Moving to Italy from the USA in 2026: Visas and First Steps

Moving to Italy from the USA is very doable for Americans, but any stay longer than 90 days requires a long-stay (Type D) national visa. The main routes are the elective residence visa for passive income, a work visa or the digital nomad visa, a study visa, and citizenship by descent if your family history still qualifies.

The visa is only half the job. Once you land, you have 8 working days to file for your permesso di soggiorno (residence permit). You will also need a codice fiscale (tax code), and you must register your address with the town hall's Anagrafe. This guide covers each route, what it costs, and the order of your first steps after arrival, as of November 2026.

Key facts at a glance

Americans can visit Italy without a visa for short stays. Living there means choosing one visa route and then completing three registrations after arrival.

Question	Short answer (as of November 2026)
Can an American move to Italy?	Yes, with a long-stay national visa from the Italian consulate that covers your area, or with Italian citizenship.
Passive income route	Elective residence visa, often about €31,000 a year for one person and about €38,000 for a couple. No work allowed, not even remote work.
Remote work route	Digital nomad visa. Legal income floor of €24,789 a year, at least 6 months of remote work experience, €116 visa fee.
Employment route	An Italian employer applies for you, usually inside the Decreto Flussi quota.
Study route	Type D study visa for programs over 90 days, plus Universitaly pre-enrollment for degrees.
Descent route	Since 2025, generally limited to people whose parent or grandparent holds, or held at death, only Italian citizenship, or whose Italian parent lived in Italy for 2 years before their birth.
After arrival	Permesso di soggiorno within 8 working days, codice fiscale, then Anagrafe residency registration.

Immigration rules change and consulates apply them differently, so confirm your own case with your consulate's official site or a qualified immigration adviser before you apply.

What are the requirements for moving to Italy from the USA?

The core requirements are a long-stay visa that matches your reason for moving, proof that you can support yourself, health insurance, and a place to live. Each route then adds its own documents.

Your US passport lets you stay in Italy, and the wider Schengen area, as a visitor for up to 90 days without a visa. That works for scouting trips, not for living there. The Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs confirms, for example, that study stays longer than 90 days need a Type D national visa obtained before you leave the US. If you plan several scouting trips first, check your dates with our Schengen 90/180 calculator so you don't overstay.

One small piece of good news: since 11 January 2025, national visa applicants must give fingerprints, but a decree of 8 May 2025 exempts US citizens, according to the Consulate General of Italy in Los Angeles.

Route	Best for	Can you work?	Main hurdle
Elective residence	Retirees and others living on pensions, rents, dividends	No, including remote work	Proving steady passive income and a registered home
Digital nomad / remote worker	Highly qualified remote employees and freelancers with non-Italian clients	Yes, for foreign employers or clients	Income threshold and qualifications
Work visa (Decreto Flussi)	People with an Italian job offer	Yes, for the sponsoring employer	Employer must apply, quota places are limited
Study visa	Degree and long exchange students	Limited	University admission and Universitaly steps
Citizenship by descent	Children and grandchildren of Italian-only citizens (strict conditions apply)	Yes, as an EU citizen	Law 74/2025 cut eligibility to two generations

If you are still choosing between countries, our guide on how to move to Europe as an American compares Italy with other options, and moving to Spain from the USA is a useful side-by-side read.

Elective residence visa: how to live in Italy on passive income

The elective residence visa is the usual answer for Americans who want to live in Italy without working. It is for self-supporting non-EU citizens, and despite the nickname "retirement visa," it is not limited to retirees, as ITAMCAP explains.

The catch is that it bars all work, including remote work for a US employer. If your plan is to keep your Boston job from a laptop in Lucca, this is the wrong visa.

How much income do you need?

Consulates that publish a figure usually ask for roughly €31,000 a year in passive income for a single applicant and about €38,000 for a couple, according to One Visa Center. Typical qualifying income includes pensions, Social Security, 401(k) and IRA withdrawals, rents, dividends and annuities. Some US consulates reportedly ask for much more depending on the type of income. You can check your income with our Europe visa income checker.

