Italy Elective Residence Visa (ERV)

Ready Your Documents for Submission

Make sure all required documents are up-to-date and properly legalized (apostilled if required) before scheduling your visa appointment to prevent delays. You will need the following:

✓ Passport (Valid) with Photocopies
(Passport or other travel document accepted by Schengen countries valid for at least three months after the end of your visa period - your passport will be temporarily kept and returned once the Elective Residence Visa is issued)

✓ Proof of Address (Non-US citizens applying from the U.S. only)
(Recent driver’s license, tax return, utility bill, U.S. alien registration card, or similar document showing your registered residential address in the U.S.)

✓ Evidence of Stable Passive Income
(Properly documented income of at least 31,000 € per year for single applicants, with an additional 20% for a spouse and 5% for each dependent underage child - through official letters from banks, financial advisors, financial institutions, Social Security offices, or similar entities, along with the last two years of your income tax returns)

✓ Cover Letter
(You must provide a cover letter outlining your reasons for applying for the Elective Residence Visa, how you intend to support yourself without employment, and your plans for establishing your life in Italy)

✓ Proof of Health insurance
(Travel health insurance of at least 30,000€ from an international or Italy-based insurer covering the entire duration of your visa, typically 12 months. Some consulates may accept a signed declaration stating that you will purchase Italian health insurance upon arrival)

✓ Proof of Accommodation
(Signed lease, with proof that the landlord has registered the property with the Italian Tax Authority, purchase agreement, or property deed in your name, covering the full duration of the visa. Short-term rentals (such as Airbnb or hotels) are not accepted. If your family will join you later, you must also provide proof that your accommodation is suitable and roomy enough for all dependents)

✓ Criminal Background Check(s)
(Apostilled police clearance certificate from your country of citizenship, or, if you have lived abroad in the 12 months before your application, from your country of last residence. This document is also required for your spouse and any children aged 16+)

🕛  3 - 4 weeks

Apply for the Digital Nomad Visa

Make an appointment with the Italian embassy/consulate closest to your current place of residence, and submit all required documents. It can take up to two months to secure a slot. 

✓ Fill out the Visa Application Form
(Complete the long-stay national visa application form in full, printed and duly signed)

✓ Passport Photograph
(One recent color photograph meeting ICAO standards (40 mm × 35 mm), showing your full face in a front view. The photo must be securely glued in the designated area at the top of the application form)

Apply for the Residence Permit (Permesso di Soggiorno)

Once you have submitted your application, all that’s left to do is wait for the consulate to process it - usually within one to three months. The next step is to travel to Italy and apply for your Permesso di Soggiorno (Residence Permit) at a local post office within 8 working days of arrival.

✓ Submit the Permesso di Soggiorno Kit
(Ask for the yellow postal kit at a post office, complete the application form, and submit it together with copies of your passport and a 16€ revenue stamp (marca da bollo). You’ll then receive an appointment slip for the Questura on the spot)

✓ Questura Appointment
(The Questura is the Italian immigration office responsible for processing your Permesso di Soggiorno. You'll need to visit it with your appointment slip (ricevuta) and copies of all passport pages, and provide your biometrics (photo and fingerprints))

✓ Collect Your Residency ID
(When your Permesso di Soggiorno is ready, you'll collect it from the same Questura office where you submitted your biometrics)

🕛  4 - 8 weeks

Family Reunification (Optional)

After your Permesso di Soggiorno is granted, your immediate family members (spouse and underage children) become eligible to apply for residence through the family cohesion process (coesione familiare). First, you'll need to get 'Permesso di Soggiorno Application Kits' for your dependants from the Post Italiane office, and then submit them to get your appointment slips for the immigration office. The following documents are required for this step:

✓ Birth Certificate(s)
(Recent extract from the birth register for each underage child, issued within the past six months and apostilled)

✓ Extract from the Marriage Register
(You must submit a recent marriage or civil union certificate issued within the past six months and apostilled)

✓ Criminal Record Check
(For your spouse and children aged 16+: apostilled police certificate from their country of citizenship or, if they have lived abroad during the 12 months preceding their application, from their country of last residence, issued within the past six months)

✓ Proof of Financial Solvency
(You must demonstrate a 10% higher income for each accompanying family member)

🕛  4 weeks

Settling In

With your digital nomad visa in hand, you’re ready to start living, working, and taking advantage of Croatia’s nomad-friendly tax system.

✓ Collect Your Dependents’ Residency ID Cards
(Visit the same local administrative police station (MUP) with your dependents to confirm their biometrics (photo + fingerprints) and register their address if not already done, and pick up their ID cards when ready)

✓ Open Croatian Bank Accounts (If Needed)
(A local bank account simplifies paying rent and handling everyday transactions; an OIB number is required)

✓ Enroll Your Children in School
(If you have school-age children, enroll them in local schools - public or international)