Italy does not offer a direct Italy citizenship by investment program, but it does have the Italy Golden Visa, also known as the Investor Visa, which gives non-EU applicants a clear path to Italian residency and eventually citizenship. This program is open to individuals who make a significant contribution to the Italian economy, whether through donating to a government-approved project, purchasing Italian government bonds, or investing in an Italian company. While it doesn’t grant immediate citizenship, applicants who maintain legal residency, meet all requirements, and live in Italy for years may apply for citizenship through naturalization.

This article will explain how to obtain Italian citizenship through the Investor Visa. The guide will explore the different investment options available, the application process, the requirements, benefits, and, most importantly, the process of obtaining an Italian residence permit and citizenship. Here is more of what we will cover:

Is there an Italy Citizenship by Investment Program?

No, Italy does not offer a direct Citizenship by Investment (CBI) program. However, it does provide a Golden Visa, officially called the Investor Visa for Italy, which gives residency to non-EU nationals who make a qualifying investment in the country. 

This visa provides a two-year residence permit, which can be extended for three additional years. It does not directly lead to citizenship, but after residing in Italy for 10 years, including five years of permanent residence, you can apply for Italian citizenship by naturalization.

One of the main benefits of the Investor Visa is access to Italy’s tax advantages. Residents can pay lower income taxes and are not taxed on foreign assets under a special regime. The visa also makes it easier to live, work, and study in any EU country, and allows you to include immediate family members, like dependent parents. Importantly, there is no residency requirement to keep your permit, offering flexibility for investors who want long-term access to Europe without having to live in Italy full-time.

Why Become an Italian Citizen?

Obtaining Italian citizenship has several benefits, including having it as a Plan B passport. An Italian passport is one of the strongest in the world, offering visa-free access to numerous countries.

Here are more reasons to become an Italian citizen.

Access to the European Union: As an Italian and EU citizen, you can live, work, and study in nearly 30 countries in the Schengen Zone. This offers greater freedom for personal and professional opportunities across diverse cultures and economies.

A strong Italian passport: Italian citizenship lets you apply for one of the most powerful passports in the world. It gives visa-free or visa-on-arrival access to 174 countries, including the US, UK, New Zealand, and Japan. The Italian passport ranks 22nd on the Global Citizen Solutions Global Passport Index, making it a valuable travel document for international mobility.

Dual citizenship: Italy allows dual citizenship, so you can be an Italian citizen and keep your other nationality. If you have Italian ancestry, you might qualify for Italian citizenship by descent. You will need documents like birth and marriage certificates to prove your family line, and you can apply through an Italian consulate or directly in Italy.

Pass citizenship to your children: If you become an Italian citizen, your children and grandchildren can also become citizens, as long as your Italian family line stays unbroken. This rule is called jus sanguinis or right of blood.

Healthcare and education: As an Italian citizen, you can use Italy’s public healthcare system, which offers good medical care often at low or no cost. You can also access Italy’s respected universities, where affordable tuition and scholarships are available.

8 Benefits of the Italy Investor Visa Program

From being able to live in the Italian territory to visa-free travel across other Schengen zone countries, here are the top benefits the Italian Investor Visa holder enjoys.

  1. Enjoy Italy’s tax incentives and pay income tax at a reduced rate. The special tax regime also includes zero tax on foreign financial assets.
  2. Easily acquire a residence permit to live, work, and study in any EU country.
  3. Extend Italian residence permits to your entire family, including dependent parents.
  4. No minimum stay requirements to maintain Italian residency.
  5. A fast online application process to obtain an Italy Investment Visa.
  6. Fantastic quality of life in a stable and beautiful country.
  7. Gain an Italian permanent residence permit after five years.
  8. Eligibility for Italian nationality after ten years.

What types of investments qualify for Italian Golden Visa?

The Golden Visa in Italy offers several investment choices for foreign nationals. The options for this Italian visa are:

  • Startup Investment: Invest €250,000 in shares of an innovative startup already based and operating in Italy. The official list of eligible startups, updated weekly and free to access, is on the Startup. Registro imprese.It is managed by the Italian Chambers of Commerce.>
  • Investment in an Italian Company: Invest €500,000 in shares of a limited company based and operating in Italy. The company must be active and have filed at least one financial statement when you apply. It can be listed or unlisted on the stock market.
  • Italian Government Bonds: Invest €2 million in Italian government bonds. Each bond must have at least two years left before maturity. These investments pay regular interest and can offer competitive returns.
  • Philanthropic Donation: Donate €1 million to a project that benefits the public in areas like education, culture, immigration, scientific research, or environmental and cultural preservation. This is a one-time donation, with no need to manage it afterward.