Italian consulates set and publish their own figures, and we could not find one official national number, so treat these as typical amounts and check your consulate's checklist.

Worked example: a retired couple from Ohio

Say you and your spouse are 64 and 62, living in Ohio. You get a combined $2,600 a month in Social Security and plan to take $14,000 a year from an IRA.

Social Security: $2,600 x 12 = $31,200 a year
IRA withdrawals: $14,000 a year
Total: $45,200 a year
At an assumed rate of $1.15 per euro (for illustration only, check the live rate before you apply), that is about €39,300.

That clears the common €38,000 couple figure, but only by about €1,300. A weaker dollar could wipe out the margin. If your consulate asks for more, or values IRA withdrawals less than a pension, you would fall short. Couples in this spot often show extra savings or a larger documented annuity to give the officer a cushion.

Can Americans work in Italy? Work visas and the digital nomad visa

Yes, but you cannot simply arrive and job hunt. Employed work usually needs an Italian employer to apply for you, while remote workers with foreign clients can use the digital nomad visa.

Italy work visa for Americans and the Decreto Flussi

Italy's Decreto Flussi for 2026 to 2028 authorizes 497,550 non-EU work entries: 164,850 in 2026, 165,850 in 2027 and 166,850 in 2028, according to Migaku. The Italian employer applies on the worker's behalf, and most employed work needs a quota place.

Applications are filed on "click days." In 2026 these were 12 January (seasonal agriculture), 9 February (seasonal tourism), 16 February (non-seasonal) and 18 February (domestic and care work), per Approdo Italy.

For 2027, employers precompile applications on the Interior Ministry's ALI portal from 9:00 on 23 October to 20:00 on 7 December 2026, according to the Italian Ministry of the Interior. The portal reopens from 9 to 13 December 2026, but only to complete applications already started, not to start new ones. The click days are 12 January (seasonal agriculture), 9 February (seasonal tourism), 16 February (non-seasonal) and 18 February 2027 (domestic and care work). Applications can be sent until 31 December 2027 while quota places remain. An employer who has not started by early December will likely miss the 2027 click day.

Some skilled categories skip the quota entirely. EU Blue Card holders, intra-company transferees, startup visa founders and other highly skilled categories sit outside the Decreto Flussi, according to Employsome. For many American professionals, a company transfer or a Blue Card is the more realistic path.

Italy digital nomad visa for US citizens

The digital nomad (remote worker) visa suits highly qualified remote workers or freelancers whose employers or clients are not Italian. It requires income of three times the healthcare-exemption threshold, at least six months of prior remote work experience, and a €116 visa fee, and it gives a one-year permit that can be renewed, according to Saily.

Three times the €8,263.31 threshold set by a decree of 29 February 2024 gives a legal floor of €24,789 a year (about $28,500 at the same assumed $1.15 rate). Many 2026 guides quote closer to €28,000, so treat €24,789 as the minimum and confirm your consulate's figure. Our Greece digital nomad visa guide shows how another country handles remote workers.

Moving to Italy as a student

Americans studying in Italy for more than 90 days need a Type D national study visa before leaving the US. Shorter programs can run on visa-free entry, according to the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

If you live abroad and need a visa to enroll at an Italian university, you must first pre-enroll on the Universitaly portal. This applies for the 2026/27 and 2027/28 academic years. The Consulate General of Italy in Chicago also asks for an acceptance letter showing full-time enrollment of at least 20 hours a week.

The Los Angeles consulate says a lease for a study stay must be registered with the Italian Tax Agency, which you can have done automatically through Universitaly during sign-up. If you want to study in English, confirm the teaching language with each program before you apply. For the full document list, see our Italy student visa application checklist.

Italian citizenship by descent after the 2025 law

Citizenship by descent is now limited to people whose parent or grandparent holds, or held at death, only Italian citizenship, or whose Italian parent lived in Italy for 2 years before their birth. Law 74/2025, in force since 24 May 2025, limited new claims to two generations, so great-grandparent claims generally no longer work, subject to statutory exceptions, according to Impatria.

