ItalyNational visa and residence permit for investors

Investor visa in Italy

An Italian national visa for non-EU nationals who invest money in the Italian economy or donate to a project of public significance. There is no need to take a job or study: the residence permit rests on the investment itself, and the applicant keeps it unchanged for the whole term. The application can be made by a private individual or by a foreign company through a representative. A complete set of documents does not guarantee approval.

Source: Consolato Generale d'Italia Londra — Investors

Who is granted the investor visa

The nulla osta application to the Investor Visa for Italy Committee is filed either by private individuals or by companies — the procedure and the investment thresholds are the same for both; only the applicant differs.

Individual

A non-EU national over 18
Invests personal funds in bonds, company shares or a project
Files the nulla osta application in their own name

Foreign company

A legal entity registered outside the EU
Acts through an authorised representative
Files the nulla osta application in the company's name

When this programme will not suit you

I hold Russian or Belarusian citizenship, including as a second citizenship

The programme has been suspended for Russian and Belarusian nationals since 14 July 2023, and since 20 March 2024 also for dual nationals where one of the passports is Russian or Belarusian (a Committee decision implementing EU recommendation C(2022) 2028). It is worth looking at visas in other countries or at programmes not covered by that recommendation.

I do not have EUR 250,000–2,000,000 to invest — the amount is too large

Consider the self-employment visa or the Italy Startup Visa — they call for a business plan and proven income rather than a large financial asset.

I want to live in Italy on passive income rather than invest money in bonds, a company or a project

The Elective Residency Visa is the right fit — it requires proven passive income rather than an investment.

What it costs

Investment in Italian government bondsThe programme's basic investment threshold	2 000 000 EUR
Duty stamp for the residence permit (marca da bollo)	16 EUR
Contribution for issuing the residence permit (bollettino postale)	50 EUR
Printing of the electronic residence permit card (bollettino postale)	30,46 EUR
Shares or bonds of an Italian company	500 000 EUR
Investment in an innovative start-up	250 000 EUR
Donation to a project of public interest	1 000 000 EUR
Extension of the special tax regime to a family memberAnnually for each family member under the special tax regime for new residents pursuant to art. 24-bis	+25 000 EUR
Total government feesThe sum of the mandatory rows in the table. “Extension of the special tax regime to a family member” adds 25 000 EUR; the “Shares or bonds of an Italian company” branch replaces the “Investment in Italian government bonds” line — 500 096,46 EUR; the “Investment in an innovative start-up” branch replaces the “Investment in Italian government bonds” line — 250 096,46 EUR; the “Donation to a project of public interest” branch replaces the “Investment in Italian government bonds” line — 1 000 096,46 EUR. Charges with no official price list are in the list below.	2,000,096.46–2 025 096,46 EUR

Paid separately

Legal and notarial support for the transaction — The state fee does not include the lawyers and brokers who handle the purchase of bonds or shares or the donation agreement
Translation and legalisation of documents — Sworn translation into Italian and the apostille are paid for separately; there is no state tariff for them
Bank or broker commissions for transferring funds and buying assets — The costs of executing the investment transaction itself are not part of the state fee and are not regulated by the Committee

Documents to gather

The list is compiled from the Italian consulate in London; other consulates may request further papers, and a complete set of documents does not guarantee that the visa will be issued.

Completed visa application form
Passport with at least two blank pages, valid for at least another 2 years (original and copy)
Photograph taken no more than 6 months ago
Nulla osta from the Investor Visa for Italy Committee from the portal investorvisa.mise.gov.it (original and copy)
One-way flight booking
Certificate of no criminal record and no pending criminal proceedings — for obtaining the nulla osta
Proof of the source of the funds for the investment — for obtaining the nulla osta

How the process runs

The route has three stages: the nulla osta, the visa at the consulate and the residence permit after the move.

