Italy’s self-employment visa (or visto per lavoro autonomo) allows non-EU citizens to legally reside in Italy while working for themselves.
These include professional service providers, entrepreneurs who invest at least €500,000 and create at least three new jobs, accomplished artists and founders of “innovative start-ups”.
Meanwhile, the digital nomad/remote worker visa is available to two categories of “highly skilled” applicants: “digital nomads” who are freelancers, consultants or other independent specialists, and “remote workers” – employees of companies based outside the EU who can perform their work completely remotely.
With many freelancers potentially qualifying for one or even both types of visa, we take a look at what distinguishes the two.
Number of visas available
One of the biggest advantages of the digital nomad visa is that there’s no cap on the number of visas the government can issue.
The Ministry of the Interior puts limits to the number of self-employment visas granted to citizens of non-EU countries.
In 2024, just 700 self-employment visas were available, with an additional 730 visas allocated for 2025.
READ ALSO: How to apply for Italy's notoriously difficult self-employment visa
Self-employment applications are processed on a first-come, first-served basis, with immigration lawyers describing the self-employment visa as “hard and uncertain”.
Skills and experience
The digital nomad visa requires applicants to be "highly skilled", which is defined as having a three-year university or college degree, an accredited professional licence, or five years of professional experience.
The law doesn’t specify that the degree should be in the same field in which the applicant works, but a consulate could decide to interpret the requirement that way.
Even with a degree or licence, applicants must also have six months of experience in their professional field.
Applicants for the self-employment visa must show they qualify for one of the statutory categories, with each consulate requesting different types of proof.
Income and proof of earnings
One benefit of the self-employment visa is that applicants only need to demonstrate €8,500 in annual income, which they can demonstrate with a tax return.
However, they must also request a statement from the chamber of commerce (Camera di Commercio) of the area they will be living in describing the commercial or professional activities they will be undertaking (parametri di riferimento).
READ ALSO: How easy is it to get Italy's new digital nomad visa?
Digital nomads must demonstrate annual earnings of at least €24,789 and get a “letter of collaboration” from clients outlining their current and upcoming commissions.
Health insurance
Digital nomads must provide a letter or certificate of travel medical insurance that covers medical expenses, hospitalisations and repatriation for health reasons.
The coverage cannot be less than €30,000 and must be valid for the entire time the digital nomad is in Italy.
Self-employed workers, on the other hand, do not need to show proof of health insurance and can register with Italy’s national healthcare system free of charge.
Background checks
Applicants seeking a self-employment work visa must submit a nulla osta (security clearance) issued within the previous 90 days by the police headquarters (Questura) in the province where they plan to live.
The digital nomad visa only requires a letter from an employer or a self-certification guaranteeing that the applicant hasn’t been convicted of any crimes in the past five years.
However, certain consulates might also request a background check from the digital nomad’s home country, so it’s best to check individual consulate requirements.
What they have in common
In both cases, the worker must apply for a residency permit (permesso di soggiorno) within eight days of arriving in Italy.
Both types of workers will be considered tax residents of Italy and will need to file Italian tax returns.
READ ALSO: How does Italy decide if I'm a tax resident in the country?
Both visas also require proof of housing in Italy, and allow the worker to sponsor a family visa for a spouse or a child under 18.
The consular fee should be the same for both types of visa.
Please note that The Local is unable to advise on specific cases. For further information about the digital nomad visa or the self-employment visa and how the rules may apply in your situation, contact your nearest Italian consulate or embassy.
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