Italy Visa & Immigration Services

Hudson McKenzie advises individuals, families and businesses on visa and immigration options for Italy. We assist with short-term business travel, work permits, the EU Blue Card, intra-company transfers, Digital Nomad and Remote Worker visas, Investor Visas, Elective Residence, family reunification and longer-term residence.

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Italy is a member of the European Union and the Schengen Area, but the immigration requirements that apply depend on nationality, the purpose of the move and the intended length of stay. EU citizens benefit from freedom of movement, while most non-EU nationals moving to Italy for work or residence require the appropriate immigration permission.

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Whether you are relocating to Italy, transferring employees, working remotely, investing in an Italian business or joining family, Hudson McKenzie can assess the available routes and manage the immigration process from initial eligibility through to visa and residence permit stages.

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Speak to our team to identify the appropriate Italian immigration route for your circumstances.

Italy is part of the Schengen Area. Non-EU nationals who require a visa for short visits will generally need a Schengen visa for stays of up to 90 days in any 180-day period.

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Business Visa — The Italian Business Visa is intended for eligible short-term business activities such as attending business meetings, negotiations and commercial discussions, conferences and seminars, trade fairs and exhibitions, and other permitted temporary business activities. A business visa does not generally provide permission to take up local employment in Italy.

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Tourism & Private Visits — Depending on nationality, travellers may require a Schengen short-stay visa for tourism, family visits and other private travel.

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	Business Visit	Tourist/Private Visit
Purpose	Meetings, negotiations, conferences and permitted business activities	Tourism, private visits and leisure
Local employment permitted	No	No
Maximum Schengen stay	Generally 90 days in any 180-day period	Generally 90 days in any 180-day period
Visa required	Depends on nationality	Depends on nationality

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Visa requirements depend on nationality, residence and the intended activities in Italy. Hudson McKenzie can assess whether a visa is required and whether the proposed activities are permitted as a business visitor.

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Non-EU nationals who intend to work in Italy for longer periods will generally require appropriate work authorisation and a long-stay national visa before taking up employment.

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For many employed-worker applications, the Italian employer must first obtain a Nulla Osta, or work authorisation, through the competent immigration authorities. The worker can then proceed with the relevant visa application.

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Italy operates several employment routes, including routes falling within the annual Decreto Flussi quota system and specialist categories that may operate outside the standard quotas.

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Subordinate Employment — This route is for non-EU nationals taking up employment with an Italian employer. Depending on the role and circumstances, the application may be subject to annual immigration quotas. The employer normally initiates the work-authorisation process in Italy before the employee applies for the corresponding visa.

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Seasonal Employment — Seasonal work permits are available for qualifying temporary employment, particularly in sectors such as agriculture and tourism. Seasonal admissions are governed by Italy's immigration quota system and are subject to the allocations available for the relevant year.

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Intra-Company Transfers — Intra-company immigration routes can allow eligible managers, specialists and certain employees to transfer from an overseas company to a related entity in Italy. These routes are particularly relevant to multinational employers moving key personnel into their Italian operations.

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Service Agreement & Specialist Assignments — Specific immigration provisions may apply where overseas employees are required in Italy to provide services under qualifying contractual arrangements or fall within specialist categories under Italian immigration law.

The Decreto Flussi quota window and its 2026 application dates are covered in detail in our Insight article: Italy Announces New Immigration Decree for 2026-2028.

Hudson McKenzie works with employers and international mobility teams to determine the appropriate immigration category, coordinate work authorisation and support the employee through the visa and residence process.

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The EU Blue Card is an important Italian immigration route for highly qualified non-EU professionals who have qualifying employment in Italy. It is designed for workers with the required professional qualifications or experience who have a qualifying job offer or employment contract meeting the applicable requirements.

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Unlike many standard Italian employment routes, the EU Blue Card is an out-of-quota route, meaning it is not dependent on the annual Decreto Flussi allocation.

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	EU Blue Card	Standard Work Route
Best suited to	Highly qualified professionals	Wider range of eligible workers
Italian job/employment required	Yes	Usually
Qualification requirements	High professional qualification/experience requirements apply	Depends on route
Annual quota	Outside standard quotas	May be quota-controlled
Employer involvement	Yes	Yes

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Recent procedural changes have also shortened the statutory period for the Italian authorities to decide certain EU Blue Card work-authorisation applications.

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Hudson McKenzie can assess whether a role and candidate meet the EU Blue Card requirements and manage the immigration process for the employer and employee.

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Italy's Digital Nomad and Remote Worker Visa allows qualifying non-EU nationals to live in Italy while carrying out highly qualified work remotely. There are two principal categories:

‍Digital Nomad: Generally intended for highly qualified individuals carrying out self-employed or freelance activity using technology that enables them to work remotely.‍
Remote Worker: Intended for highly qualified employees or qualifying collaborators who can carry out their work remotely. The employer or client may be based in Italy or abroad, subject to the applicable requirements.