The "only Italian" condition trips up many Americans. Under the new article 3-bis, a grandparent who was also a US citizen does not count. The other way in is a parent who lived in Italy for 2 continuous years after becoming a citizen and before the child's birth.

Applications filed before 27 March 2025, or for which a consulate appointment had been given to the applicant by that date, are generally assessed under the earlier rules. Confirm your position with a citizenship lawyer.

Italy's Constitutional Court upheld the law in ruling 63/2026, filed on 30 April 2026. In Ordinance 147/2026, filed on 23 July 2026, the Court then referred questions on the generational limit to the EU Court of Justice, so further changes are possible.

If your parent or grandparent is or was an Italian citizen by birth but you no longer qualify by descent, Law 74/2025 lets you apply to naturalize after 2 years of legal residence in Italy (down from 3 for this group; most non-EU citizens need 10), as Impatria explains. Our guide to who still qualifies for Italian citizenship by descent goes deeper.

How to get a codice fiscale for Americans

The codice fiscale is a free 16-character tax code issued by the Agenzia delle Entrate, and you need it for leases, bank accounts and phone contracts. Foreigners in Italy request it in person with form AA4/8, according to Studio Immigrato.

Getting it before you move is harder than many blogs suggest. A foreigner who is not resident in Italy must normally delegate someone to file the request at an Agenzia delle Entrate office in Italy. Consulates handle requests only when the code is needed for online procedures or no delegate is possible, per the Consulate General of Italy in New York. The Consulate General of Italy in Boston published updated codice fiscale procedures in March 2025.

If you enter on a residence permit or a decreto flussi work entry, you may receive the code through the Questura or the Sportello Unico instead. Elective residence applicants usually need a codice fiscale before applying, because a registered Italian lease or deed requires one. Arrange a delegate in Italy (a landlord, agent or lawyer) early.

Permesso di soggiorno and residency registration: your first weeks

Within 8 working days of entering Italy on a long-stay visa, you must apply for the permesso di soggiorno. After that, you register your address at the comune's Anagrafe, which makes you an official resident.

The two are different. The permesso is your right to stay in Italy. The Anagrafe registration (residenza) records where you live, and you generally need a valid permit before you can register, according to NextMigrate. Some arrivals, such as Decreto Flussi workers and family reunification cases, can register with the post office receipt before the card arrives. Ask your comune.

Before you fly, collect your visa, passport, housing documents and insurance. Keep copies of everything.
Pick up the permesso application kit at a Poste Italiane post office and submit it there, not directly at the Questura. The kit costs about €116 for a one-year permit (more for longer permits), including a €16 revenue stamp, according to Migration Protect.
Keep the post office receipt. It serves as your interim proof of legal stay.
Attend your fingerprinting appointment at the Questura.
Get your codice fiscale if you do not have one yet.
Once your permit arrives (or with the receipt, if your comune allows it for your category), register residency at the Anagrafe within about 20 days, with a registered lease or other proof of address.
Wait for the Anagrafe to confirm. It has 45 days to do so, and local police usually check that you live at the address.

Worked example: counting your deadlines

Say you land in Rome on Monday, 1 March 2027. Counting working days from the next day, Tuesday 2 March, your 8th working day is Thursday, 11 March 2027. The legal deadline is 8 working days, but go in your first few days in case of post office queues or missing documents.

The physical card typically takes 6 to 12 weeks from arrival. From 1 March, that puts it between 12 April and 24 May 2027. If it arrives on 10 May, register at the Anagrafe by about 30 May. The Anagrafe then has until about 14 July to confirm. In busy cities, appointment waits can stretch to about 3 months, so book early.

How hard is it to move to Italy?

Moving to Italy is moderately hard. The rules are clear enough, but the paperwork is heavy, consulates differ, and the deadlines after arrival are short.

The easiest route for most Americans is the elective residence visa, if your passive income is solid and you truly will not work. The hardest is the standard work visa, because it depends on an employer, quota places and click days. Descent used to be the shortcut for millions of Americans, but the 2025 law closed that door for most great-grandchildren.

