Italy: Digital Nomad Visa Introduced

• Validity. The visa is valid for up to twelve months (renewable each year if eligibility conditions continue to be met).
• Eligibility criteria. Eligible applicants must have:
  • an income over three times the minimum level required for exemption from health care participation expenses;
  • health insurance covering their entire period of stay;
  • proof of accommodation in Italy; and
  • at least six months of work experience as a digital nomad or remote worker.

• Update May 30, 2024: Per clarifications from the government, the following are additional criteria:

  • high professional skills equivalent to those required for the issuance of an EU Blue Card; and
  • a tertiary level higher education degree or a post-secondary level professional qualification lasting at least three years, or a higher professional qualification attested by at least five years of professional experience.
• Application process. Foreign nationals should submit their visa application to the Italian consulate in their country of residence. Once approved, and the foreign national enters Italy, they must apply for a residence permit within eight days of entry.
• Supporting documents. Foreign nationals who are working for a foreign employer should submit a declaration signed by this employer. They must also submit an official police record attesting that they do not have any criminal convictions.
• Dependents. Dependents (typically spouses and children under 18) of Digital Nomad Visa holders can apply for family residence permits in Italy. Spouses may work locally on the basis of their family residence permit.
• Local work. It is not yet clear if foreign nationals can also perform local work in Italy under a Digital Nomad Visa.

This new category provides an immigration pathway for remote workers, which was previously not available.

• Legislative history. The Italian government had introduced the framework legislation for the Digital Nomad Visa in March of 2022; however, the legislative process took longer than anticipated to implement the visa.
• Continuing trend. Although digital nomad visas and permits are not being introduced as rapidly as when the trend first started, we still see such tailored digital nomad statuses being introduced over the past months, with more in the pipeline.

• Remote work visa warning. In countries where remote work is unregulated, workers and employers may unknowingly put themselves at risk of noncompliance with many aspects of the law, exposing them to possible fines or other penalties, depending on the country. Importantly, noncompliance with regulations could result in employers losing their rights to hire foreign labor. Additionally, this type of work arrangement may have employment or tax law impacts. It will become increasingly important as such policies are developed (and in many countries where remote work is unregulated) for employers to analyze strategies and assess risks associated with implementing and/or continuing remote work policies with a trusted immigration partner.

Remote work and non-traditional non-sponsored statuses remain of high interest to corporate and public stakeholders globally as countries recover economically from COVID impacts and as talent shortages affect employers worldwide. Fragomen will report on related developments.