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Visas in Italy

Citizens of the United States, Canada, Australia and New Zealand can stay up to 90 days in any 180-day period in the Schengen area without a visa. The Italian Foreign Ministry lists the United States as exempt on those terms; Canada's travel advice adds that your passport must be valid at least 3 months after you leave. A longer stay needs a national visa applied for before you travel. [V1] [V2] Australians get no extra days for Italy: Smartraveller's list of bilateral visa waivers that add days does not include it. New Zealand and Italy have a 1961 exchange of letters on visas, in force since 1 March 1961, but the record gives no length of stay, and the Wellington embassy's archived page advises not to rely on extra days. Plan on 90 days in any 180 unless Italy confirms more in writing. [V3] [V4] [V5]

What we found

The research, with its sources.

Research information, not advice. Rules change, so check the source before you act on one.

  • Citizens of the United States, Canada, Australia and New Zealand can stay up to 90 days in any 180-day period in the Schengen area without a visa. The Italian Foreign Ministry lists the United States as exempt on those terms; Canada's travel advice adds that your passport must be valid at least 3 months after you leave. A longer stay needs a national visa applied for before you travel. [V1] [V2]
  • Australians get no extra days for Italy: Smartraveller's list of bilateral visa waivers that add days does not include it. New Zealand and Italy have a 1961 exchange of letters on visas, in force since 1 March 1961, but the record gives no length of stay, and the Wellington embassy's archived page advises not to rely on extra days. Plan on 90 days in any 180 unless Italy confirms more in writing. [V3] [V4] [V5]
  • The EU's Entry/Exit System, fully operational since 10 April 2026, registers fingerprints and a facial image when non-EU visitors enter. The Government of Canada says ETIAS is not yet open for applications; Smartraveller's Italy page (June 2026) says it is due at the end of 2026, while its Schengen page (August 2026) says no date is confirmed. The start date is unconfirmed. [V6] [V2] [V7] [V3]
  • The national digital nomad / remote worker visa is for highly qualified people: employees of a company are 'remote workers' and freelancers are 'digital nomads'. You qualify through a recognised degree, or a higher professional qualification with at least five years of experience, plus at least six months of prior experience in the field. No work-permit clearance (nulla osta) is needed, and the permit lasts one year and is renewable while you keep your work, home and insurance. [V8] [V9] [V10] [V11]
  • The digital nomad income test is lawful income of at least three times the level that exempts someone from health-service co-payments. US consulates print €24,789 (written in 2024) and Ottawa €24,780; Sydney, Melbourne, Adelaide and Wellington print €25,500; a May 2026 embassy sheet from Tunis says about €27,000. Toronto's page prints no figure. To be safe, show more than €28,000 a year, and ask your consulate which figure it applies. [V8] [V12] [V13] [V14] [V15] [V11] [V16] [V17]
  • Other nomad-visa requirements: health insurance for the whole stay (at least €30,000 of cover in the US and Wellington) and a lease registered with the Revenue Agency or a deed, in your name for the whole visa period in Los Angeles and Melbourne. Remote employees also need a contract paying at least the collective-agreement level and not below the ISTAT average (about €33,500; Sydney and Melbourne print about €33,000). To be safe, a salary of more than €34,000. Melbourne also asks for funds of at least €10,000 for 365 days; to be safe, more than €11,000. [V9] [V11] [V14] [V13] [V10]
  • Elective residence is for people with stable income that does not come from work, and it allows no work. Consulates print about €31,000 a year per applicant (New York, Boston, Adelaide), about €32,000 (Toronto) and about €2,600 a month, or about €31,200 a year (Sydney, Melbourne); Ottawa prints no euro figure. To be safe, more than €33,000 a year per applicant. Wellington issues it for one year, not renewable, 'only issued on exceptional grounds', and asks you to contact it first. The Polizia di Stato says the EU long-term residence permit can be requested after five years with a valid residence permit. [V18] [V19] [V20] [V21] [V22] [V23] [V24] [V25]
  • Employee and self-employment visas fall under annual quotas. For 2027, 76,200 non-seasonal employee entries are authorised, with a click day on 16 February 2027, and 650 self-employment entries, with nulla osta applications pre-filled on the Interior Ministry's ALI portal from 23 October to 7 December 2026. An employee route needs an Italian employer to request the nulla osta first. Wellington's self-employment checklist asks for proof of income above €8,500 (to be safe, more than €8,600) and a declaration of at least €24,000 in reference assets (to be safe, more than €25,000). After arrival you apply for the permesso di soggiorno within 8 working days; the Wellington national visa fee is €116, charged in New Zealand dollars at a quarterly rate. [V26] [V27] [V28] [V29] [V10] [V30]

The Fernshore Index

How the Index grades visas, by passport.

