The majority of U.S. and Canadian citizens who want to move to Italy and do not have an immediate path to citizenship elect to apply for an Elective Residency Visa (Visto per Residenza Elettiva). The ERV (and relative Permesso di Soggiorno) allows foreign citizens to reside in Italy as long as they demonstrate sufficient resources to support themselves and their families without pursuing active employment. Because of this feature, it is an option that is popular among retirees.
With the help of our partners who specialize in immigration law, Dolce Living would like to explore this topic in further detail, focusing on the process and requirements to obtain the ERV.
ERV Requirements
1. Italian Domicile
The foreign citizen must prove their intention to reside in Italy for the long term by demonstrating ownership of the house where they wish to reside or a long-term lease contract (minimum length of one year).
2. Sufficient Passive Income
The ERV does not allow a foreign citizen to seek employment while in Italy. The citizen must therefore demonstrate they are able to support themselves and their family with passive income (pension, annuities, rental income, interest income, dividend income, etc.) that is in no way associated with employed work. The table below shows what the Italian government considers to be the minimum level of passive income as of 2023:
While the above are general guidelines, local Italian consulates have at times prescribed higher income requirements based on the median income of their area of jurisdiction. We advise you to reach out or visit the page of your area’s local Italian Consulate.
3. Health Insurance
Because legal immigrants are not automatically enrolled in the National Healthcare System (Servizio Sanitario Nazionale), the applicant must provide proof of health insurance coverage. The health coverage must meet the following requirements:
- Minimum annual benefit: €30,000 per individual;
- Minimum duration: one year;
- Medical Coverage: prescriptions, specialist visits, ambulance, hospitalization and repatriation;
- Geographical Coverage: All of the European Union member countries.
4. Clean Criminal Record
Italian authorities will request the applicant to submit a copy of their criminal background check produced by the FBI (“Identity History Summary”).
5. Demonstrated interest in residing in Italy
The possession of Italian real estate is usually considered sufficient evidence of the intention to reside in Italy. In the rare case in which the applicant has compelling business interests which require them to spend the majority of their time in a different country, Italian authorities may deny the issuance of a visa. The Elective Residency Visa is meant for foreign citizens who plan to establish a permanent home in Italy and the applicant’s profile should not present obvious red flags that indicate they are likely to vacate their stay.
For further detail on ERV requirements we invite you to consult with your area’s local consulate:
United States
Canada
The Relocation Process
The ERV allows foreign citizens to legally enter Italian territory. However, the visa holder has to perform one additional step in order to legally reside in Italy. Within 8 working days of their arrival, they are required to file a request for the Elective Residency Permit (Permesso di Soggiorno per Residenza Elettiva) with the local Questura.
The Elective Residency Permit has validity of one year and can be renewed as long as the foreign citizen continues to fulfill the permit’s requirements. The residency permit ceases to be valid in the event the permit holder leaves Italy for an uninterrupted period of six months or more, or in case they cease to fulfill any of the permit’s requirements (e.g. if they lose their main source of passive income, lose their Italian domicile or take on employment while residing in Italy).
You may learn more on this topic by reading our article on How to obtain the Elective Residency Permit.
