Italy Elective Residency Visa: Requirements and How to Apply

The Italy elective residency visa is for non-EU citizens who want to live in Italy without working, typically retirees or people with stable passive income. You choose Italy as your home, show you can support yourself without Italian employment, and prove you have housing. The headline requirement in the embassy checklist we read is about €31,000 a year per applicant.

It does not allow employment in Italy. Confirm the details on the official visa portal and with your consulate, because amounts and document lists vary. See also our Italy country guide.

Who qualifies

Non-EU citizens with substantial, stable income that does not come from employment, who can show suitable housing in Italy and intend to live there without working. The Washington embassy page says income must be in your own name and not from work. Retirees with pensions, investors with dividends or rents, and people with stable business income can all qualify, if documented.

Income requirement

The Tashkent embassy checklist requires €31,000 a year per applicant, including a spouse. We model that as about €2,583 a month. It must come from pensions or annuities, property, stable business activity or other non-employment sources, and be documented for at least the last year. The Washington embassy page says only "substantial and steady" resources, with around €31,000 per person for families. Amounts differ by consulate, so confirm yours.

Documents you'll need

• National visa application form and a recent photo
• Passport issued within the last 10 years, valid at least 90 days past the visa expiry, with two blank pages
• Proof of income: pension statements, bank statements, securities, rental or business records covering at least the last year
• A notarial deed for property purchased in Italy or a lease registered with the Italian tax authority, covering your whole stay
• A signed self-declaration that you will live in Italy, with a full Italian address
• Proof of residence in the consulate's district
• Marriage certificate and children's birth certificates for family members, apostilled and translated
• Health insurance; the pages we read do not list it, but consulates often ask, so confirm

Step-by-step application

1. Read your consulate's checklist and confirm the income figure.
2. Secure housing in Italy with a registered lease or deed.
3. Apply no sooner than six months and no later than 15 days before your trip (per the Tashkent checklist).
4. Submit documents in person; the consulate holds your passport during processing.
5. Wait for the decision; the stated deadline is 90 days.
6. Enter Italy on the visa (91 to 365 days, multiple entry) and apply for the elective residence permit at the Questura within eight working days.
7. Get your codice fiscale and register with local health services.

Costs and timeline

Consular fees are non-refundable and set by each consulate, payable by money order or cashier's check in some US consulates; the fee amount was not on the pages we read. A residence-permit fee applies in Italy. Plan for about three months from application to decision, and do not sign a long lease until you have the visa.

Taxes once you're resident

After 183 days you are an Italian tax resident taxed on worldwide income at 23%, 33% and 43% bands in 2026, plus local surcharges. Retirees with foreign pensions may look at a 7% regime for small southern towns, and some newcomers at the new-resident flat tax, reported at €300,000 a year for those who move from 2026. Both have strict conditions. Get tax advice before you decide.

Family members

Spouses and minor children can apply with you, with income requirements counted per applicant. Bring marriage and birth certificates, apostilled and translated.

Alternatives

If you work remotely, the digital nomad visa allows work. Investors can look at the investor visa. Retirees looking at France use the long-stay visitor visa. For retirement-friendly routes across countries:

Thresholds and rules change often. Each route links to its official government page: confirm there before you apply. Not legal advice.

Rules change, so confirm requirements with the consulate or a qualified advisor.