ItalyNational long-stay visa for self-employment founding an innovative start-up

Start-up founder visa in Italy

The start-up visa is a national long-stay visa for non-EU nationals travelling to Italy to found an innovative start-up and lead it themselves. The application is first assessed by the Italia Startup Visa technical committee at the Italian ministry responsible for supporting innovative start-ups; without its approval the consulate will not open a visa file. The applicant invests the money in the company they create themselves. The documents are filed from abroad.

Source: Consolato Generale d'Italia Chicago — Italia Start-up Visa

Two conditions: you and your start-up

To obtain a start-up visa, the requirements for the applicant and the requirements for the start-up they are founding must both be met.

Requirements for the applicant

Citizenship of a country outside the EU/EEA and residence abroad at the time of filing
Passport valid for at least three months longer than the visa applied for
Income in the previous year above EUR 8,400 — the threshold below which Italy does not exempt a person from healthcare contributions

Requirements for the start-up

An innovative start-up that the applicant founds and heads personally, under article 25(2) of decree-law 179/2012
Financial resources dedicated specifically to the start-up of no less than EUR 50,000
An approved Nulla Osta from the Italia Startup Visa technical committee at the ministry — without it the consulate will not accept the visa application

When this programme will not suit you

I already live lawfully in Italy on another residence permit and do not want to leave the country for a visa

The internal Italia Startup Hub (ISH) procedure — it converts an existing status into a start-up permit without leaving the country; the Certificate of No Impediment under it is issued within 20 days

I want to put money into an existing Italian business or into securities rather than build a company from scratch

The Investor Visa Italy

My business idea is an ordinary shop, café or service with no innovative element

The general Self-Employment Visa within the annual quota of the flows decree

I want to be employed by an Italian company rather than be a founder

An Employment Visa within the flows decree

Documents to gather

The list follows the checklist of the Italian consulate in Chicago; in another consular district the details may differ.

Visa application form, signed in person in the presence of a consular officer — all names must match the passport
Passport-format photograph on a white background, glued to the form (scans and photocopies are not accepted)
Valid passport and a copy of the photo page — valid for at least three months longer than the visa
For holders of a green card or another US immigration status — the original and a copy of the document confirming the right to return to the United States
Proof of residence in the consular district (for example, a copy of a driving licence)
Copy of the Nulla Osta from the Italia Startup Visa technical committee
Documents proving the financial resources dedicated to the start-up — no less than EUR 50,000
Proof of accommodation in Italy
The previous year's tax return showing income above EUR 8,400 — the threshold for exemption from healthcare contributions
Confirmed flight booking
Consular fee — a money order or cashier's check payable to the consulate; cash and personal cheques are not accepted
Prepaid envelope with tracking for returning the passport by post, if the applicant cannot collect it in person

How the process runs

The route has two separate stages: first the authorisation from the Italian committee, then the visa and legalisation in Italy.

1
Filing the application with the Italia Startup Visa Committee
decision within 30 days
From abroad, the applicant files with the ISV Committee the application form, a presentation of the project, a business plan with a forecast of costs and revenues, a letter confirming the financial resources and a copy of the passport. The Committee examines the application and decides whether to issue the Nulla Osta.
2
Filing the visa documents at the consulate
With the Nulla Osta obtained and the remaining documents, the applicant applies for a national long-stay visa at the Italian consulate in the country of residence abroad. The visa is initially issued for self-employment for one year.
3
Entry into Italy and application to the questura
no later than 8 days after entry
After entering Italy you must approach the local questura (Questura) and lodge an application for a permesso di soggiorno — the document that physically confirms the status obtained under the visa.
4
Renewal into a two-year residence permit for self-employed persons
application no later than 60 days before the current permit expires
After the first year the applicant submits the company registration documents (visura camerale) and proves sufficient annual income. In return a self-employment residence permit is issued for two years.

Timelines and rights

Work

The permit is issued for founding your own innovative company under article 25(2) of decree-law 179/2012. This is a self-employment route, not employed work.

Who you can bring with you

The start-up visa itself does not set out separate conditions for the family — a spouse and relatives join under the general family reunification procedure for holders of a national long-stay visa.

Spouse

The applicant for reunification must obtain in Italy a Nulla Osta per motivi familiari from the Sportello Unico per l'Immigrazione of the sponsor's place of residence; the authorisation must have been issued no more than six months before the visa documents are filed

Other close relatives

The family relationship must be proven by official documents with an apostille and a translation into Italian; the consulate may request further papers, and the sponsor must be lawfully registered as resident in Italy

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 first visa is issued for one year as a self-employment visa for setting up the start-up. To renew the status, no later than 60 days before the current permit expires you must submit to the questura the company registration documents (visura camerale) and proof of sufficient annual income — in return a self-employment residence permit is issued, this time for two years.

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: EUR 8,263.31 a year with no dependants, EUR 11,362.05 with a dependent spouse.

Frequently asked questions about Start-up founder visa

How much does this visa cost?

There is no fixed sum on the consulate's website — visa tariffs are updated quarterly. The fee is non-refundable and can be paid only by money order or cashier's check payable to the consulate (cash and personal cheques are not accepted); there is no expedited service for an extra charge.

How far ahead of the trip should the visa documents be filed?

A national visa application may be filed no earlier than 180 days before the planned entry into the Schengen area. Average processing for most nationalities and categories is one to two weeks, but the time depends on citizenship and on the particular visa category.

How long does the committee take to examine a Nulla Osta application?

The ISV Committee decides on a Nulla Osta application within 30 days of the filing of the form, the presentation, the business plan and the documents on financial resources.

What has to be done immediately after entering Italy?

Within 8 days of entry you must approach the local questura and lodge an application for a permesso di soggiorno — the residence permit issued on the basis of the visa already obtained.

How are the start-up's financial resources proven?

You need documents proving that no less than EUR 50,000 is dedicated to the start-up itself — a requirement separate from the applicant's income in the previous year. The proof is submitted both to the committee with the Nulla Osta application and again at the consulate with the visa package.

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.