Italy Digital Nomad Visa: Requirements, Costs, and the Fine Print

Italy launched its digital nomad visa in April 2024, making it one of the last major European countries to offer a dedicated remote worker pathway. The Italian version is stricter than Portugal's or Spain's, more bureaucratic in practice, and comes with some genuinely unique advantages — including access to Italy's national healthcare system and a pathway to EU citizenship.

Here's how it actually works, what it costs, and whether Italy's version is worth the famously Italian paperwork.

Requirements

Italy's digital nomad visa — officially the "Nomadi Digitali" permit — targets remote workers employed by companies outside Italy or self-employed freelancers with non-Italian clients. The core requirements are more demanding than most European equivalents.

Income threshold: You need to earn at least €28,000/year (~€2,333/month). This is roughly triple the Italian minimum income reference and higher than what many southern European countries require. The income must come from non-Italian sources, documented with employment contracts, tax returns, or client agreements.

Health insurance: You must have health insurance valid in Italy covering the entire stay. After registering as a resident, you'll gain access to Italy's Servizio Sanitario Nazionale (SSN) — the public healthcare system — by paying an annual contribution of around €388. The SSN coverage is comprehensive and among the best in Europe.

Accommodation: Proof of housing in Italy — a rental contract or property ownership. Short-term Airbnb bookings generally don't satisfy this requirement.

Clean criminal record: From your country of residence, apostilled and translated into Italian by a certified translator.

How It Compares to Portugal's D8

The Application Process

Step 1: Nulla Osta. You start by requesting a "nulla osta" (authorisation) from the local Immigration Office (Sportello Unico per l'Immigrazione) in the Italian province where you intend to live. This is done online through the Italian Interior Ministry portal. Processing takes 30–60 days.

Step 2: Visa application. Once you receive the nulla osta, you apply for the visa at the Italian consulate in your home country. You'll need all the standard documents: passport, criminal record (apostilled and translated), proof of income, health insurance, and accommodation proof. The visa stamp allows you to enter Italy.

Step 3: Permesso di soggiorno. Within 8 days of arriving in Italy, you must apply for your residence permit (permesso di soggiorno) at the local post office, which forwards the application to the Questura (police headquarters). You'll receive an appointment for fingerprinting and document verification. The permit is valid for up to one year, renewable.

The entire process — from nulla osta request to having your residence permit in hand — takes roughly 3–6 months. Italian bureaucracy runs on its own timeline, and patience is not optional.

The Fine Print

You become an Italian tax resident. After 183 days in Italy, you're considered a tax resident and subject to Italian taxation on worldwide income. Italy has a progressive tax system with rates from 23% to 43%. However, the digital nomad visa holders may benefit from the "Impatriati" tax regime, which can reduce taxable income by 50–70% for new residents who haven't been Italian tax residents in the prior two years. The eligibility criteria and specifics of this regime should be verified with an Italian tax advisor, as rules change frequently.

Bureaucracy is not a meme — it's a lifestyle. Every step of living in Italy involves paperwork: codice fiscale (tax code), residency registration at the Anagrafe (civil registry), health system enrollment, bank account opening. Each office has its own hours, its own queue system, and its own interpretation of the rules. Budget a full month of admin work when you first arrive.

The 10-year citizenship timeline. Unlike Portugal (5 years), Spain (10 years but with ongoing residence requirements), or Malta (impossible for most), Italy requires 10 years of continuous legal residence for citizenship by naturalisation. If EU citizenship is your goal and timeline matters, this is a significant factor. However, if you have Italian ancestry, citizenship by descent (jure sanguinis) is a separate pathway with no residence requirement.

Language matters more than in Portugal. While you can function in English in Milan's tech sector or Rome's international community, Italian daily life — especially interactions with government offices, healthcare providers, and landlords — runs in Italian. Reaching conversational Italian (B1 level) within your first year will transform your experience.

Who Italy Works For

Italy's digital nomad visa makes most sense for remote workers who specifically want to live in Italy — for the culture, food, lifestyle, and beauty — and who earn comfortably above the €28,000 threshold. It's particularly strong for people who value healthcare (Italy's SSN is excellent) and who aren't racing toward EU citizenship (since the 10-year timeline is among the longest).

If your primary goal is fast EU citizenship, Portugal at 5 years is a clear winner. If your primary goal is Italy itself — and you're willing to navigate the bureaucracy — the visa delivers what it promises: legal residency in one of the world's most desirable countries.

Italy doesn't make it easy to move there. It makes it worth it once you do.