Italy Just Announced a Digital Nomad Visa (Finally!)
If you missed your chance to buy a $1 home in Italy but still dream of living the Italian life, I’ve got great news: The European destination recently announced a digital nomad visa that will allow non-citizens to live and work in the country.
Thanks to its landmark art, historic cities, breathtaking coasts, and its rich (and delicious!) food history, it’s obvious why so many people want to move to Italy (especially from the U.S.). Although the Italian digital nomad visa was first signed into law in March 2022, according to CBS News, applications have officially been open as of April 5, 2024.
Italy’s digital nomad visa is aimed at “highly skilled workers,” and in an interview with Damien O’Farrell (the managing director of Damien O’Farrell Mobility Services, a boutique destination service provider specializing in immigration and destination services), Euronews.travel understood a bit more about how that differs from other visas.
While digital nomad visas in Japan and South Korea became available in 2024 as well, the Italian visa is “managed under article 27 of the immigration code,” O’Farrell told Euronews.travel.
How to find out if I qualify for a digital nomad visa?
If you’re not sure that you qualify, try this online tool; it’ll calculate your salary and show which countries offer digital nomad visas you can afford to live in based on each country’s visa requirements.
Do I qualify for Italy’s digital nomad visa?
CNBC reported that remote workers who want to apply for the Italian visa must have an annual income that’s at least three times the minimum level required for exemption from participating in healthcare costs, (€28,000 annually or $30,051 USD), health insurance for the duration of the visa, “suitable accommodations,” and according to CBS News, you have to be able to demonstrate that you’ve previously worked remotely for at least six months.
You also need to provide proof that you are self-employed or contracted with a company outside of Italy, according to The Points Guy.
A college-level degree or equivalent job experience is also required. Applicants can include family members to their form, but the final approval on visa approvals is up to the Italian government.
How to apply for a digital nomad visa in Italy?
More and more cities are becoming popular destinations for digital nomads, but in order to apply for the Italian visa, you’ll need to fill out an Italian digital visa application form and make an in-person appointment with your local Italian consulate and include a signed declaration from your employer (that’s you, if you’re self-employed).
The Points Guy also reported that you’ll need to have two passport-sized photos, a valid current passport, one blank page in your passport, and roughly $125 USD (€116) to pay the visa application fee.
How will I know if I’m approved for an Italian digital nomad visa?
Following the application and in-person interview process, The Points Guy reported that visas should clear in roughly 30-90 days. If you do decide to make the move, you’ll have eight days after your arrival to apply for a residence permit with the Italian police.
You’ll be living la dolce vida like an Italian local before you know it!