Applicants must satisfy requirements relating to professional qualifications or experience, income, health insurance, accommodation and previous professional experience.

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	Digital Nomad	Remote Worker
Working arrangement	Self-employed/freelance	Employment or qualifying collaborative relationship
Work carried out remotely	Yes	Yes
Highly qualified status required	Yes	Yes
Income requirement	Yes	Yes
Health insurance required	Yes	Yes
Accommodation evidence	Yes	Yes

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The Digital Nomad Visa should not be confused with the Elective Residence Visa. The Digital Nomad route permits qualifying professional activity, whereas Elective Residence is intended for financially self-sufficient applicants who do not intend to work in Italy.

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Hudson McKenzie can review your professional status, remote-working arrangements and supporting evidence before preparing the visa application.

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The Investor Visa for Italy provides a residence route for qualifying non-EU investors making an approved investment or philanthropic donation in Italy. The programme currently provides four principal qualifying options:

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Investment Route	Minimum Qualifying Amount
Italian innovative startup	€250,000
Italian limited company	€500,000
Philanthropic initiative	€1 million
Italian government bonds	€2 million

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The process begins with an application for a Nulla Osta from the Investor Visa for Italy Committee. Once the Nulla Osta has been issued, the applicant can apply for a two-year Investor Visa through the relevant Italian diplomatic or consular authority.

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Following arrival in Italy, the applicant must apply for the corresponding residence permit and complete the qualifying investment or donation within the required period.

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The Investor Visa can be particularly attractive to entrepreneurs and high-net-worth individuals because it is not dependent on an Italian employer sponsoring the applicant.

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Hudson McKenzie can advise on the immigration requirements, coordinate the application process and work alongside the client's investment, tax and other professional advisers where required.

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The Elective Residence Visa is designed for financially self-sufficient non-EU nationals who want to establish long-term residence in Italy without working. It is frequently considered by retirees and individuals who have sufficient independent or passive income to support themselves while living in Italy.

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Applicants must demonstrate adequate and stable financial resources, suitable accommodation and the intention to reside in Italy. Income from taking up employment in Italy is not the basis of this route.

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	Elective Residence	Digital Nomad / Remote Worker
Designed for	Financially independent residents	Highly qualified remote professionals
Working in Italy	Not the purpose of the route	Permitted within route conditions
Independent financial resources	Essential	Income requirements apply
Accommodation required	Yes	Yes
Best suited to	Retirees and financially self-sufficient applicants	Remote employees, consultants and freelancers

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Choosing the wrong route can create difficulties where an applicant intends to continue professional activity after moving to Italy. Hudson McKenzie can assess the intended lifestyle, source of income and working arrangements before an application is made.

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Italy also provides immigration routes for certain non-EU nationals intending to undertake self-employed professional, entrepreneurial or commercial activity. Depending on the proposed activity, applicants may need to demonstrate professional authorisations, financial resources, accommodation and compliance with Italian regulatory requirements. Some self-employment categories are subject to annual immigration quotas.

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Special provisions may also apply to entrepreneurs establishing qualifying business activities in Italy.

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The correct immigration structure depends heavily on the nature of the business, the applicant's professional status and whether the proposed activity falls within a regulated profession.

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Hudson McKenzie can assess the immigration options for entrepreneurs, independent professionals and international businesses establishing operations in Italy.

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Why Choose Hudson McKenzie

Hudson McKenzie supports individuals, families, entrepreneurs and international businesses with Italian immigration and global mobility matters.

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Our team can assist with:

assessing the appropriate Italian visa or residence route;
work permit and Nulla Osta applications;
EU Blue Card applications;
Digital Nomad and Remote Worker visas;
Investor Visa applications;
Elective Residence applications;
family reunification;
residence permit procedures;
long-term residence and citizenship matters;
corporate immigration and employee transfers;
consular application preparation;
document review and application strategy; and
apostille, legalisation and translation support.

For businesses, we coordinate immigration requirements for international assignments, new hires and employee transfers into Italy. For private clients, we provide a structured assessment of the available residence options based on work, investment, family circumstances and long-term plans.

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Hudson McKenzie has offices in London, Dubai and Riyadh and provides global immigration coverage across more than 180 countries through its international network.

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Planning to work, invest, relocate or join family in Italy? Contact Hudson McKenzie for an assessment of your Italian visa and immigration options.

Disclaimer: The information provided on this page is for general guidance only and does not constitute legal advice. Italian and EU immigration rules, visa requirements, financial thresholds, quotas and procedures are subject to change. Requirements may also vary according to nationality and the Italian diplomatic mission processing the application. Please contact Hudson McKenzie for advice tailored to your circumstances.