Skilled Migration / Italy / Route
Italy · Investment route
A one-year Italian permit, renewable annually, for highly qualified professionals who work remotely as freelancers or employees.
Last updated: 2026-10-01
Programme overviewنظرة عامة
Overview
Advising UAE residents on skilled migration from our Dubai office.
Overview
Italy's Digital Nomad Visa is a residence route for highly qualified professionals who work remotely using technology, either as digital nomads working for themselves or as remote workers employed by a company, which may be based outside Italy. It was introduced by the Ministry of the Interior decree of 29 February 2024, published in the Gazzetta Ufficiale (Serie Generale n. 79) on 4 April 2024 and applying from 5 April 2024.
The residence permit is issued for one year and is renewable annually, each time on the same conditions.
Who qualifies
- Non-EU nationality.
- Highly qualified work carried out remotely, as a self-employed professional or as an employee. The decree allows work for a company anche non residente, that is, including one not resident in Italy. It does not require a foreign employer, and it sets no percentage cap on Italian work.
- At least six months' prior experience in the remote activity you will carry on from Italy.
- Annual income of at least three times the minimum level for exemption from healthcare cost-sharing (esenzione dalla partecipazione alla spesa sanitaria).
- Health insurance covering Italy and suitable accommodation.
The decree sets the income test as a formula rather than a fixed sum, and Italian consulates publish their own derived figures, which differ. The consulates in New York, Boston, Los Angeles and San Francisco, for example, state €24,789 a year (as of 2024). XIPHIAS confirms the figure applied by the consulate handling your file before filing.
Costs
| Item | Amount | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| National visa fee | €116 | Paid at the consulate |
| Electronic residence permit card | €30.46 | Paid with the residence permit application |
| Revenue stamp (marca da bollo) | €16 | Paid with the residence permit application |
The residence permit application also carries a permit contribution and the Poste Italiane kit charge. XIPHIAS confirms the contribution that applies to your permit before filing.
Timeline
Consular processing times vary by consulate. After arrival you must apply for the residence permit (permesso di soggiorno) within eight working days. The permit then runs for one year and is renewed annually.
Family
Your spouse and dependent children can join you under Italy's family reunification rules. XIPHIAS confirms the documents the consulate requires for each family member.
Long-term residence and citizenship
Italian law grants the EU long-term residence permit after five years of holding a valid residence permit (article 9 of Legislative Decree 286/1998). The categories that article excludes (study, temporary protection, medical care and certain humanitarian permits) do not include a work-based permit of this kind, so on the face of the statute the years count. No Ministry circular yet confirms this in terms, so XIPHIAS treats it as the expected position rather than a guarantee.
Because the permit is issued one year at a time, reaching five years takes successive renewals, each re-testing income, accommodation and insurance.
Italian citizenship by residence requires ten years of legal residence. India does not permit dual citizenship: acquiring Italian citizenship would end Indian citizenship under Section 9(1) of the Citizenship Act 1955. Italian residence does not.
Tax
The visa carries no tax concession of its own. Italy's impatriate regime, as reformed from 2024, excludes 50% of qualifying income from tax on income up to €600,000, for five tax periods. It is a separate regime with its own conditions, including a high level of qualification or specialisation that many remote workers will not meet, and it is forfeited, with interest, if you do not remain tax resident in Italy for four years. Take Italian tax advice before relying on it.
Risks to plan for
- The permit runs one year at a time. A renewal that fails on income, accommodation or insurance ends the route.
- The income figure follows the healthcare-exemption level and differs between consulates.
- The eight-working-day deadline for the residence permit application runs from arrival.
- Counting these years towards long-term residence is the expected reading of the statute, not yet confirmed by Ministry guidance.
Talk to our Italy visa consultants in Dubai
XIPHIAS Immigration has advised families and businesses since 2009, and our Dubai team works with UAE residents. We were named Best Immigration Consultant by The Times of India in 2022. Our immigration consultants in Dubai will take you through the requirements, costs and timeline for your specific case.
Sources
What you getالمزايا
Live in Italy while working remotely as a self-employed professional or an employee.
Your employer may be based outside Italy; there is no percentage cap on Italian work.
Spouse and dependent children can join under family reunification rules.
One-year permit, renewable annually on the same conditions.
Years on the permit are expected to count towards EU long-term residence after five years.
Investment & costsالتكاليف
Qualifying investment
National visa fee
At the consulate · Consular fee for the national visa.
Electronic residence permit card
With the residence permit application in Italy · The application also carries a permit contribution and the Poste Italiane kit charge, confirmed per file.
Revenue stamp (marca da bollo)
With the residence permit application in Italy · Paid with the residence permit application.
Government & due-diligence fees
Figures are indicative and exclusive of professional fees. Your advisor confirms an exact, written cost breakdown for your family size.
Eligibilityالأهلية
Requirements
Non-EU nationality.
Highly qualified work carried out remotely, as a self-employed professional or an employee.
At least six months' prior experience in the remote activity.
Annual income of at least three times the minimum level for exemption from healthcare cost-sharing.
Health insurance covering Italy.
Suitable accommodation in Italy.
Who cannot apply
EU/EEA nationals (the visa is not needed).
Income below three times the healthcare-exemption level.
Less than six months' experience in the remote activity.
No health insurance or suitable accommodation.
The processكيف نعمل
Step 1: Eligibility and income check
Confirm the income figure the consulate applies and your six months' remote experience.
Step 2: Document preparation
Contracts, income evidence, qualifications, insurance and accommodation proof.
Step 3: Consular application
File the national visa application and pay the €116 visa fee.
Step 4: Visa grant and travel
Travel to Italy within the visa's validity.
Step 5: Residence permit
Apply for the permesso di soggiorno within eight working days of arrival.
Step 6: Annual renewal
Renew each year on the same income, accommodation and insurance conditions.
Document checklistالوثائق
Identity Documents
- ✦Valid passport
- ✦Completed national visa application form
- ✦Passport-size photographs
- ✦Marriage or birth certificates for family members
Work and Income
- ✦Employment contract or freelance contracts for the remote activity
- ✦Evidence of at least six months' experience in that activity
- ✦Tax returns or bank statements evidencing income
Qualifications
- ✦Degree or qualification certificates
- ✦Reference letters evidencing professional experience
Insurance and Accommodation
- ✦Health insurance covering Italy
- ✦Rental agreement or other proof of accommodation in Italy
Character
- ✦Police clearance certificate, legalised as the consulate requires
Your XIPHIAS advisor prepares a personalised document list at onboarding. The checklist above is indicative and may vary by family size.
Risk notes
The permit runs one year at a time; a renewal that fails on income, accommodation or insurance ends the route.
The income figure follows the healthcare-exemption level and differs between consulates.
The residence permit application is due within eight working days of arrival.
Counting these years towards long-term residence is the expected reading of the statute, not yet confirmed by Ministry guidance.
Compliance
Legal basis: Ministry of the Interior decree of 29 February 2024, Gazzetta Ufficiale Serie Generale n. 79 of 4 April 2024, applying from 5 April 2024.
The income test is a formula: at least three times the minimum level for exemption from healthcare cost-sharing. XIPHIAS confirms the figure applied by the consulate handling your file.
Keep income, accommodation and health insurance in place: each annual renewal re-tests them.
The impatriate tax regime is separate from the visa and has its own qualification conditions.
Questionsأسئلة شائعة
This route, answered.
Non-EU nationals carrying out highly qualified work remotely, either self-employed or as an employee, with at least six months' experience in that activity.
Start the Italy route.
A senior advisor will confirm the exact costs, timeline and documents for your case — privately, and entirely off the record.