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Italy Country Profile

Passport
For more details visit Italy Passport Ranking
  • Passport Grade
    A+
  • Passport Ranking
    3/198
  • Passport Score
    191.7/198
  • Visa-free Countries
    160
  • Visa-required Countries
    38
  • Access to the World's GDP
    93%
  • Access to the World's Surface Area
    68%
  • Access to the World's Population
    66%
  • Access to the Unesco Sites
    86%
Citizenship and Naturalization
Birthright citizenship (Jus Soli)
  • Birthright citizenship (Jus Soli)
    No
    No provisions
Naturalization - Standard Conditions
  • Minimum residency period
    10 years
  • Physical presence requirement
    At least 6 months a year
  • Language test
    Yes, Italian
  • Need to renounce original citizenship?
    No
  • Can minor children naturalize?
    –
  • Can naturalized parents pass citizenship to a child born abroad?
    –
  • Can you lose naturalization due to prolonged absence/ naturalization elsewhere?
    –
Naturalization - Your Spouse is a Citizen
  • Living IN the country: Residency/marriage requirement
    2 years / 2 years
    Must be both married and reside in the country for 2 years. The term is reduced by half in case of a common child.
  • Living ABROAD: Marriage requirement
    3 years
    Must be married for 3 years if residing abroad. The term is reduced by half in case of a common child.
  • Language test
    Yes, Italian
  • Need to renounce original citizenship?
    No
Naturalization - Other Beneficial Provisions
  • Your child is a citizen
    1 year/1.5 years
    In case of marriage with a common child, mandatory residency period is halfed. If living in Italy - 1 year; outside of Italy - 1.5 years.
  • Citizens of specific countries
    4 years
    4 years for citizens of all EU countries.
"–": The provision has not been analysed.
Visas and Residencies
Visas and Residencies
Taxation
For more details visit Cost of Living
  • Taxation Type
    Residence-based
A tax resident of a country with a RESIDENCE-BASED tax system pays taxes on their WORLDWIDE income. However, if you lose tax residency status there (e.g., by moving out), the country will generally stop taxing you.

Several incentives are available for new residents. Employed and self-employed can claim a 70% to 90% tax reduction on their Italian income depnding on the region of residence. Retirees can claim a flat 7% tax rate on their non-Italian income. And hign net-worth individual can use a €100,000-a-year tax payment that takes care of taxation of their non-Italian income of any size.
Italy is part of the European Economic Area (EEA), allowing its citizens to live and work in any other EEA country, plus Switzerland. (The EEA consists of 27 European Union countries plus Iceland, Norway and Liechtenstein.)
Schiff Sovereign's Take on Italy
We rather like Italy.

We like it so much, in fact, that we used to spend every summer at a villa in the Italian countryside right after we’d concluded our annual Liberty & Entrepreneurship Camp in Lithuania. (Unfortunately, both the camp and our villa summit have been suspended since Covid.) 

Italy is a marvelous place to spend time. It is home to some of the world’s favorite cuisine, and its wine is amazing. And Italians, in general, are very warm people who know how to enjoy their lives. 

Italy also ranks incredibly high culturally. 

The country’s high fashion houses, architecture, Renaissance-era masterpieces, the Roman Empire’s legacy and the Vatican attract millions of tourists every year. Just watching people gather in any given town square is a cultural experience. And with the growing popularity of cooking classes and wine tours, agrotourism has become quite a big deal in Italy. 

To summarize all of the above: It’s hard not to love Italy.

Plus, Italy can be a great destination for your Plan B. 

For starters, it's home to one of the world’s best Citizenship by Ancestry programs. Several of our subscribers, including our founder, Simon Black, became Italian citizens through this program.

But if you have no Italian roots,  don’t fret. You can also obtain Italian residency through the (lesser-known) Italian Golden Visa program, or viat the country’s residency program for financially self-sufficient people.

Economically speaking, however, the place is a complete disaster.

The local banking system is on its last leg, so you may want to skip banking there if you can avoid it. 

The government is in debt up to its eyeballs. Italy is in urgent need of financial reforms, but no one in the government seems to have the coglioni to agree on and pass them.

Doing business in Italy requires incredible patience, will and flexibility. Although we do know two Americans who run a successful cooking school there, we’d say that they are an exception, though.

By some measurements, Italy has lost an entire quarter of its industrial capacity over the years since the crisis of 2008/2009. This is a disaster for an industrial country.

The bottomline? 

If you have Italian ancestors, by all means take advantage of the very favorable Citizenship By Ancestry rules in Italy. Or if you’re not a member of the “Lucky Bloodline Club”, but want to retire there or work remotely, then you can apply for other types of visas that will allow you to do just that.