Look at our Italy Golden Visa Ultimate Guide

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Italian Investor Visa Requirements

The Italian Investor Visa was created specifically for non-EU or non-EEA nationals, and these are the eligibility requirements that must be met:

  • You must be at least 18 years old
  • You need to make a qualifying investment approved by the Italian government
  • You must show a clean criminal record and provide a certificate confirming no pending charges
  • You need to prove you have the funds and complete the investment or donation within 3 months of arriving in Italy
  • A bank letter must confirm your compliance with international anti-money laundering rules
  • You’ll need to provide a self-declaration about your investment
  • If investing through a company, you must include a board resolution accepting the investment
  • A lawyer or accountant may need to certify a declaration confirming that your funds are legal and available
  • You must show proof of suitable accommodation in Italy, which is required when applying for your residence permit, not during the initial visa application.

Required Documents for an Italy Investor Visa

Before applying for the Investor Visa, you must first obtain a Nulla Osta, which is a certificate of no impediment issued by the Italian government confirming that your proposed investment meets legal requirements. After receiving your Nulla Osta, these are the required documents you need to prepare for the Golden Visa Italy:

  • An Italian passport, with money in it, a microscope, a camera and coins placed on top of a map. A copy of the Certificate of No Impediment (Nulla Osta) issued by the Investor Visa for Italy Committee, along with all the original application documents.
  • Proof of accommodation in Italy, including hotel bookings or rented apartments.
  • You must show proof of income from the previous year in your home country. It must be more than €8,263.31 to qualify for free public healthcare in Italy. If your spouse is coming with you, the amount increases to €11,362.05, plus €516.46 for each dependent.
  • A passport-size photo
  • A valid passport.
  • Proof of residence in the relevant Consular jurisdiction.

Italy Investor Visa Application Process

The Italy Investor Visa program involves several steps that all applicants must go through:

  1. Step 1: Submit all the documents required to the official Italian investor platform.
  2. Step 2: Wait for the Nulla Osta (certificate of no impediment): The Investor Visa Committee will review your application. Within 30 days, they’ll decide whether to approve it. If approved, they will issue a Nulla Osta, which is a certificate confirming that there are no legal obstacles to granting your visa. You’ll need this certificate to move forward.
  3. Step 3: Apply for the visa: Once you receive the Nulla Osta, apply for the Investor Visa at the nearest Italian Embassy or Consulate in your country. You must do this within six months of getting the Nulla Osta. If granted, the visa is valid for two years.
  4. Step 4: Enter Italy and apply for your residence permit. After arriving in Italy, you must apply for a residence permit at the local police headquarters (Questura) within eight working days. This permit also lasts for two years.
  5. Step 5: Make your investment: After you get your residence permit, you have three months to complete your full investment or donation and show proof of it (such as bank statements). If you don’t complete the investment or withdraw it later, your visa will be canceled.
  6. Step 6: Renew your visa: As long as you keep your investment, you can renew your Investor Visa for another three years.

Italian Residence Permit to Permanent Residency

Italian Golden Visa holders obtain an investor residence permit valid for two years and can renew it for three more years. After five years of Italian residency, they can relinquish their investor residence permit for a permit to reside in Italy permanently.

Permanent residence in Italy

To get permanent residence in Italy, you must live in the country legally and continuously for five years. You also need to have no criminal record in Italy, pass an Italian language test (unless you are exempt), and keep your investment active during this time.

You cannot be outside of Italy for more than six months in a row or more than ten months total over the five years, unless it is for military service, serious health problems, or other serious reasons. Once you apply, the permanent residence card is usually issued within three months.

Process of Getting Italian Citizenship

If you have a Golden Visa, you can apply for Italian citizenship after living in Italy legally and continuously for ten years. This means you must stay in the country without long breaks, although short trips away are allowed. Getting citizenship is up to the Italian government, and you’ll need to meet a few important requirements:

  • You must pass a citizenship test, showing you have at least a B1 level in the Italian language and basic knowledge of Italy’s history and culture.
  • You must have a clean criminal record.
  • You must show proof of income. For the past three years, your income must have been at least €8,263.31 per year. If you are married and your spouse depends on you, the required amount goes up to €11,362.05, plus €516.46 for each child or dependent. (These amounts may change).

Italy allows dual citizenship, so you can keep your current nationality while becoming an Italian citizen, depending on the rules of your home country.

Applying for Italian citizenship is done online. The process can take between 24 and 36 months to complete.

Paying Taxes in Italy

You can benefit from a special tax regime and pay reduced income tax after becoming an Italian tax resident.

