Italy
Italy’s Investor Visa opens EU residence from 289,000 USD in an innovative startup — or 577,000 USD in a company, 2 million in government bonds, or a 1 million philanthropic donation — with no minimum-stay rule and an optional flat tax for new residents. The thing to be clear about: this is residence, not a passport; citizenship needs ten years of genuine residence, and Italy otherwise taxes worldwide income up to 43%.
Residency by investment — key figures
- From
- env. $289 000≈ $385 214 — estimated total, family of four, fees included
- Processing time
- 2–5 months
- Physical presence
- There is no minimum-stay rule to keep the permit, but the investment must be made within three months of entry and held throughout. Naturalisation, by contrast, requires ten years of genuine legal residence.
Investment routes
| Route | Official minimum | Real total, family of four |
|---|---|---|
| Business | env. $289 000 | ≈ $385 214 |
| Business | env. $577 000 | ≈ $770 429 |
| Government bonds | env. $2 308 000 | ≈ $3 081 714 |
| Donation | env. $1 154 000 | ≈ $1 540 857 |
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Tax at a glance
- Tax-residents are taxed on worldwide income, up to 43% plus local surcharges
- New residents can opt into a flat tax of 231,000 USD per year on all foreign income
- VAT (IVA) standard rate is 22%
- The Investor Visa gives residence, not citizenship — naturalisation takes ten years
- Holding the permit does not by itself make you tax-resident
Compare it with another jurisdiction
| — | Mexico | Malta |
|---|---|---|
| Official minimum | $78 000lower | env. $80 800 |
| Real total, family of 4 (fees included) | ≈ $104 130lower | ≈ $107 860 |
| Announced processing | 2–6 monthsfaster | 12–18 months |
| Presence required | Temporary residents should not be absent from Mexico for more than two consecutive years to keep the status; permanent residence is more flexible. | None. |
| Years to citizenship | 5 yearsfaster | — |
| Investment routes | Capital transfer, Business, Bank deposit | Real estate |
| A route returns the capital | Yes | No |
| Open to Russian applicants | YesIdentical on this line | YesIdentical on this line |
| Region | Latin America | Europe |
Frequently asked questions
Does the Investor Visa give an Italian passport?
What is the cheapest option?
Will Italy tax my worldwide income?
Freedom. Anywhere.
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What we do for you
Citizenship or residence, the honest answer often is not the one you arrived with. We take the whole procedure with you — eligibility, the route that fits your situation, the file, the follow-up — with one person on your side throughout.
For Italy specifically, you are talking to someone who already knows the file: who to speak to on the ground, what the unit actually asks for, and the points where applications stall.
- One point of contact, from the first call to the certificate
- Vetted partners on the ground — law firms, licensed agents, banks — introduced, not listed
- It starts with a short qualifying call, and no, it is not a sales call
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