Moving to Italy from the USA: Visas, Residency and Citizenship for Americans

Moving to Italy from the United States takes more planning than most Americans expect. You can visit for up to 90 days in any 180-day period without a visa, although the EU's new ETIAS online travel authorization is scheduled to start in late 2026, so check whether it applies before you fly. Living in Italy, however, means getting a long-stay (type D) national visa before you travel, then a residence permit after you arrive. This guide explains the main routes for US citizens in 2026, what each one requires, and the US-side issues people often miss.

Requirements change and vary by consulate. Check the Italian consulate that serves your US state before you apply.

Which route fits you?

Elective Residence Visa (no work in Italy)

This is the usual route for retirees and anyone living on passive income such as pensions, investments or rental income.

• You can't work in Italy on this visa, and income from active work generally doesn't count.
• There is no single national income figure, but consulates commonly look for roughly €31,000–32,000 a year for one person, and more for a partner.
• You'll normally need a registered lease or property deed in Italy, health insurance, a clean criminal record and proof of income.
• The visa is issued for one year. After you arrive, you apply for a residence permit (permesso di soggiorno), which can be renewed while you still meet the conditions.

Digital Nomad (Remote Worker) Visa

This is for people who work remotely for employers or clients outside Italy.

• Applicants must qualify as highly skilled, generally a university degree or several years of relevant experience.
• The income benchmark in 2026 is around €28,000 gross a year, from work you'll do while in Italy.
• You need accommodation in Italy, health insurance and usually several months of bank statements.
• You apply at the Italian consulate in the country where you legally live, not from inside Italy.
• The reported fee is about €116, and processing times differ a lot between consulates.

For the full list of requirements and documents, read our Italy digital nomad visa guide.

Citizenship by descent

The rules narrowed sharply in March 2025. In broad terms, you need a parent or grandparent who was born in Italy and who held only Italian citizenship at the relevant time, or you must fit one of a few narrow exceptions. Italy's Constitutional Court upheld the reform in 2026, although some related cases have been referred to the EU Court of Justice, so the situation may still change. If you have Italian ancestors, get your family documents reviewed before you assume you qualify.

Other routes

Study visas, employer-sponsored work permits and investor visas also exist. Buying a home in Italy does not, by itself, give you residency.

After you land: the first steps

1. Apply for your permesso di soggiorno within eight working days of arriving, using the kit available at the post office.
2. Get your codice fiscale (Italian tax code). You'll need it for a lease, a bank account and utilities.
3. Register your residence with your local comune.
4. Arrange health coverage as your visa type requires.

US-specific money issues

• US citizens are taxed on worldwide income wherever they live, so you keep filing US returns.
• The Foreign Earned Income Exclusion applies to earned income, not to pensions or Social Security.
• Foreign accounts may require FBAR reporting once combined balances pass $10,000.
• Medicare generally doesn't cover care in Italy.
• Spending more than 183 days a year in Italy usually makes you an Italian tax resident. Some newcomers qualify for special regimes, such as the impatriate regime, but eligibility is narrow.

Talk to a cross-border tax adviser before you move.

Common mistakes

• Applying before you have a lease or property deed.
• Using remote-work income for an Elective Residence Visa.
• Assuming a property purchase gives you residency.
• Skipping the apostille and translation of documents your consulate asks for (our apostille and document legalisation checklist shows what each country expects).
• Overstaying the 90-day limit while waiting for paperwork.
• Relying on ancestry without checking the new rules.

How we can help

Antonov & Partners helps you choose the right visa, prepare and legalize documents, find housing and plan your arrival. We don't guarantee visa decisions, which rest with the Italian authorities. Before you hire anyone, our checklist for choosing a relocation consultant and avoiding visa scams is worth a read. Book a consultation and tell us your citizenship, your goal and your timeline.

This article is general information, not legal or tax advice.