Moving to Italy: The digital nomad visa explained and working remotely from Italy
Moving to Italy, a country infamous for its red tape, can seem like a daunting task. Our new newsletter is here to answer your questions - this time we're looking at the new digital nomad visa and the realities of working remotely from Italy.
Here at The Local we're an international team living in Italy - which means we've either grown up navigating Italian bureaucracy or been through the simultaneously exciting and nerve-wracking process of moving countries.
Our new newsletter is aimed at people who are in the process of moving, have recently moved and are still grappling with the paperwork or perhaps are just thinking about it - and we'll share a regular selection of practical tips. Our team is also available to answer questions from subscribers to The Local.
Applying for the digital nomad visa
If you'd like to move to Italy but haven't yet found a suitable visa, you may have seen reports that the country has made a new one available: the 'digital nomad' visa or visto per nomadi digitali e lavoratori da remoto.
News that this long-awaited visa, first approved back in 2022, had finally been implemented sparked excitement in international circles, but questions remain about when applications open and how to access it.
We spoke to Nick Metta of Studio Legale Metta, an expert in Italian immigration law, who told us that the decree is already in force and you should already be able to book an appointment and apply through your local Italian consulate.
However, he notes, some consulates "might be particularly strict and just refuse to take it in. Then at that point, you just need to wait a little bit."
Italy's new digital nomad visa gives a new option to people hoping to work and travel in the country. Photo by Tanya Lapko on Unsplash
How easy is it to get the DNV?
At face value, the digital nomad visa looks like the first real chance for non-EU nationals of working age to move to Italy without a job offer from an Italian company - but how easy is it to obtain in practice?
Metta told us that as it stands, the law seems relatively lenient, but he anticipates that future amendments will tighten eligibility restrictions.
"So people who want it, I recommend go for it," he told us.
That doesn't mean that the law as it stands doesn't contain various hurdles, or that individual consulates can't throw up a few of their own.
We discussed some of the ways in which the requirements for this visa were more generous than experts would have predicted, as well as potential obstacles to making a successful application.
Italy's digital nomad visa has generated significant buzz - but how easy is it to get? Photo by Ling App on Unsplash
What's it like to work remotely from Italy?
Getting an Italian digital visa may be a dream for many - but what are the realities of working remotely from Italy?
Our reporter Silvia Marchetti recommends that if you depend on 24/7 access to a high-speed internet connection to make a living, you'll want to do some careful research before you land.
Silvia lives in the Lazio countryside, not far from Rome, where she says "I had to forsake all internet providers because there was simply no wifi infrastructure.
"I was forced to subscribe to Starlink, which is a satellite provider used by yachts and campers that constantly move around in isolated places like the sea, mountains, and canyons."
That doesn't mean there aren't plenty of ways to work around these issues, or that you can't get a decent internet connection in many parts of the country; but it's best to come prepared.
Questions
The Local's Reader Questions section covers questions our members have asked us and is a treasure trove of useful info on all kinds of practical matters. If you can't find the answer you're looking for, head here to leave us your questions.
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Here at The Local we're an international team living in Italy - which means we've either grown up navigating Italian bureaucracy or been through the simultaneously exciting and nerve-wracking process of moving countries.
Our new newsletter is aimed at people who are in the process of moving, have recently moved and are still grappling with the paperwork or perhaps are just thinking about it - and we'll share a regular selection of practical tips. Our team is also available to answer questions from subscribers to The Local.
Applying for the digital nomad visa
If you'd like to move to Italy but haven't yet found a suitable visa, you may have seen reports that the country has made a new one available: the 'digital nomad' visa or visto per nomadi digitali e lavoratori da remoto.
News that this long-awaited visa, first approved back in 2022, had finally been implemented sparked excitement in international circles, but questions remain about when applications open and how to access it.
We spoke to Nick Metta of Studio Legale Metta, an expert in Italian immigration law, who told us that the decree is already in force and you should already be able to book an appointment and apply through your local Italian consulate.
However, he notes, some consulates "might be particularly strict and just refuse to take it in. Then at that point, you just need to wait a little bit."
How easy is it to get the DNV?
At face value, the digital nomad visa looks like the first real chance for non-EU nationals of working age to move to Italy without a job offer from an Italian company - but how easy is it to obtain in practice?
Metta told us that as it stands, the law seems relatively lenient, but he anticipates that future amendments will tighten eligibility restrictions.
"So people who want it, I recommend go for it," he told us.
That doesn't mean that the law as it stands doesn't contain various hurdles, or that individual consulates can't throw up a few of their own.
We discussed some of the ways in which the requirements for this visa were more generous than experts would have predicted, as well as potential obstacles to making a successful application.
What's it like to work remotely from Italy?
Getting an Italian digital visa may be a dream for many - but what are the realities of working remotely from Italy?
Our reporter Silvia Marchetti recommends that if you depend on 24/7 access to a high-speed internet connection to make a living, you'll want to do some careful research before you land.
Silvia lives in the Lazio countryside, not far from Rome, where she says "I had to forsake all internet providers because there was simply no wifi infrastructure.
"I was forced to subscribe to Starlink, which is a satellite provider used by yachts and campers that constantly move around in isolated places like the sea, mountains, and canyons."
That doesn't mean there aren't plenty of ways to work around these issues, or that you can't get a decent internet connection in many parts of the country; but it's best to come prepared.
Questions
The Local's Reader Questions section covers questions our members have asked us and is a treasure trove of useful info on all kinds of practical matters. If you can't find the answer you're looking for, head here to leave us your questions.
Join the conversation in our comments section below. Share your own views and experience and if you have a question or suggestion for our journalists then email us at [email protected].
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