Moving to Italy
Generous to people with income and to descendants of Italians — and in 2025 it closed the door on most of the latter.
Italy admits foreigners along two very different tracks. The first is ordinary immigration, which is unusually restrictive: work visas for non-EU citizens are rationed through an annual quota decree, and outside that quota there is essentially no general employment route.
The second track is for people who do not need to work — the elective residency visa for those living on passive income, the digital nomad visa introduced in 2024, and the student route. These are open all year and are how most Americans and Britons actually arrive.
The third route, citizenship by descent, was the country's most famous export and was drastically narrowed in March 2025. Where any traceable Italian ancestor could once qualify a descendant, the law now generally limits automatic recognition to those with an Italian parent or grandparent. Anyone whose plan depended on a great-grandparent should read the current rules before spending a euro on document research.
| Region | Southern Europe |
| Capital | Rome |
| Population | 58.9 million |
| Foreign-born residents | about 9% of residents |
| Official language(s) | Italian |
| Currency | Euro (EUR) |
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Why people move to Italy
- The elective residency visa admits people with sufficient passive income and no need to work.
- A digital nomad visa was introduced in 2024 for qualified remote workers.
- Public healthcare is universal, well regarded, and inexpensive for residents.
- A flat seven percent tax on foreign income for pensioners who settle in small southern towns.
- Citizenship by descent still exists for those with an Italian parent or grandparent.
- Cost of living outside Milan, Rome and Florence is low by western European standards.
What to know before you commit
- Work visas for non-EU citizens are capped by an annual quota that is exhausted within minutes of opening.
- Citizenship by descent was severely restricted in March 2025; most great-grandchild claims no longer qualify.
- The elective residency visa explicitly forbids work of any kind, including remote work.
- Ten years of residence for naturalisation, plus a B1 Italian exam.
- Bureaucracy is genuinely slow, and the permesso di soggiorno appointment system is a recurring obstacle.
- Salaries are low and youth unemployment is high; the south has a weak labour market.
The eight guides
Work Visas
How to get a work permit and which routes actually exist
Student Visas
Studying there, and whether study leads to residency
Family & Spouse Visas
Sponsoring a partner, children, or parents
Permanent Residency
The routes to a long-term, renewable status
Citizenship
Naturalisation timelines, tests, and dual nationality
Cost of Living
What a month actually costs, with rent and salary context
Healthcare
Who is covered, from what date, and what insurance you need
Finding a Job
The job market, in-demand fields, and how hiring works
Official sources
- Ministero dell'Interno — immigration portal
- Visto per l'Italia — official visa portal
- Ministero degli Affari Esteri — citizenship
Checked against these pages in September 2026. Fees and processing times change without notice — confirm before you act.