Immigrate to Italy from the UK: Visas and Residence Rules

For those who relocate to Italy from the UK after 1st of January 2021,new immigration procedures apply, as the British citizens are no longer EU individuals with the right of free movement within the EU. Thus, they now need to conform to immigration rules for third party nationals, which imply the issuance of visas.Our immigration lawyers in Italy can help Britons relocate in this country.

Quick Facts
Immigration requirements for short stays	Britons who arrive to Italy for short stays (up to 90 days in a period of 180 days) must have a valid passport with an expiration date of at least 3 months longer than the date when the individuals leave Italy.
Immigration requirements for long stays	Individuals who immigrate to Italy from the UK for long stays must have a valid visa that reflects the reason for which the persons arrived here.
Visa exemptions for British nationals	They apply solely for short stays and they are extended to all categories of Britons, including British Overseas Territories citizens and British protected persons.
Reasons of arrival for which visa exemptions are granted	For tourism, visiting family and friends, business-related events. For other situations, such as medical care, different policies and procedures can apply, even for short stays.
Can Britons travel to other European states visa-free?	Yes, this right is granted for short stays in Italy as well as for long stays. For the latter case, Britons are issued with an Italian visa, but if they want to travel to other European states they may do so without having to apply for a new visa.
Obligation to apply for a residence permit	This obligation appears in the case of those who immigrate to Italy from the UK and stay for over 90 days.
Reasons for which Britons can relocate to Italy for long stays	One can relocate to Italy from the UK for long stays via the following: – study (long-stay student visa); – remote work (digital nomad visa); – residence (residency visa); – retirement (elective residency visa – It can be used also by young persons as long as they obtain income from non-Italian source); – investments (investor visa).
Visa processing fees	EUR 116 (for long-stay visas, regardless of the purpose of the arrival), EUR 50 (student, post-graduate, apprenticeship, vocational training)
Residence permit fee (yes/no)	Yes
Where to apply for an Italian residence permit	The application is processed by the Ministry of the Interior, but the document is issued by the police headquarters (Questura).
Requirements to become an Italian permanent resident	The applicant can start the formalities for permanent residency after living in Italy for 5 years. He or she must present documents attesting lawful residence in Italy, source of income and Italian language proficiency.
Minimum residency for citizenship	Non-EU foreigners can start citizenship formalities based on their residency after 10 years of stay in the country.
Ways to acquire citizenship in Italy	Citizenship by naturalization (based on the years of residency), by descent, or by birth
Fee for citizenship formalities	EUR 250 (standard fee for citizenship), EUR 600 (for citizenship by descent), excluding legal/attorney fees
How we can help clients	Prepare the visa application file (when necessary), help in family relocation, assist in obtaining a residence permit, etc.

Are there any exemptions on the visa obligations for British nationals?

Starting with 1st January 2021, British citizens who stay in Italyfor a period of maximum 90 days in a 180 days period are not required to apply for a visa.

On what grounds can Britons stay visa-free in Italy?

Visa-free policies apply only for short-term stays which have the following reasons of travel:

tourism;
visiting family and friends;
participating in cultural, sports or business events;
participating in training or short-term studies.

Is it mandatory to apply for a visa for long-term stays?

Yes. British nationals who go to Italyfor long-term stays are required to apply for a visa suitable for the purpose of their relocation. The rule applies for all the legal grounds on which long-term visas can be issued in this country.

What visa types can British citizens obtain?

According to the law, foreigners are free to apply for any of the visas available in this country, provided that the foreigners qualify for the respective documents. Given thatBritons need to apply for a visa only for stays longer than 90 days, they may request any of the following:

student visa;
work visa;
self-employment visa;
elective residence visa;
golden visa (an investment visa that can open the possibility of acquiring permanent residency, provided that the conditions of the investment project are maintained).

What are the passport requirements?

Regardless if a Briton arrives to Italyfor short stays or if he/ she applies for immigration to Italy under one of the available visas, it is always necessary to have a valid passport issued by the British authorities. The Italian immigration institutions apply the Schengen area rules to third party foreigners, and by this, a valid passport means:

the document must have a date of issuance of less than 10 years, calculated at the moment when the person arrives in Italy;
the document’s expiry date must be 3 months past the day of the departure from the Schengen area.

How long does it take to obtain an Italian visa?

The visa processing times are estimated at minimum 30 days. The maximum duration of the process can increase to 90 days, depending on the reason of the arrival, but also based on the workload of the Italian immigration authorities.

Do I need to pay any processing fees?

Yes. All types of visas issued by theItalian authoritiesare charged with certain processing fees. For the processing of the long-term visa, the Italian governmental fee is EUR 116 (EUR 50 for study, apprenticeship and vocational training visas).

What other obligations do Britons have if they go to Italy on a long-term basis?

If British nationals stay in Italy on a long-term basis, they need to apply for a residence permit (issued as a separate document than the visa).

When do British nationals need to apply for the residence permit?

The residence permit must be obtained after they have been issued with a visa and after the arrival in the country. There is a deadline of 8 days since the day of entry in the state, during which any long-term visa holder is required to address the local police authorities.

The infographic below presents the current immigration formalities for UK nationals relocating to Italy:

When can a British national apply for permanent residency in Italy?

According to the law, a foreigner can obtain permanent residency after living in Italy for a continuous period of 5 years. The application must contain a variety of documents, including papers attesting the purpose of stay in the country (employment, family reunification, business, etc.).

When can Britons apply for citizenship in Italy?

In the majority of cases, Britons can acquirecitizenship in Italythrough naturalization(by years of residency). In this case, citizenship formalities can be started after 10 years of continuous living in Italy. More on this topic can be read here.

Is dual citizenship recognized in Italy?

Yes, foreigners can apply for dual citizenship in Italy in certain situations. Just like other European states, Italy grants the right to dual citizenship, but a set of conditions have to be satisfied and it must be noted that this applies only to certain categories of foreigners. For instance, one can apply for Italian-UK dual citizenship if the British citizen has certain ties with Italy.

What is the law applicable on immigration to Italy for British nationals?

Long stays are governed by the Italian Immigration Code (Legislative Decree 286/1998), while visa-free short stays follow EU Regulation 2019/592.

How many Britons live in Italy?

The British society is well represented in Italy, as there are around 60,000 British personscurrently living here.

If you need more details, please address our team of immigration lawyers in Italy, who can present more details on how toapply for Italian-UK dual citizenship.