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Moving to Italy from the US or the UK without an Italian job usually means one of two visas: elective residence, for people living on pensions, investments or rental income, or the digital nomad visa, for highly qualified remote workers. Neither lets you work for Italian employers, and the elective residence income test is set by each consulate rather than by law. Once you arrive you have eight working days to apply for your residence permit.
Italy is also the most expensive of the southern European countries we cover, but it offers foreign pensioners an unusual incentive: a 7% flat tax for moving to a small town in the south. This guide covers the visas, costs, healthcare and tax, with the official sources behind each.
Moving to Italy: the two main visas
Americans and Britons can visit for short stays without a visa (EU visa list), but living in Italy needs a national visa and then a permesso di soggiorno.
| Elective residence | Digital nomad / remote worker | |
|---|---|---|
| For | People living on passive income | Highly qualified remote workers and freelancers |
| Income | Consulate-set; €31,000 a year per applicant in Boston and Vancouver | At least 3× the healthcare-exemption income: €24,789 a year in Washington’s 2024 text |
| Work allowed | None | Remote work for clients or employers abroad |
| Other key tests | Registered lease or deed in your name | Degree, licensed profession or 5 years’ experience; employees need a €33,000 contract |
The elective residence visa accepts pensions, annuities, property income and investment returns, but not earnings from work (Washington). Vancouver’s checklist also states the figure and family increments (Vancouver checklist); London and Washington don’t publish a figure, so ask your own consulate what it expects. For comparison, Portugal’s D7 visa asks for about €11,000 a year and Spain’s non-lucrative visa €28,800 for one person.
The digital nomad visa in more detail
Applicants need a degree recognised in Italy, a licensed regulated profession or five years’ relevant experience, plus at least six months’ prior experience in the work, health insurance of at least €30,000 and a registered lease (Washington, 2026). Search results quote figures up to €28,000 for the income test; we found no official source for that amount. Self-employed visas for work in Italy run through a small annual quota and are a separate, harder route.
After you arrive
Apply for your permesso di soggiorno at the Questura within eight working days of entering Italy, according to the Washington embassy. Take your passport and visa, and expect to show supporting documents again.
For healthcare, residents outside the mandatory categories must either hold private insurance valid in Italy or register voluntarily with the national health service (SSN). Voluntary registration costs a percentage of worldwide income, with a legal minimum of €2,000 a year (D.Lgs. 286/1998, article 34); check the current amount with your local health authority, as it can be updated by decree.
What living in Italy costs
Italy’s price level for actual individual consumption was 98.0 in 2025, against an EU average of 100 (Eurostat). Housing and utilities sit below average at 91.4, but restaurants and accommodation are above it at 110.8, where Portugal and Spain are well below the EU average.
| Price level 2025 (EU = 100) | Italy | Spain | Portugal |
|---|---|---|---|
| Actual individual consumption | 98.0 | 91.1 | 85.3 |
| Restaurants and accommodation | 110.8 | 85.4 | 73.6 |
If costs are the deciding factor, our guides to moving to Portugal and moving to Spain cover the cheaper neighbours.
Taxes, including the 7% pensioner regime
You’re an Italian tax resident if, for most of the tax year, you’re registered as resident, have your home or main personal ties in Italy, or are physically present there (TUIR, article 2). In practice that means more than half the year.
Foreign pensioners can opt for a 7% substitute tax on all foreign income for up to ten years if they move their residence to a municipality of no more than 30,000 inhabitants in Sicily, Calabria, Sardinia, Campania, Basilicata, Abruzzo, Molise or Puglia, and weren’t Italian tax residents in the previous five years (TUIR, article 24-ter). Italy’s income tax code is due to be replaced from January 1, 2027 under a 2026 legislative decree, so check the regime’s status before planning around it.
How Italy compares for Americans
Italy suits people with solid passive income who want its towns and culture, and who are comfortable with more paperwork and less English than in Portugal. EF’s 2025 English Proficiency Index ranked Italy 59th, against 6th for Portugal and 36th for Spain (EF). Our ranking of the best countries for Americans to move to sets Italy against the other southern European options.
Frequently asked questions
Common questions about moving to Italy.
Can an American move to Italy?
Yes, with a national visa. People on passive income usually apply for elective residence; qualified remote workers for the digital nomad visa.
How much money do I need for Italy’s elective residence visa?
We found no figure in the law itself. Boston and Vancouver ask for €31,000 a year per applicant; check with your own consulate.
Can I work in Italy on an elective residence visa?
No. The visa doesn’t allow any work, and income from work doesn’t count toward the test.
What is Italy’s 7% flat tax for retirees?
An option for foreign pensioners who move to a southern municipality of up to 30,000 people: 7% on foreign income for up to ten years.
Is healthcare free in Italy for residents?
Residents outside the mandatory categories either buy private insurance or register with the SSN for a fee based on income, at least €2,000 a year.
How does Italy’s digital nomad visa compare?
Italy asked at least €24,789 a year in Washington’s 2024 text, likely more now, plus a qualifying degree or experience. Portugal’s digital nomad visa needs €3,680 a month and Spain’s €2,442 a month in 2026.
Is Italy more expensive than Spain or Portugal?
Yes, on Eurostat’s price levels for actual individual consumption in 2025: Italy 98.0, Spain 91.1 and Portugal 85.3.
Moving to Italy works best for people with steady passive income or qualified remote work who value its towns over the lowest costs: confirm your consulate’s income figure, plan the permesso di soggiorno for your first week, and, if you’re a pensioner, check whether a southern town and the 7% regime fit your plans.
Sources
- Elective residency visa (Boston)
- Elective residence visa checklist (Vancouver)
- Elective residency visa (Washington)
- Elective residence visa (London)
- Digital nomad and remote worker visa 2026 (Washington)
- D.Lgs. 286/1998 (Consolidated Immigration Act)
- TUIR (Income Tax Code), articles 2 and 24-ter
- Price level indices for household consumption (prc_ppp_ind_1)
- EF English Proficiency Index 2025: Italy
- Regulation (EU) 2018/1806 (visa list), Annex II
This guide is general information, not legal, tax or financial advice. Immigration and tax rules change often and depend on your circumstances. Check the official sources above and speak to a licensed professional before you apply or move. Read how we research and review in our editorial guidelines.