Each grade is against a published measure, with its source and the date we checked it. It is research information, not advice. Where we have no figure, the row says Unknown.

  • Visa, United States passport

    85 of 100Strong

    Strong: A national remote worker and freelancer visa is open without a local job offer for a stay of a year, renewable while the conditions hold, with no minimum age and no deposit or investment. Income test about 24,800 to 27,000 euros a year (about US$27,800 to $30,300 at the ECB rate of 9 October 2026), well under the US$60,000 line. To be safe, have more than 28,000 euros a year. Needs a qualification, six months of experience and a registered lease.

    Source: Digital nomad / remote worker visa (New York consulate); Digital nomad / remote worker visa (Los Angeles consulate). Checked 15 October 2026.

  • Visa, Canada passport

    85 of 100Strong

    Strong: A national remote worker and freelancer visa is open without a local job offer for a stay of a year, renewable while the conditions hold, with no minimum age and no deposit or investment. Income test about 24,800 euros a year (about US$27,800 at the ECB rate of 9 October 2026), well under the US$60,000 line. To be safe, have more than 25,000 euros a year. Needs a qualification, six months of experience and suitable accommodation.

    Source: Digital nomad / remote worker visa (Ottawa embassy); Digital nomad and remote worker national visa (Toronto consulate). Checked 15 October 2026.

  • Visa, Australia passport

    85 of 100Strong

    Strong: A national remote worker and freelancer visa is open without a local job offer for a stay of a year, renewable while the conditions hold, with no minimum age and no deposit or investment. Income test about 25,500 euros a year (about US$28,600 at the ECB rate of 9 October 2026); a remote employee's contract must pay about 33,000 euros, still under the US$60,000 line. To be safe, have more than 26,000 euros a year. Needs a qualification, six months of experience and a registered lease.

    Source: Digital nomad / remote worker visa checklist (Sydney consulate); Digital nomad / remote worker visa checklist (Melbourne consulate); Schengen visa checklist: digital nomads and remote workers (Adelaide consulate). Checked 15 October 2026.

  • Visa, New Zealand passport

    85 of 100Strong

    Strong: A national remote worker and freelancer visa is open without a local job offer for a stay of a year, renewable while the conditions hold, with no minimum age and no deposit or investment. Income test about 25,500 euros a year (about US$28,600 at the ECB rate of 9 October 2026); a remote employee's contract must pay about 33,500 euros, still under the US$60,000 line. To be safe, have more than 26,000 euros a year. Needs a qualification, six months of experience and a registered lease.

    Source: Digital nomad / remote worker visa checklist (Wellington embassy). Checked 15 October 2026.

The country

More on Italy.

Topics

More about Italy.

Questions about Visas in Italy.

How long can you stay in Italy without a visa?

US, Canadian, Australian and New Zealand citizens can stay up to 90 days in any 180-day period across the Schengen area. Australians get no extra days for Italy (Smartraveller), and for New Zealanders the 1961 visa letters give no length of stay, so plan on 90. A longer stay needs a national visa before you travel.

Countries exempt from short-stay visas, Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs (esteri.it); Travel advice and advisories: Italy (entry and exit requirements), Government of Canada (travel.gc.ca); Travelling to Europe and the Schengen Area (archived copy), Smartraveller (Australian Government, DFAT), Internet Archive copy of 6 September 2026; Bilateral visa agreement (Wellington embassy, archived copy), Embassy of Italy in Wellington (Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs), Internet Archive copy of 30 April 2025; Exchange of Letters constituting an Agreement concerning Visas (New Zealand and Italy), New Zealand Treaties Online (Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade). Checked 15 October 2026

Read the long answer

Which Italian visa lets you work remotely, and for how long?

The national digital nomad / remote worker visa (freelancers are 'digital nomads', employees 'remote workers'), for highly qualified people. The permit lasts one year and is renewable while you keep your work, home and insurance. Income test: about €24,800 to €27,000 a year; to be safe, more than €28,000.

Digital nomad / remote worker visa (New York consulate), Consulate General of Italy in New York (Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs); Digital nomad / remote worker visa (Los Angeles consulate), Consulate General of Italy in Los Angeles (Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs); Digital nomad / remote worker visa (Ottawa embassy), Embassy of Italy in Ottawa (Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs); Entry visa for digital nomads and remote workers: information sheet, Embassy of Italy in Tunis (Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs), PDF dated May 2026 in its URL; Who are the digital nomads? How can they enter Italy?, Integrazionemigranti.gov.it (Italian Ministries of Labour and Interior portal). Checked 15 October 2026

Read the long answer

How do the employee and self-employment visas work?