That said, we certainly do not recommend banking or doing business in the country.
Schiff Sovereign's Rolodex
Service Providers available in Italy
  • Immigration (residency, citizenship)
  • Tax advice (attorneys and/or accountants)
  • Corporate services (company formation, etc.)
  • Real Estate (agents, lawyers)
  • Citizenship by Ancestry
Obtain access to our Rolodex by signing up for Sovereign Confidential Join Sovereign Confidential Today

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Italy Overview
  • Region
    Europe
  • Capital City
    Rome
  • Largest City
    Rome
  • Currency
    Euro
  • Languages
    Italian
  • Population
    58.9 million (25th)
  • Life Expectancy
    82.6 years (22nd)
  • GDP (Nominal)
    $2 trillion (10th)
  • GDP/Capita
    $33,931 (37th)
Useful Data
For more details visit Cost of Living
  • Cost of Living
    Expensive (5/7)
  • Climate
    Comfortable (2/5)
  • Safety
    Very Safe (2/7)
  • Pollution
    Average (3/5)
  • English Proficiency
    Moderate (3/5)

Sovereign Global Explorer

Benefiting from over a decade of our team’s boots-on-the-ground experience, Global Explorer is where your international journey begins.
Explore Now
Found a mistake /
Have a suggestion ?
Please let us know if you spot any inaccuracies on this page or have a suggestion on how to make it even more useful.
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PREMIUM REPORTS
Italy inside Schiff Sovereign resources
Resource TitleProductTypeDate
Naturalization: Requirements and Practical Examples WorldwideSovereign ConfidentialSMCAlert26-Sep-2409/26/24
August 2024 SC Q&ASovereign ConfidentialSMCQ&A30-Aug-2408/30/24
The Truth About €1 Houses and a Better Way to Buy Italian PropertySovereign ConfidentialSMCAlert08-May-2405/08/24
April 2024 SC Q&ASovereign ConfidentialSMCQ&A29-Apr-2404/29/24
European Golden Visas 2024: A Comprehensive RoundupSovereign ConfidentialSMCBlack Paper05-Mar-2403/05/24
September 2023 SC Q&ASovereign ConfidentialSMCQ&A28-Sep-2309/28/23
August 2023 SC Q&ASovereign ConfidentialSMCQ&A30-Aug-2308/30/23
July 2023 SC Q&ASovereign ConfidentialSMCQ&A28-Jul-2307/28/23
April 2023 SC Q&ASovereign ConfidentialSMCQ&A28-Apr-2304/28/23
Digital Nomad Visas Roundup: Part I (Europe and Asia)Sovereign ConfidentialSMCBlack Paper06-Mar-2303/06/23
October 2022 SC Q&ASovereign ConfidentialSMCQ&A28-Oct-2210/28/22
Europe Offers Great Tax Incentives for New ResidentsSovereign ConfidentialSMCAlert25-Oct-2210/25/22
August 2022 SMC Q&ASovereign ConfidentialSMCQ&A29-Aug-2208/29/22
The Blue Card: European Residency for ProfessionalsSovereign ConfidentialSMCMonthly Letter15-Feb-2202/15/22
European Citizenships by Ancestry: Part I (Southern Europe)Sovereign ConfidentialSMCBlack Paper05-Oct-2110/05/21
Best European Visas for People with Independent MeansSovereign ConfidentialSMCMonthly Letter17-Jul-2107/17/21
Here Are 15 Factors to Consider Before Your International MoveSovereign ConfidentialSMCMonthly Letter15-Jun-2106/15/21
Citizenship by Ancestry: You may be just an application away from a second citizenshipSovereign ConfidentialSMCMonthly Letter15-Apr-2104/15/21
September 2020 SMC Q&ASovereign ConfidentialSMCQ&A30-Sep-2009/30/20
How to buy property in Europe for 50% offSovereign ConfidentialSMCAlert30-Jan-1901/30/19
Best startup programs around the worldSovereign ConfidentialSMCBlack Paper05-Oct-1810/05/18
Want to live in Italy? How this young couple got residency and live the American Dream abroadSovereign ConfidentialSMCCase Study25-Aug-1708/25/17
Sovereign Man Country Rankings: The Right Country for YOU, with Simon's insightsSovereign ConfidentialSMCBlack Paper06-Apr-1704/06/17
Meet FATCA’s even nastier cousin: CRSSovereign ConfidentialSMCAlert26-Feb-1602/26/16
How to acquire Italian citizenship by ancestrySovereign ConfidentialSMCAlert16-Jun-1406/16/14

Articles featuring Italy

Italian Citizenship By Ancestry
Second Citizenship

Getting Citizenship By Ancestry in Italy in 2023

Got Italian parents, grandparents or earlier ancestors? In today’s episode, we unpack how you can get Citizenship By Descent in Italy in 2023… Join Sovereign Confidential to… Getting Citizenship By Ancestry in Italy in 2023 Ever heard of the term Jure Sanguinis? Jure Sanguinis is a Latin term that means “right of blood.” Today, the […]
Technology

What a Mad Scientist brought me in Italy

For about two weeks each year this little-known corner of Italy becomes one of the most interesting places in the world. Dozens of productive people from across the planet and all walks of life gather at this estate every summer to break bread, build relationships, and exchange ideas. (check out the photo) Over the years […]
Banking system

Italy’s newest bank bailout cost as much as its annual defense budget

Two more Italian banks failed over the weekend– Banco Popolare di Vicenza and Veneto Banca. (In other news, the sky is blue.) The Italian Prime Minister himself stated that depositors’ funds were at risk, so the government stepped in with a bailout and guarantee package that could cost taxpayers as much as 17 billion euros. […]
Italy Representative Office Visa 2023
Second Residency

A potential property option for Italy's Golden Visa program in 2023?

When discussing the best places to live or retire in Europe, it’s impossible to overlook Italy. Boasting gorgeous landscapes, friendly people, a rich cultural history as well as reasonable living costs – especially in its southern regions – Italy is a fantastic lifestyle destination. Renowned as the home of La Dolce Vita – The Sweet […]

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