Do I need an Italian residence permit as a British citizen?
Any non-EU citizen that intends to stay in Italy for over three months, you must apply for an Italian residence permit, and as of January 2021, UK citizens are considered non-EU nationals.
There is an exception for British citizens who were registered with the Anagrafe (Register Office) of the Municipality prior to January 2021. Those already registered, or already living in Italy before January 2021 maintain their existing rights. To protect their rights, they can request a new residence document, called the ‘carta di soggiorno elettronica’, which verifies your status under the Withdrawal Agreement.
What are the Italian residency requirements?
If you were not already living in Italy prior to 2021, you must obtain a visa before moving. An Elective Residency Visa, also known as a Retirement Visa, allows you to stay in Italy for longer than 90 days, but does not allow you to work.
To obtain an Italian Elective Residency Visa, you must prove you are able to support yourself without employment while living in Italy. Individual applicants must have approximately €31,000 per annum to support themselves, while married couples need €38,000 per annum. This increases by 20% for each dependent that will move to Italy with you.
Other visas you can apply for include the Work Visa, Student Visa, Family Visa and Self-Employed Visa. Find out which visa you are eligible for on the official Visa for Italy website.
Alongside your application form, applicants for an Elective Residency Visa must provide the following documents when applying at the Italian consulate:
- Passport: Your passport must remain valid for a minimum of three months after the visa would expire, and must have at least two blank pages.
- Four passport photos.
- Proof of financial resources (pensions, property income, annuities, etc.)
- Proof of civil status: If you are applying as a married couple, marriage certificates must be translated into Italian and validated before they are submitted.
- Health insurance: You must have international health insurance covering €30,000 per annum before applying for your visa.
- Lodging: You must show you have arranged adequate lodging in Italy, with proof of purchase or a rental/lease agreement.
- Police clearances.
Other visas have similar requirements. For work visas you will also need to provide proof of employment, and for student visas you will need to provide proof of enrolment.
The current fee for an Elective Residency Visa is €116 per applicant.
Upon a successful application, you will be granted an Elective Residency Visa, which will be valid for 6 months for short stays up to 90 days. Once you arrive in Italy, you will need to immediately apply for your Elective Residence Permit.
How to become an Italian resident
You will have 8 days to apply for a residence permit after arriving in Italy. To do so, you must obtain an application kit from the Sportello Amico counter of your local post office.
Fill out the forms contained in the kit – which will be in Italian – and attach a Marca da Bollo stamp (available for around €16 from the tabaccheria) before submitting. The kit specifies which exact stamp is required. You will need to provide copies of the same documentation you provided for your visa application, as well as proof of your visa itself. Then, submit your completed kit to the same post office.
Your application will be reviewed, and you will then be given an appointment at the Questura (local police office). This appointment will likely be 1-2 months away, so you will be given a receipt that acts as your residence permit until then.
Bring this receipt, a letter confirming your appointment, and all original documents to your appointment. After it’s done, you should be granted your Elective Residence Permit. This document authorises you to stay in the country for one year.
You can renew your residence permit at least 90 days before it expires, so long as you have not left Italy for a continuous period of over six months. After living in Italy with an Elective Residence Permit for five years, you will be eligible to apply for an Italy Permanent Residence Permit. After 10 years, you can apply for citizenship.
Living in Italy: What’s next
Despite confusion and concerns after Brexit, residency in Italy for UK citizens is not difficult to obtain if you follow the correct steps.
Of course, obtaining your visa and residence is just the first part of the journey! You will also need to consider factors like taxes, pensions, language, and more. You can find out more about obtaining an Italian visa and residence permit from the UK government’s Living In Italy page. Here, you can also learn about healthcare, working, studying, driving and banking in Italy. The UK government also offers guidance on buying property abroad.