Both fall under annual quotas. For 2027, 76,200 non-seasonal employee entries are authorised (click day 16 February 2027), and 650 self-employment entries, with nulla osta applications pre-filled on the ALI portal from 23 October to 7 December 2026. An employee also needs an employer to request the nulla osta first.

Decreto Flussi 2027: circular with operating instructions, Ministero del Lavoro e delle Politiche Sociali; Subordinate work visa requirements, Consulate General of Italy in New York (Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs); Independent work (self-employment visas), Consulate General of Italy in New York (Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs). Checked 11 October 2026

Read the long answer

How long does an Italian national visa take?

It varies by post. Ottawa gives up to 90 days for remote workers and 120 for digital nomads; Toronto says some national visas take 45 to 90 business days; Sydney, Melbourne and Perth give up to 30 days for remote employees and 120 for nomads. US consulate pages and Wellington's checklists state no time.

Digital nomad / remote worker visa (Ottawa embassy), Embassy of Italy in Ottawa (Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs); Digital nomad and remote worker national visa (Toronto consulate), Consulate General of Italy in Toronto (Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs); Digital nomad / remote salaried employment visa requirements, Consulate General of Italy in Sydney (Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs), PDF; Digital nomad / remote salaried employment visa information (Perth consulate), Consulate General of Italy in Perth (Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs); Digital nomad / remote worker visa (Los Angeles consulate), Consulate General of Italy in Los Angeles (Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs); Digital nomad / remote worker visa checklist (Wellington embassy), Embassy of Italy in Wellington (Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs), PDF. Checked 11 October 2026

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What happens after you arrive on a long-stay visa?

You apply for the permesso di soggiorno at the Questura within 8 working days; the government FAQ says you can start work once that application is filed. You also register your residence with the municipal registry (Turin sets 20 days from the move), and a tax code (codice fiscale) is issued with the permit.

Digital nomad / remote worker visa (Los Angeles consulate), Consulate General of Italy in Los Angeles (Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs); Who are the digital nomads? How can they enter Italy?, Integrazionemigranti.gov.it (Italian Ministries of Labour and Interior portal); Change of residence from abroad (Torino), Città di Torino; The tax code (codice fiscale): what it is and how to get it, Agenzia delle Entrate (Italian Revenue Agency). Checked 11 October 2026

Read the long answer

Sources

Where each figure comes from.

Every figure on this page links to the page we read, with the date we checked it.

