The Italy Golden Visa, also known as the Italian Investor Visa, is a program that allows non-EU citizens to live, work, and study in Italy by making a qualifying financial investment.

No, they are the same thing. The names are used interchangeably.

An Italy Golden Visa does not lead directly to Italian citizenship. However, after residing in Italy for 10 continuous years, you can apply for Italian citizenship.

The initial visa is valid for 2 years, and this allows you to enter Italy and apply for a residence permit. The visa can be renewed for 3-year periods as long as the investor maintains their investment.

This residence permit is also valid for 2 years, starting from your arrival in Italy. The visa and permit grant you legal status to reside and invest in Italy during this period. After 10 years of residing in Italy, the investor and their family can apply for Italian citizenship.

No, Italy does not currently offer a direct real estate investment option.

No, Italy does not currently have a citizenship programme for investors purchasing direct real estate.

Yes. This means that you don’t have to give up on your current citizenship if you acquire Italian citizenship.

You are eligible if you meet the following requirements:

• Age: You are at least 18 years old
• Funds: You have made the necessary qualifying investment or philanthropic donation
• Income: You’re able to prove that your income is from legal sources
• Criminal record: You have a clean criminal record
• Insurance: You have valid health insurance that covers all risks in Italy
• Commitment: You make a written commitment to invest in the Italian economy
• Nationality: You are a citizen of a country outside the EU and Schengen Area

Golden Visa Investment Options

The expected timeline is 3-6 months, depending on complexity of case, adherence to procedure and application accuracy.

The cost of an Italy Golden Visa depends on the type of investment made and also includes administrative and legal fees. Types of investments range from €250,000 to €2,000,000. Administrative and legal fees may add several thousand euros to the total cost.

Golden Visa Investment Options

• Below is a simplified step-by-step guide.

01 Application for Nulla Osta

Submit a application for your certificate of no impediment online

02 Visa application

File your Italian D-type visa application at the Italian Consulate in your country of residence, within 6 months of receiving your Nulla Osta

03 Entry into Italy

Apply for your investor residency permit at the Police headquarters within 6 months of entering Italy

04 Investment execution

Complete your qualifying investment within 3 months of entering Italy

05 Fingerprint registration

Register fingerprints at the Police headquarters

06 Issuance of residence permit

Receive a 2-year residence permit, renewable indefinitely by demonstrating ongoing investment

• Proof of identity: A valid passport and birth certificate
• CV/Resumé: With applicant’s main academic and professional experience
• Confirmation of income and proof of investment: Bank statement or letter from credit institution descriptive of financial instruments (securities, shares), demonstrating financial readiness for investment
• Proof of the legal source of your funds: Anti-money laundering statement according to FATF international standards signed by the credit institution holding the resources to be invested
• Proof of address: Documents that prove your address
• Proof of health insurance: Valid health insurance that covers all risks in Italy
• Criminal record certificate: A clean criminal record certificate from your country of origin
• Written commitment to investing in the Italian economy after obtaining the visa: A description of the planned investment and proof of consent from the recipients
• Nulla Osta: A certificate of no impediment

If an investor wants to invite family members to the application, they must also provide documents proving their relationship with each dependent applicant — for example, marriage and birth certificates.

Other documents may be required throughout the application process.

Yes. Of course, if you want to apply for residency, you will need to enter the country after your application is approved.

Not at all. In fact, a huge draw of the Italy Golden Visa is that there are no minimum days per annum the applicant needs to stay in the country.

No, you are not required to speak Italian or pass a language test to obtain the Golden Visa. However, you will need to pass an Italian language proficiency test if you want to apply for permanent residence or citizenship in Italy.

Innovative startup: Invest at least €250,000 in an existing Italian innovative startup

Corporate shares or stocks: Invest at least €500,000 in shares or stocks of existing Italian companies

Philanthropic donation: Contribute at least €1 million to a project of public interest

Italian government bonds: Invest at least €2 million in Italian Government bonds

It’s important to note that you can’t combine options to reach the required investment sum. Learn more about the investment options here.

No, you can’t combine different investment types or split the investment across different periods.

The Italy Golden Visa offers a number of benefits to investors and their families, including:

Visa-free travel: Italian residents can travel to the Schengen Area without a visa for up to 90 days out of 180.

Residency for family: Investors can include their close family members in their application, such as their spouse, minor children, disabled children over 18, and parents.

Tax incentives: Foreigners who spend at least 183 days a year in Italy become tax residents and can apply for a special tax regime.

Free access to healthcare services: Italy Golden Visa-holders may register for free access to Italian National Health

Education for children: Children with Italian residence permits can attend Italian universities on the same terms as Italian citizens, and tuition is lower than for foreign students.

Path to citizenship: Investors can apply for Italian citizenship after residing in Italy for 10 years.

Freedom to enter Italy: Investors can enter Italy at any time, even when the country’s borders are closed to foreigners.

No time limit on residency: Residents can stay in Italy for an unlimited amount of time.

Yes. The initial visa is valid for 2 years, and this allows you to enter Italy and apply for a residence permit. This residence permit is also valid for 2 years, starting from your arrival in Italy. The visa and permit grant you legal status to reside and invest in Italy during this period. The visa can be renewed for 3-year periods as long as the investor maintains their investment. After 10 years of residing in Italy, the investor and their family can apply for Italian citizenship.

Yes. As long as you maintain your investment and fulfill all other criteria. After 10 years of residing in Italy, the investor and their family can apply for Italian citizenship. As a member of the EU this will grant you European citizenship rights.

Yes. The rights of the golden visa holder extends to spouses and dependents.

The Special Tax Regime (STR) for High-Net-Worth Individuals is a tax advantage for Italian investors. High-net-worth foreign individuals who relocate to and establish their tax residency in Italy can opt to pay a €200,000 flat tax per year on all of their foreign earned income, in lieu of standard Italian tax rates. Learn more here .