The Italian ‘digital nomad visa’ was accepted and signed into law this week after weeks of discussion.
Italy appears to be on the verge of joining EU countries such as Germany and Portugal in granting a special visa to remote workers from outside the EU.
Italy’s ‘decreto sostegni ter,’ a government decree approved in January and enacted into law on March 28th, contains a provision for a new digital nomad visa. The new digital nomad visa is expected to make moving to Italy far easier than the present visa alternatives, which immigration experts say are only feasible for a small number of persons with remote working arrangements.
However, the details of the new visa are still being finalized, so it’s unclear how much easier the process will be.
As told to The Local:
“We are happy to have approved the proposal but we are also aware of the next steps. The government has to work on a new bill to implement the law, defining all the procedures and details. We worked all along with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on this and we are sure they will lead this process.”Luca Carabetta, Five Star Movement MP
This means that the Italian government may take some time to publish complete information on the visa application process and requirements.
The text of the bill stated that the visa will be for those “who carry out highly qualified work activities through the use of technological tools that allow them to work remotely, autonomously or for a company that is not resident in the territory of the Italian state.”
According to the financial newspaper Il Sole 24 Ore, “highly qualified” workers encompass everyone from university professors to circus staff, mariners, and professional nurses.
These specialists will not be subject to the annual quotas imposed by Italy’s decreto flussi (foreign workers’ quota), according to Il Sole, but their admission is in any event subject to the issuing of a work permit, which must be obtained by their company.
According to Carabetta, the approval provides for “the establishment of a dedicated visa and permit lasting one year, which can be extended for a further year and can be extended to the family unit of the remote worker”.
The application appears to have a minimum income criterion, albeit the amount is unknown at this time.
“Requirements for the remote worker are the availability of suitable accommodation, adequate income, health insurance, and a clean criminal record.”Luca Carabetta
Currently, self-employment visas, intra-company visas, and the EU Blue Card are among the visa alternatives accessible to non-EU remote workers relocating to Italy.
Just like many other EU countries, Spain too had introduced the digital nomad visa in 2021 and other European countries continue to promote the digital nomad economy in various ways.
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