Digital Nomad Visa (Visto Nomade Digitale)

Italy's Digital Nomad Visa (also called the Remote Worker Visa) is a residence permit for non-EU citizens who work remotely for foreign employers or as self-employed professionals. Introduced formally in February 2024 and fully operational since April 2024, this visa allows you to live legally in Italy for up to 12 months while earning income from abroad — without needing a traditional work permit or competing for annual immigration quotas.

The visa comes in two forms: one for digital nomads (self-employed freelancers and consultants) and one for remote workers (employees of foreign companies). Both require you to be classified as "highly skilled," earn at least €28,000 per year from foreign sources, and have at least six months of prior experience in your field. There is no quota cap, meaning applications are processed on a rolling basis at Italian consulates worldwide.

This is fundamentally different from other Italian residence permits: you are not immigrating to work in Italy, but rather living in Italy while your work and income remain based abroad. The visa is renewable annually as long as you continue to meet the eligibility conditions, and after 5–10 years of continuous residence, you may apply for permanent residency or citizenship by residence.

University Degree Pathway

If you hold a bachelor's, master's, or doctorate degree, you must have it formally recognized. There are two routes:

• CIMEA Recognition: Submit your degree to CIMEA (Centro di Informazione sulla Mobilità Educativa Accademica) for official credential evaluation. This process takes several weeks and costs approximately €100–200.
• Declaration of Value: Request a Dichiarazione di Valore from the Italian embassy or consulate in your country of residence. This is a formal statement that your degree is equivalent to an Italian degree at the same level. Processing typically takes 2–4 weeks.

Licensed Profession Pathway

If you work in a regulated profession (law, medicine, engineering, architecture, accounting, teaching, etc.), you must obtain an attestation from the relevant Italian regulatory body confirming that your qualifications meet Italian standards under Legislative Decree No. 206/2007. Contact the appropriate Italian professional order (Ordine Professionale) for your field.

Five Years' Professional Experience Pathway

You must demonstrate:

• A higher professional qualification (e.g., a diploma from a specialized technical institute, advanced vocational training certificate, or equivalent)
• At least five years of professional experience at a level comparable to university education in your field

Evidence can include:

• Employment contracts or letters from previous employers
• Professional references
• Certificates of completion from training programs
• Portfolio or samples of your work

ICT/Management Fast-Track Pathway

This pathway applies only to workers in the ICT sector (information technology, software development, data science, cybersecurity, IT management, etc.). You must demonstrate:

• At least three years of professional experience in ICT
• This experience must have been acquired within the past seven years

Evidence can include employment contracts, pay stubs, professional certifications (such as CompTIA, Cisco, or Microsoft certifications), or letters from employers.

Consulates typically want to see 6–12 months of consistent income from foreign sources. For digital nomads, this might include:

• Bank statements showing regular deposits from clients
• Invoices issued to clients
• Tax returns showing self-employment income
• Contracts with clients or platforms

For remote workers, this typically includes:

• Recent pay stubs
• Employment contract
• Bank statements showing salary deposits
• Tax returns

Red flags that may delay or deny your application:

• Income that appears sporadic or inconsistent
• Deposits from Italian sources
• Passive income (dividends, rental income, Social Security)
• Insufficient documentation to verify the income amount or source

Your accommodation is one of the most frequently cited reasons for application delays or denials. Here is what you must have:

• A formal lease agreement (Contratto di Locazione ad Uso Abitativo) registered with the Agenzia delle Entrate (Italian Tax Authority)
• Proof of registration: A document from the landlord or tax authority confirming the lease has been registered
• Your name on the lease: The lease must be in your name, not a roommate's or third party's
• Coverage for your entire stay: The lease must run for the full duration of your visa validity
• No alternatives: A hotel booking, an Airbnb reservation, an offer of hospitality from a friend, or an unregistered cash-in-hand arrangement will result in automatic denial

Practical tip: Arrange your lease before your consulate appointment. Many applicants secure a lease remotely through Italian property websites (Immobiliare.it, Subito.it) or through relocation agencies. Ensure the landlord registers the lease with the tax authority before you submit your application.

The overall process from application to residence permit issuance typically takes 3–6 months:

• Consular processing: 30–90 days (some consulates report 60–70 day delays as of March 2026 due to fingerprint appointment backlogs)
• Residence permit processing (after arrival in Italy): 20–30 days to 1–2 months, depending on the local Questura

Planning tip: Book your consulate appointment at least three months before your target move date.

Legal Residency in Italy: You have the right to legally reside in Italy for the duration of your residence permit (one year, renewable annually).

Remote Work Authorization: You may work remotely for your foreign employer or clients without needing a separate work permit (nulla osta). No work authorization is required.

Schengen Travel: As an Italian resident, you may travel visa-free to all 29 Schengen countries for up to 90 days within any 180-day period.

Tax Identification: You have the right to obtain a Codice Fiscale (Italian tax ID number), which is essential for opening bank accounts, signing rental agreements, and filing taxes.

Bank Account Access: You may open an Italian bank account, which simplifies receiving payments and managing finances.

Public Services: You may register with the Servizio Sanitario Nazionale (Italian National Health Service) and access public healthcare. You may also enroll children in Italian schools if applicable.

Family Reunification: Once you have obtained your residence permit in Italy, you may sponsor a spouse (from whom you are not separated or separating) and dependent children under 18 (including a spouse's children from previous relationships, with the other parent's consent) to join you. Family members receive residence permits with the same duration as yours. As of 2026, you cannot sponsor parents or adult children.

Path to Permanent Residency: After five years of continuous residence, you may apply for permanent residency (Soggiorno di Lungo Periodo).

Path to Citizenship: After ten years of continuous residence, you may apply for Italian citizenship.

Annual Renewal: Your residence permit is renewable each year as long as you continue to meet the eligibility conditions (income, employment, health insurance, accommodation, and no criminal convictions).

Employment Flexibility: You may change employers or clients during your stay, provided your income remains above the threshold and comes from foreign sources.

No Italian Employment: You may not work for Italian employers or clients. Any shift to local employment would require a change to a different visa category (such as a work visa).

Tax Benefits (Impatriate Regime): If you establish tax residency in Italy, you may qualify for the impatriate regime (regime degli impatriati), which offers a 50% exemption on employment or self-employment income for up to five years. The exemption increases to 60% if you have at least one minor or adopted child who becomes tax resident with you. This is a separate benefit from the visa itself and requires meeting additional tax residency requirements. As of January 2026, this benefit also applies to remote workers performing duties in smart-working mode for foreign companies, provided the work is carried out predominantly in Italy.

Regional Tax Incentives: If you establish residence in certain regions (Abruzzo, Basilicata, or Calabria), you may qualify for additional municipal tax incentives offering flat rates of 5–7%.