elective Residence Visa
About €31,000 a year of passive income per adult (US consulates ask about €62,000 for a couple), a registered lease or deed, and health insurance. No work at all, including remote work.
Investor Visa
€250,000 in an innovative startup up to €2 million in bonds. 2-year permit, renewable for 3. Investor visa guide.
Work Visa & Blue Card
Most jobs fall under the Decreto Flussi quotas (164,850 places in 2026), with the employer applying for a nulla osta. The EU Blue Card (about €36,300 a year) is outside the quotas.
Student Visa
Up to 20 hours of work a week (1,040 a year); graduates can stay to look for work.
Permanent Residence & Citizenship
The EU long-term permit after 5 years (A2 Italian; no more than 6 months away in a row or 10 in total). Citizenship after 10 years with B1 Italian; €250 fee.
Citizenship by Descent
Italian Citizenship by Descent After 2025
Until March 2025 Italy recognised citizenship through any number of generations. Decree-Law 36/2025, made permanent by Law 74/2025, changed that for people born abroad who hold another citizenship. You now qualify only if a parent or grandparent held only Italian citizenship, or if an Italian parent lived in Italy for 2 years before you were born. Applications filed by 27 March 2025 follow the old rules.
The Constitutional Court upheld the law in ruling 63/2026. Further challenges are pending, but the limits apply now. The consulate fee is €600 per adult applicant.
Cost of Living
Italy Cost of Living for Americans
Italy is cheaper than most Western European countries, but Milan is in a different league from Rome or Naples.
Housing and everyday costs
A central 1-bedroom costs about €1,085 in Rome, €1,520 in Milan, €1,350 in Florence, €1,015 in Bologna and €880 in Naples. A single person in Rome spends about €845 a month without rent, so about €1,650–1,950 in total (Numbeo, September 2026 estimates).
Healthcare
Employees and the self-employed are enrolled in the national health service (SSN) free of charge. Elective residence holders, retirees and others without Italian work must enrol voluntarily — at least €2,000 a year since 2024 — or keep private insurance.
Tax
Income tax (IRPEF) is 23% up to €28,000, 33% up to €50,000 and 43% above, plus regional and municipal surcharges. Newcomers can use special regimes: 50% of work income tax-free for 5 years for qualified workers (60% with a child), 7% on foreign income for pensioners moving to small southern towns, or a flat €300,000 a year on foreign income. Residents also pay 1.06% a year on foreign property and 0.2% on foreign financial assets. The US–Italy treaty taxes US Social Security only in the US.
Where to Live
Top Locations for American Expats in Italy
Milan (Lombardy)
Italy's business, finance and fashion capital — the most jobs and the highest rents.
Rome (Lazio)
The capital, with international organisations such as the FAO and a large expat community. Living in Rome.
Florence & Tuscany
Renaissance art and countryside. The historic centre is crowded and expensive; Lucca and Siena are calmer.
Bologna & Emilia-Romagna
Food, an ancient university and fast trains to Milan, Florence and Rome.
Puglia, Sicily & the South
Lower costs and a warm climate — and the 7% pensioner regime in towns of up to 30,000 people.
Expat Tips
Essential Tips for Americans Moving to Italy
Start 4–6 months early
Consulate appointments fill up, and documents need apostilles and sworn translations. Register your lease with the tax office before you apply if your visa needs it.
Know which visas need a nulla osta
Work, investor and startup visas need clearance in Italy first. The digital nomad and elective residence visas do not.
File your permesso within 8 working days
Use the post-office kit, keep the receipt — it proves your legal stay while you wait — and expect the card to take months.
Get your codice fiscale early
You need it for leases, bank accounts, phone contracts and healthcare. It is free from the tax office, and consulates issue it in some cases.
Learn Italian
Daily life and offices outside tourist areas run in Italian, and you need A2 for permanent residence and B1 for citizenship.
Plan your taxes before you arrive
Several regimes must be chosen in your first Italian tax return — get advice in both countries before you move.
Why Partner With Us
Expert Guidance for Your Italian Relocation
Italy changed citizenship by descent in 2025, the flat tax and income tax in 2026 and the pensioner regime in April 2026. We track the rules so you can plan with current numbers.
We work with Americans relocating to Europe, so we understand FBAR, the US–Italy treaty and Social Security abroad. Directories like LocalVouch can help you find English-speaking lawyers and accountants.
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
Does Italy have a digital nomad visa?
Yes, since April 2024 — at least €24,789 a year, a degree, licensed profession or 5 years' experience (3 for IT), 6 months of remote work and insurance of at least €30,000.
Can I work remotely on the elective residence visa?
No. The visa does not allow any work in Italy, including remote work for a US employer. Use the digital nomad visa instead.
Can Americans still get Italian citizenship by descent?
Only through a parent or grandparent who held only Italian citizenship, or an Italian parent who lived in Italy for 2 years before your birth — unless you applied by 27 March 2025.
How much does it cost to live in Italy?
About €1,650–1,950 a month for a single person in Rome including rent, €2,100–2,600 in Milan, and less in the South (Numbeo, September 2026).
Do I need a nulla osta?
For work, investor and startup visas, yes — it is issued in Italy before you apply at the consulate. The digital nomad and elective residence visas do not need one.
Italy
Everything about moving to Italy
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