Family and daily life
Identify who can join you, when school or college would start and what health coverage each person needs. Confirm family status before choosing a home.
ITALY · INVESTOR VISA
Live in Italy. Invest with purpose.
For non-EU citizens planning a real home or business presence in Italy: first establish the rights you and your family need. Then compare the four capital paths and their risks.
THE ROUTE AT A GLANCE
An investor visa for non-EU citizens.
Legal pathVisa, then residence permit
Initial term2 years
Startup threshold€250,000
Possible renewala further 3 years
The official portal reports a suspension for Russian and Belarusian citizens, including non-EU dual citizens who hold a Russian or Belarusian passport. Check current nationality rules before planning an application.
01 / THE PERSONAL REASON
What would you build in Italy?
For a non-EU citizen, this route deserves attention when Italy could become a real home or business base—and the investment or donation would make sense even without a visa. Start with your family, your role in Italy and how long you intend to stay.
Working in Italy
Owning a company stake does not settle your right to work. Confirm the rules for your intended role before making an investment.
Life after a business exit
Document the source of funds and decide whether a tax-residence move belongs in the plan before committing capital.
A second base
Be realistic about time spent in Italy and the conditions for keeping the permit beyond its initial term.
02 / THE LEGAL EFFECT
From investment plan to Italian residence.
Each stage has a different legal effect. Committee approval lets you seek a visa; it does not give you a residence permit.
- 01
Committee clearance
The Investor Visa for Italy Committee reviews your documents and the proposed investment or donation.
- 02
Consular visa
After clearance, apply through an Italian consulate within six months. The consulate makes the visa decision.
- 03
Residence permit
Apply at the local Questura within eight days of entry. Complete and document the investment or donation within three months of arrival.
If the committee rejects the proof of investment, the residence permit may be denied or revoked. Official phase 2
03 / THE CAPITAL DECISION
Which capital path fits?
Choose one of the four official paths. Buying property is not one of them, and smaller investments across different categories cannot be combined to meet a threshold. Compare purpose, risk and the potential exit before preparing an application.
| Qualifying path | Official minimum | Decision beyond the threshold |
|---|---|---|
| 01Italian government bonds | €2 million | Bond maturity, custody, interest-rate and market risk, liquidity and documentation of the securities purchased. |
| 02Italian limited company | €500,000 | Company risk, shareholder rights, valuation, your level of influence and a possible exit. |
| 03Italian innovative startup | €250,000 | Higher startup risk, careful choice of company and the ability to keep the stake throughout the permit term. |
| 04Philanthropic contribution | €1 million | A gift to an eligible public-interest project, not an asset you can later sell. |
Would you still make this commitment without the visa?
These are qualifying minimums, not total costs or return forecasts. The original commitment must be maintained for renewal.
Four paths on the official portalOne path per applicationCommitment at renewal04 / THE LIFE BEHIND THE PERMIT
Your life in Italy.
Family and education
The investor's permit does not cover every family question. Confirm each relative's eligibility and documents, then plan school, college and timing for each person.
Work and business
A 2018 official FAQ says investor-permit holders may work as employees or independently. Have Italian counsel confirm how the current rules apply to your role, especially in a regulated profession.
Healthcare
Arrange health coverage and access for each person from day one. The permit itself does not establish a particular benefit.
Tax
A visa does not establish tax residence. Italy's optional new-resident regime covers qualifying foreign-source income only after a separate eligibility review and an actual tax-residence move.
TAX CONTEXT
The tax election is a separate decision.
For people who move their tax residence to Italy from 2026, Law No. 199/2025 sets the optional flat tax on qualifying foreign-source income at €300,000 a year. The visa does not confer this treatment. Italian tax counsel must review eligibility, Italian-source income and the treatment of family members.
- Tax-residence move from 2026€300,000 per year
05 / MAINTENANCE AND OUTLOOK
The years after approval.
A residence permit has a term. Its lasting value depends on maintenance, actual presence and a plan that fits the longer horizon.
Renewal
A further three-year permit may be sought after the initial two years. Continued maintenance of the original commitment and a new positive committee decision are needed. The official procedure calls for an application at least 60 days before expiry.
Actual presence
The initial visa rules do not guarantee renewal after prolonged absences. The 2021 program guidance discusses absence limits; confirm current practice with Italian counsel.
A later status
EU long-term residence requires a separate application, five years of lawful continuous residence and other conditions involving income, language and absences. Citizenship has its own requirements and government decision.
06 / THE ROUTE TO EXECUTION
What to organize before applying.
This is where documents, responsibilities and costs come together. Section 02 explains what each legal stage grants.
- 01
Organize the evidence
Check your passport, source-of-funds records, proposed asset or recipient, family documents and intended work before filing.
- 02
Assign responsibilities
Name the people responsible for the application, translations, investment review and responses to government requests.
- 03
Calculate the full cost
Add fees, professional advice, custody, relocation and ongoing maintenance to the qualifying amount.
- 04
Plan the funding deadline
Before traveling, decide how you will complete and document the investment or donation within three months of entry.
- 05
Prepare for renewal
Keep proof that the original commitment remains in place and schedule the new committee review before the permit expires.
TOTAL COMMITMENT
Know the full cost before you apply.
The qualifying amounts are legal thresholds, not estimates of your total cost. Confirm current fees and other expenses before applying. Published review periods are not guaranteed completion dates.
Official procedure- Capital or contribution
- Government and consular charges
- Transaction and custody
- Legal and tax advice
- Ongoing maintenance
- Potential exit
07 / FIT AND LIMITS
When the Italy route fits.
Explore Italy further
Italy fits when you intend to use it as a home or business base, the investment or donation has a purpose beyond the visa, and you can meet the funding and recordkeeping requirements.
Compare another route first
Compare other routes first if your main goal is a local job, the investment only makes sense for a visa, family eligibility remains uncertain, or you expect EU long-term residence without spending the required time in Italy. An Italian permit does not grant general work or settlement rights in other EU countries.
08 / WHAT NBF EXAMINES
A written recommendation before you invest.
You receive a written recommendation covering the capital path, family and work questions, full cost, deadlines and reasons to proceed or stop. We advise against the route when family eligibility is unresolved, the commitment is justified only by the visa or the plan depends on residence without meaningful time in Italy.
Rights for each person
Document the proposed status and work rights of the investor and each family member, plus open school and health-coverage questions.
Capital-path comparison
Compare all four official paths by purpose, risk, required proof, ongoing commitment and possible exit.
Recommendation and stop points
Receive a step-by-step sequence for filing, moving and renewal, the specialist checks needed and clear reasons not to proceed.
OFFICIAL SOURCES AND REVIEW STATUSSources and review status.
Reviewed October 3, 2026 · View sources
Sources reviewed: October 3, 2026. Family reunification, specific work rights, presence, renewal, fees and tax consequences are checked again before an individual recommendation.
Confirm current terms and administrative practice before applying
- 01Italian ministry: program and Article 26-bis
- 02Official program portal: capital paths and eligibility notices
- 03Official process: visa, residence and renewal
- 042021 policy guidance: one capital path per application
- 05Official FAQ, pp. 5–6: family and work
- 06Government migration portal: EU long-term residence
- 07Law No. 199/2025: new-resident substitute tax from 2026
The family FAQ and program guidance are older documents. We confirm how they apply today before an individual recommendation.
THE NEXT DECISION
Is Italy the right next base for you?
Start with the rights your family needs. Then test the capital path, costs and timing before deciding whether to move forward.