  1. [K1] Digital nomad / remote worker visa (New York consulate), Consulate General of Italy in New York (Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs). Checked 15 October 2026. Undated page. A national visa for non-EU citizens who work remotely while living in Italy, for freelancers (digital nomads) and employees (remote workers); only for highly qualified people. Jurisdiction rules differ by consulate.
  2. [K3] Digital nomad / remote worker visa (Los Angeles consulate), Consulate General of Italy in Los Angeles (Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs). Checked 15 October 2026. Undated page, partly written in 2024. For US residents: income of at least three times the health-contribution exemption level from work done in Italy, a permit issued for one year and renewable at the Questura, no minimum age, no deposit or investment.
  3. [K4] Digital nomad / remote worker visa (Ottawa embassy), Embassy of Italy in Ottawa (Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs). Checked 15 October 2026. Undated page. For the Ottawa consular area: income from the previous fiscal year in the country of residence above 24,780 euros; qualification and six months of experience; no minimum age, no deposit or investment.
  4. [K5] Digital nomad and remote worker national visa (Toronto consulate), Consulate General of Italy in Toronto (Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs). Checked 15 October 2026. No clear date. For the Toronto consular area: same national visa, the page prints no euro income figure; no minimum age, no deposit or investment.
  5. [K6] Digital nomad / remote worker visa checklist (Sydney consulate), Consulate General of Italy in Sydney (Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs), PDF. Checked 15 October 2026. Undated checklist in the July 2026 upload folder. For New South Wales: income for the previous financial year of at least 8,500 euros x 3 (25,500 euros); no minimum age, no deposit or investment.
  6. [K7] Digital nomad / remote worker visa checklist (Melbourne consulate), Consulate General of Italy in Melbourne (Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs), PDF. Checked 15 October 2026. Undated checklist in the July 2026 upload folder. For Victoria and Tasmania: same figures as Sydney.
  7. [K8] Schengen visa checklist: digital nomads and remote workers (Adelaide consulate), Consulate General of Italy in Adelaide (Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs), PDF. Checked 15 October 2026. File name dated 14 August 2026. Prints 25,500 euros as three times the health-contribution exemption level.
  8. [K9] Digital nomad / remote worker visa checklist (Wellington embassy), Embassy of Italy in Wellington (Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs), PDF. Checked 15 October 2026. Undated checklist in the July 2026 upload folder. For New Zealand citizens or permanent residents: income for the previous financial year of at least 8,500 euros x 3 (25,500 euros); no minimum age, no deposit or investment.
  9. [V1] Countries exempt from short-stay visas, Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs (esteri.it). Checked 15 October 2026.
  10. [V2] Travel advice and advisories: Italy (entry and exit requirements), Government of Canada (travel.gc.ca). Checked 11 October 2026.
  11. [V3] Travelling to Europe and the Schengen Area (archived copy), Smartraveller (Australian Government, DFAT), Internet Archive copy of 6 September 2026. Checked 11 October 2026.
  12. [V4] Exchange of Letters constituting an Agreement concerning Visas (New Zealand and Italy), New Zealand Treaties Online (Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade). Checked 11 October 2026.
  13. [V5] Bilateral visa agreement (Wellington embassy, archived copy), Embassy of Italy in Wellington (Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs), Internet Archive copy of 30 April 2025. Checked 11 October 2026.
  14. [V6] Entry/Exit System, European Commission, Migration and Home Affairs. Checked 15 October 2026.
  15. [V7] Italy travel advice (archived copy), Smartraveller (Australian Government, DFAT), Internet Archive copy of 7 June 2026. Checked 11 October 2026.
  16. [V8] Digital nomad / remote worker visa (New York consulate), Consulate General of Italy in New York (Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs). Checked 15 October 2026.
  17. [V9] Digital nomad / remote worker visa (Los Angeles consulate), Consulate General of Italy in Los Angeles (Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs). Checked 11 October 2026.
  18. [V10] Who are the digital nomads? How can they enter Italy?, Integrazionemigranti.gov.it (Italian Ministries of Labour and Interior portal). Checked 11 October 2026.
  19. [V11] Digital nomad / remote worker visa checklist (Wellington embassy), Embassy of Italy in Wellington (Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs), PDF. Checked 11 October 2026.
  20. [V12] Digital nomad / remote worker visa (Ottawa embassy), Embassy of Italy in Ottawa (Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs). Checked 11 October 2026.
  21. [V13] Digital nomad / remote worker visa checklist (Sydney consulate), Consulate General of Italy in Sydney (Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs), PDF. Checked 11 October 2026.
  22. [V14] Digital nomad / remote salaried employment visa checklist (Melbourne consulate), Consulate General of Italy in Melbourne (Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs), PDF. Checked 11 October 2026.
  23. [V15] Schengen visa checklist: digital nomads and remote workers (Adelaide consulate), Consulate General of Italy in Adelaide (Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs), PDF. Checked 11 October 2026.
  24. [V16] Entry visa for digital nomads and remote workers: information sheet, Embassy of Italy in Tunis (Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs), PDF dated May 2026 in its URL. Checked 11 October 2026.
  25. [V17] Digital nomad and remote worker national visa (Toronto consulate), Consulate General of Italy in Toronto (Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs). Checked 11 October 2026.
  26. [V18] Elective residency (New York consulate), Consulate General of Italy in New York (Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs). Checked 15 October 2026.
  27. [V19] Elective residency (Boston consulate), Consulate General of Italy in Boston (Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs). Checked 11 October 2026.
  28. [V20] Elective residency (Toronto consulate), Consulate General of Italy in Toronto (Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs). Checked 11 October 2026.
  29. [V21] National visa checklist: elective residency (Adelaide consulate), Consulate General of Italy in Adelaide (Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs), PDF. Checked 11 October 2026.
  30. [V22] Elective residency visa checklist (Sydney consulate), Consulate General of Italy in Sydney (Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs), PDF. Checked 11 October 2026.
  31. [V23] Residency visa checklist (Melbourne consulate), Consulate General of Italy in Melbourne (Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs), PDF. Checked 11 October 2026.
  32. [V24] Elective residency visa checklist (Wellington embassy), Embassy of Italy in Wellington (Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs), PDF. Checked 11 October 2026.
  33. [V25] Permesso di soggiorno UE per soggiornanti di lungo periodo, Polizia di Stato (Italian Ministry of the Interior). Checked 15 October 2026.
  34. [V26] Decreto Flussi 2027: circular with operating instructions, Ministero del Lavoro e delle Politiche Sociali. Checked 11 October 2026.
  35. [V27] Subordinate work visa requirements, Consulate General of Italy in New York (Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs). Checked 11 October 2026.
  36. [V28] Independent work (self-employment visas), Consulate General of Italy in New York (Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs). Checked 11 October 2026.
  37. [V29] Self-employment visa checklist (Wellington embassy), Embassy of Italy in Wellington (Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs), PDF. Checked 11 October 2026.
  38. [V30] Cost for a visa and how to pay (Wellington embassy), Embassy of Italy in Wellington (Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs). Checked 11 October 2026.

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