1
Registering on the portal and applying for the nulla osta
The applicant creates an account on investorvisa.mise.gov.it, completes the form (contact details, CV, choice of investment type) and attaches the passport, proof of the source of funds and the certificate of no criminal record.
2
The Committee's checks and decision
up to 30 days to supply further documents, up to 30 days for the decision
At the preliminary stage the Committee may request further documents — 30 days are allowed for this. The final decision on the application is taken within 30 days.
3
Receiving the nulla osta and applying for the visa at the consulate
the nulla osta is valid for 6 months
With the approved nulla osta the applicant goes to the Italian consulate in their country of residence and files the form, passport, photograph and ticket reservation. Entry into Italy must take place within 2 years of the visa being issued.
4
Applying for the residence permit at the questura
8 days after entry
After arrival the applicant approaches the questura with passport and visa, and enters on the portal the date of arrival and the date of the application. The investment itself must be completed within 3 months of the date of entry.
5
Issue of the investor residence permit
2 years
Once the investment is confirmed, the Committee approves the status and the questura issues a residence permit for 2 years.

Who you can bring with you

Family reunification for the investor is governed by Italy's general immigration law, not by separate rules for this visa.

Spouse

Not divorced, aged 18 or over

Minor children

Unmarried, including adopted children and children born outside marriage — with the consent of the other parent

Adult children

Dependent, only in the event of total incapacity for work

Parents

Dependent, where there are no other children at home, or aged 65 and over — where the siblings cannot support them for documented medical reasons

Trips, renewal and the grace period

To have the residence permit renewed you must not be away from Italy for more than 6 months in a row without a serious reason.

The renewal application is lodged at least 60 days before the residence permit expires, provided that the investment has been maintained for the whole two-year term. Each renewal gives another 3 years, and the law does not limit the number of renewals. If the Committee needs clarifications, the applicant has an extra 30 days to supply further documents, but the investment itself must still be confirmed within the original period. If the investment is maintained for 5 years in a row, you may apply for the EU long-term resident permit.

What comes next: permanent residence and citizenship

Route to permanent residence

After 5 years of lawful residence you obtain the EU long-term residence permit: income no lower than the social allowance and a pass in the Italian test at level A2.

Route to citizenship

After 10 years of lawful residence you apply to the prefecture with SPID. It requires Italian at B1 and income from EUR 8,263.31 a year with no dependants.

Frequently asked questions about Investor visa

Can Russian or Belarusian nationals obtain the Italian investor visa?

No. Since 14 July 2023 the Investor Visa for Italy programme has been suspended for Russian and Belarusian nationals — a decision of the chair of the Committee implementing EU recommendation C(2022) 2028. From 20 March 2024 the suspension was extended to dual nationals where one of the passports is Russian or Belarusian.

Does a complete set of documents guarantee that the visa will be issued?

No. The consulate warns expressly: without a complete set of documents the application will not be accepted at the appointment, but even a complete set does not guarantee approval — further papers may be requested.

How much do the investor visa formalities cost?

Filing the nulla osta application and the visa application is free. You pay only for the residence permit at the questura: EUR 30.46 for printing the electronic card, a EUR 50 issue contribution and a EUR 16 duty stamp.

Can the asset be changed — for example, bonds sold and shares bought — while the residence permit is valid?

No, the portfolio cannot be changed throughout the two years of the residence permit — doing so leads to the status being cancelled. The investment also cannot be pledged as security for a loan.

Which family members can move with the investor?

A spouse (not divorced, aged 18 or over), minor children, dependent adult children with total incapacity for work and dependent parents — under article 29 of Legislative Decree No. 286 of 25 July 1998.

What tax regime is available to the investor after moving to Italy?

An investor transferring tax residence to Italy who has not been resident in Italy for at least 9 of the previous 10 years may opt for the special regime under article 24-bis: a flat tax of EUR 100,000 a year on income earned abroad instead of the ordinary progressive scale. The regime can be extended to family members for a further EUR 25,000 a year each. The maximum duration is 15 years.

Other ways to move to Italy

Every route in one list — migration programmes: Italy.

The terms and the amounts are checked against official sources — the link sits under each section.Last checked on: 7 August 2026.