Italy Golden Visa holders who have not been tax residents in Italy for at least nine years over the previous ten may opt to pay an annual substitute tax of €200,000 on income earned abroad. Italy’s flat tax regime is designed to attract wealthy foreign residents by providing major tax incentives on foreign income. You’re encouraged to request an official tax ruling to confirm your eligibility, based on your ties and financial history. Once approved, the regime lasts for up to 15 years and cannot be renewed.

Qualifying family members, such as spouses or children, pay a reduced flat tax of €25,000 each. Foreign assets need not be reported, except for large shareholdings in the first five years. You’re also exempt from Italian wealth taxes on foreign properties, financial holdings, crypto-assets, and inheritance and gift tax on foreign assets. However, capital gains from selling large shareholdings within the first five years are taxed at the standard 26% rate. Italian-sourced income is taxed normally at rates from 23% to 43%, and CFC rules are waived for participants in the regime.

How Can Global Citizen Solutions Help You?

Global Citizen Solutions is a boutique investment migration consultancy firm focused on finding the right residency or citizenship by investment program for individuals wishing to secure their future and become global citizens. With offices in Portugal, the United Kingdom, Hong Kong, and Brazil, our multilingual team guides individuals and families from start to finish, providing expert advice considering freedom, mobility, taxation, and security.

  • We have helped hundreds of clients from 35+ countries in all the top residency by investment and citizenship by investment programs. With an in-depth and comprehensive understanding of the area, we provide our clients with solid guidance. 
  • Our team has never had a case rejected. Our 100 percent approval rate sets us apart from our competitors and guarantees that you can expect a successful application.
  • Our transparent pricing covers all the processes from opening your bank account, document certification, and legal due diligence to investment and submission. As there is one fee for the entire process, you can be confident that you will not face any hidden costs later.
  • All data is stored within a GDPR-compliant database on a secure SSL-encrypted server. You can be safe knowing that your personal data is treated with the utmost security.
  • Global Citizen Solutions provides an all-encompassing solution. Our support can continue even after you receive your passport. We offer additional services such as company incorporation, Trusts, and Foundations formation.
  • The BeGlobal Onboarding System® allows you to access the status of your application every step of the way, something that sets us apart from our competitors.

Frequently Asked Questions about Italian Citizenship by Investment

How much do I need to invest in Italy to get citizenship?

The first step to obtaining citizenship and an Italian passport by investment is to make a minimum investment through the Italian Golden Visa program. The options include:

  • Purchasing €2 million (about $2.2 million) worth of Italy government bonds
  • Making a minimum investment of €500,000 (about $549,000) in corporate shares or bonds
  • Make a minimum investment of €250,000 (about $274,000) in an Italian limited company
  • Make a philanthropic donation of at least €1 million (about $1.1 million)

Upon completing the required investment and fulfilling the additional prerequisites for the Italy Golden Visa, applicants will gain an Italian residence permit. After five years with a residence permit, applicants can apply for permanent residency and naturalization after ten years.

Does Italy offer citizenship by investment?

Italy doesn’t offer citizenship by investment, but foreign nationals with the financial means can invest in Italy through the Italy Golden Visa program, officially the Italy Golden Visa. They’ll receive a residence permit valid for two years and renewable for three years. After ten years (the last five with a permanent residence permit) of being Italian residents, they can apply for citizenship in Italy.

Can I get Italian citizenship if I buy property in Italy?

There is no option to obtain citizenship or a residence permit in Italy through a real estate purchase.

Is it fast to get Italian citizenship by investment?

It isn’t possible to obtain Italian citizenship by investment directly. However, you can gain a temporary residence permit by making a significant investment in Italy through the Italian Golden Visa program. After five years, this can be converted into a permanent residence permit. Once you have legally lived in Italy for ten years, you may become eligible to apply for Italian citizenship, making the investor visa a potential long-term path to Italian citizenship by investment.

Is it hard to get Italian citizenship?

The difficulty of obtaining Italian citizenship depends on your familial ties to Italy. You may qualify for Italian citizenship by descent if you have a parent or grandparent born in Italy. If you have an Italian spouse, you can acquire citizenship in as little as two years (12 months if you have children). However, nationalization in Italy requires ten years of continuous residence, with the last five as a permanent resident.

How do you qualify for Italian citizenship?

You qualify for Italian citizenship if you:

  • Have an Italian parent or grandparent.
  • Have an Italian spouse and have lived in Italy for two years, or three years if you live outside Italy
  • Have lived in Italy for ten years and have been a permanent resident for at least the last five years

How do I get Italian citizenship by descent?

To obtain Italian citizenship by descent, also known as citizenship through ancestry, you must meet certain criteria. Generally, you are eligible if you have at least one Italian parent or grandparent born in Italy.