Nothing to Hide: Italian Visas

Are you ready to bear all…strip down and basically be naked before the Italian Government? That’s about what it comes down to when you apply for Italian visas. They want to see everything, and you have to be willing to show it.

Do you have a criminal record, locally or nationally? They will ask for FBI files and a report from your local police department, fingerprints, current photographs, passport, proof of your current residence (utility bills, etc.) and ALL of your bank records, investments, and tax filings for the past few years. Also, you must show that you have an official one-year rental agreement or documents to prove that you are in the process of buying a home. Contrary to rumors, owning property does not guarantee a visa.

I respect the Italian government for being selective about who can move to their country. Italy may be a rich country in culture, architecture, foods and wines, but it is not wealthy in the financial arena. They can’t afford to take on foreigners who can’t support themselves. I had someone tell me that they’d have no problem getting into Italy on an ERV, because they had over a million dollars in the bank. That is a big mistake, since Italy requires that you have passive income coming in from a secure source. That million dollars could disappear in a flash, and the Italian government would have to try and figure out what to do with them.

Keep in mind that there are different Italian visas, and some are easier to get than others. The easiest passage into Italy is if you have a parent or grandparent with Italian citizenship, or you are hired by a company located in Italy that is willing to pay your fees, apply for your work visa and guarantee your salary. Since I was of retirement age, I applied for an Elective Residency visa (ERV), which means I am not allowed to work and had to prove that I would have enough money coming in to cover my expenses for the rest of my life. From what I have seen on several expat sites, there are way too many people giving bad information regarding this visa. Again, always refer to the official Italian Government sites to confirm what you’re told by well-meaning friends or what you find on Facebook sites.

With an ERV, you are NOT allowed to work AT ALL; not via an online business, an Italian business, or a business outside of Italy. You must have enough money coming in from investments, rental property, pension, or social security to live on. They have a specific amount that you need to have coming in, per year, but since that amount is subject to change, it’s best that you check with the authorities.

There’s not a lot of paperwork to fill out, but there is a ton of evidence that you need to provide, and if you should miss something, they send it all back and you have to re-apply. My stack was about five inches high. In this stack is also what I would call a love letter to the Italian government. They want to know why “perché” you want to move to Italy. It’s a reasonable question and tells them a lot about you and how you will assimilate into the culture and community… This letter is very personal, and it is carefully reviewed, because the Italian are relational people. You are not just a number on a passport.

Because we Americans are typically impatient people, we find it hard to wait for anything. American companies have a lot of competition, so they thrive on creating and delivering things faster to beat out the competition. I have to laugh, because it just ain’t that way in Italy. Nor does the visa process happen quickly. It can take from a few weeks to several months, and you don’t receive any notice if you’re denied. You’ll simply get your stack of paperwork back, without an appointment to sit before the Italian Consulate. If your paperwork is in order, then the stack will be returned along with a visa attached inside your passport. The process was probably quicker years ago. However, there are a lot of Americans moving out of the States to find “La Dolce Vita,” a sweeter life.

As far as costs for filing and getting information and making copies, it will vary and change each year. Speaking of copies. SUPER IMPORTANT! Make sure that you make a complete set of copies of everything you send in that stack, as it could get lost or misplaced. And when you get your stack back, keep it all together, because you may need it again when you apply for your Permesso di Soggiorno (Permission to Stay).

Added note: Something that I did that isn’t required but might have made a difference in my visa being completed very quickly—I included several pages of photographs from the years I had traveled to Italy. Whoever was reviewing my paperwork got to see me in Italy. It was my attempt at creating a relationship between the reviewer and myself. I made sure that I wasn’t just a picture on a passport and a pile of paperwork.

Ciao for now,
Lee Ryan

If you would like to learn more about Italian visas, you can explore the following articles:
–Visas for American and Canadian Citizens (among others)
–The Elective Residency Visa
–How to apply for the Elective Residency Visa