As an American, you can visit Italy for up to three months visa-free. But what if you want to stay longer?
Whether you’re dreaming of working remotely from the rolling hills of Tuscany or retiring to a Sicilian seaside village, the promise of la dolce vita can be tempting.
But while moving from the US to Italy is absolutely doable – I’ve done it more than once – it comes with a number of challenges.
To help you plan your move, here are some of the most significant bumps in the road you may face on your relocation journey.
There are only 10 Italian consulates in the US
If you’re planning to move to Italy for more than 90 days, you’ll need a visa.
The exact type of visto will depend on your personal situation, with common visa routes including study, retirement, employment, self-employment and family reunification.
Visas are issued by Italian embassies or consulates by appointment only, with applicants required to attend an in-person interview and have their fingerprints taken.
There are currently 10 Italian consulates in the US: Boston, Chicago, Detroit, Philadelphia, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New York, San Francisco, and Washington, D.C.
READ ALSO: Americans in Italy: What can US consulates help you with?
If you’re not in or near one of those metropolitan areas, you’ll have to find (and fund) your way there for the appointment – no exceptions.
My “nearest” Italian consulate was in Chicago – an eight-hour drive from my hometown.
I made that trip four times to get the different types of visas I needed over the years, spending thousands on flights and hotels.
There are some documents you can only get in the US
Take it from someone who learned the hard way: you don’t want to leave the country before being absolutely sure that you have all the documents you need.
While American embassies and consulates in Italy can issue many documents, including replacement passports, some can only be applied for in the US.
For instance, you can only get an Apostille seal from your Secretary of State’s office in the US.
An Apostille seal or stamp certifies the validity of an original document, allowing it to be used for official purposes in Italy.
These seals are required to authenticate many documents, including school diplomas and certificates of birth, death, marriage or divorce.
Whether or not you need an Apostille will depend on the reason for your move.
You may have to secure accommodation in Italy to get your visa
Depending on the type of visa you apply for, you may need to provide proof of travel to Italy (usually, airline tickets), as well as evidence of suitable accommodation in the country.
The exact requirements for proof of outbound travel and housing vary by visa route.
For instance, the elective residency visa – one of the most popular options for foreign retirees looking to relocate to Italy – requires applicants to provide one-way travel tickets to Italy, as well as a property ownership deed for an Italian property or a long-term rental agreement.
READ ALSO: EXPLAINED: How to find a long-term apartment rental in Italy
Student visa requirements are more lenient, accepting short-term accommodation such as hotel reservations or short-term lets.
The bottom line is: depending on the visa route you opt for, you may face significant expenses without any guarantee that your visa will ultimately be approved.
In my experience, the best thing to do is to purchase refundable flights and secure accommodation that’s at least partially refundable, even if this means spending more for the flexibility.
Expect bureaucratic fees to pile up
Moving abroad is always expensive, and Italy is no exception.
In addition to ordinary relocation expenses (travel tickets, shipping of personal belongings, etc.), don’t forget to set aside a nest egg to pay for the seemingly endless fees that crop up along the journey.
Moving to Italy involves plenty of bureaucratic fees. Most of them are small – €50 here, €20 there – but they do add up over time.
To give a few examples, when you apply for your visa, you’ll have to submit a money order or cashier’s check for the visa fee, which currently stands at €116 ($131.30).
The amount changes quarterly depending on the conversion rate between euros and dollars.
When you arrive in Italy, you’ll need to apply for a residency permit (permesso di soggiorno); here, the application fee ranges from €40 to €100 depending on the type of permit and the length of your stay.
You’ll also need to attach a revenue stamp (marca da bollo) to your permit application. This costs €16 and can be purchased at your local tobacco store (tabaccheria).
I’ve spent hundreds on these pesky stamps throughout my time in Italy, as they’re required for just about every official document in Italy.
Finally, having any documents translated and certified by a sworn translator can also cost a pretty penny in Italy.
READ ALSO: How much should you pay for a 'sworn translation' in Italy?
When I got married in Italy, we paid around €200 to translate various documents, including my birth certificate, from English to Italian.
Finding a place to rent can be difficult
Finding a place to rent in Italy can be difficult, especially in major cities like Rome, Florence and Milan, which are currently experiencing severe housing shortages.
Finding suitable long-term accommodation can be even harder if you try to do it while you’re still in the US.
In Italy, it’s commonplace to negotiate the terms of your rental agreement directly with private owners.
This can be a culture shock for Americans used to renting from leasing and management companies, where everything – from paying rent to routine maintenance – is organised, formal and impersonal.
READ ALSO: Checklist: How to move to Italy as an American
If you don’t have an established network of friends or family in Italy to help you find a place to rent, or don’t want to shell out hundreds of euros in agency fees, your best bet is to book a short-term stay through an official provider such as Airbnb or Spotahome.
This may not get you anywhere closer to securing long-term accommodation, and you may end up paying over the odds, but it’s the best temporary solution I’ve found.
Booking a room or apartment for a couple of months will give you a place to stay while you search for a more permanent place after arriving in Italy.
Please note: a short-term stay may not always be a viable option, as some visa applications require applicants to provide proof of accommodation for the entire duration of their planned stay.
Be sure to check your specific visa requirements before booking any accommodation in Italy.
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