Taxes and health costs after you move

US citizens remain subject to US tax filing while living in Italy, and the US-Italy tax treaty is meant to prevent double taxation, according to Taxes for Expats. Once you become an Italian tax resident, Italy generally taxes your worldwide income, and you must report foreign assets such as US bank and retirement accounts.

Health care is an ongoing cost, not a one-time visa box. After arrival, long-stay residents such as elective residence holders should ask their ASL (local health authority) about paid voluntary enrollment in Italy's national health service (SSN), and compare it with keeping private cover. Confirm your tax and health position with the Agenzia delle Entrate or a cross-border tax adviser.

Common mistakes when moving to Italy

Most problems come from assumptions carried over from US habits or from outdated blog posts. These are the ones that cause the most trouble.

Working remotely on an elective residence visa. The visa bars all work, including for a US employer. If you earn active income, look at the digital nomad visa instead.
Using someone else's income figure. €31,000 is a common number, not a universal one. Your consulate's checklist is the only figure that counts.
Leaving the codice fiscale too late. You usually need it to register the lease your visa depends on.
Signing an unregistered or short lease. The elective residence visa needs a deed or a registered lease of at least one year.
Relying on Medicare. It does not cover you in Italy. Buy private insurance valid there.
Missing the 8-working-day permesso deadline. Go to the post office in your first few days.
Confusing the permesso with residency. You need both, in that order.
Assuming any Italian grandparent qualifies you. Under the 2025 law, a grandparent who also held US citizenship generally does not.
Missing the Decreto Flussi window. For 2027, precompilation closes on 7 December 2026.
Forgetting the FBI check apostille and translation. A plain FBI report will not be accepted.

Frequently asked questions

Can Americans live in Italy without a visa?

No. Americans can visit Italy without a visa for up to 90 days as visitors, but living there requires a long-stay national (Type D) visa or Italian or other EU citizenship. After arriving on that visa, you must apply for a permesso di soggiorno within 8 working days and then register your residency at the town hall's Anagrafe. Short visa-free stays are only useful for scouting trips.

Can I work remotely for a US company on the elective residence visa?

No. Italy's elective residence visa bars all work, including remote work for a US employer or US clients. It is meant for people who live on passive income such as pensions, Social Security, rents, dividends or retirement account withdrawals. If you want to keep working remotely from Italy, the digital nomad visa, with a legal income floor of €24,789 a year, is the route designed for that.

Do I still qualify for Italian citizenship by descent after the 2025 law?

Only in narrower cases. Law 74/2025 limits new claims to people whose parent or grandparent holds, or held at death, only Italian citizenship, or whose Italian parent lived in Italy for 2 years before their birth. Applications filed, or appointments given, before 27 March 2025 generally follow the old rules. The Constitutional Court upheld the law on 30 April 2026, but the EU Court of Justice is now reviewing the generational limit.

Can I bring my spouse and children?

Often, yes, but the rules depend on the route. For the elective residence visa, many consulates set a higher income figure for a couple, about €38,000 a year, which reflects a spouse applying alongside you. Whether children can apply on the same basis, or must use family reunification after you arrive, varies by visa, so check with your consulate before booking appointments for the whole family.

Do I need to speak Italian to get a long-stay visa?

No. The elective residence, digital nomad, work and study visa routes do not include an Italian language test, though rules can change, so check with your consulate. In practice, basic Italian helps a lot at the post office, the Questura and the Anagrafe, where staff may not speak English. Students should confirm the teaching language of each program, since it varies.

Which Italian consulate do I apply to for my US state?

You apply to the Italian consulate whose jurisdiction covers the US state where you legally live, such as New York, Boston, Chicago or Los Angeles. Each consulate publishes its own checklists, and income figures and document rules can differ between them. Use the consulate locator on the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs website, esteri.it, to find yours, and always follow that consulate's current checklist.

References

Filed under Living in Europe Before You Move

Muhammad Sahil

Founder and editor of EU Info Hub. Digital marketer with over seven years of freelance experience, now studying economics and business in Europe. He has been through the residence permit process himself. This article is general information, not legal or financial advice. Always confirm details with the relevant consulate or authority.