Italian Residence in 2026: Investor Visa, Elective Residence, Digital Nomad Visa, Taxes and Citizenship. The Complete Guide

Italy is one of the countries I am asked about most, and almost every conversation starts with the same question: “Which visa is right for us?”. The honest answer depends on where your money comes from and whether you plan to work in Italy. In this guide I compare the main routes using the MIMIT investor visa page, Interministerial Decree 850/2011, the decree on digital nomads, the Agenzia delle Entrate and the BRIDGES Italy page. Everything was checked on 2 November 2026.

The main routes at a glance

Route	First permit	Entry point	Work in Italy
Investor visa	2 years, then 3	€250,000 in an innovative startup, €500,000 in a company, €1M donation or €2M in bonds	yes
Elective residence	usually 1 year, renewable	stable passive income of about €31,000 a year	no
Digital nomad or remote worker	up to 1 year, renewable	income of at least €25,500 a year	only remote work
EU long-term residence	indefinite	5 years of legal residence, income, Italian A2	yes
Citizenship by residence	for life	10 years of legal residence, Italian B1	yes

The investor visa

This route has existed since 2017 under article 26-bis of the Consolidated Immigration Act. Its unusual feature is that you invest only after approval: an inter-ministerial committee first issues a clearance, and then you have three months after entry to move the money. The permit lasts two years and is renewed for three while the investment is kept. Details are in my investor visa guide.

Elective residence

This is the route for people who live on pensions, rent, dividends or other passive income. The law sets no single figure, but consulates work from about €31,000 a year for one person, and the Houston consulate lists €62,000 for a married couple. You may not work in Italy. See the elective residence guide.

The digital nomad and remote worker visa

Since April 2024 Italy has a visa for highly qualified people who work remotely for clients or employers. Income must be at least €25,500 a year, and the visa is outside the annual quotas. My digital nomad guide explains who qualifies.

Taxes

A move to Italy usually makes you an Italian tax resident, with progressive IRPEF of 23%, 33% and 43%. Wealthy newcomers can choose the flat tax of €300,000 a year on foreign income, and people who come to work can use the regime for impatriate workers. I compare them in the tax guide.

Permanent residence and citizenship

After five years of legal residence you can apply for the EU long-term permit. After ten years a non-EU citizen can apply for citizenship, with Italian at level B1. The steps are in the permanent residence and citizenship guide.

My honest view

Italy is not a quick passport country. It is a country where you really live: the routes reward people who move, keep their status without gaps and plan their taxes before the move. For a family with passive income I usually start with elective residence. For an entrepreneur who wants to work, I start with the investor visa, if their nationality allows it.