In short
Italy's investor visa is granted to people who commit to investing €2,000,000 in government bonds, €500,000 in an Italian company — €250,000 for an innovative startup — or €1,000,000 as a philanthropic donation. It lasts 2 years, renewable for a further 3 and is outside the quota system. The investment is made after arrival, not before.
The sequence is the opposite of what people expect
Most people assume you invest, then apply for a visa. It is the other way round, and getting this wrong wastes months.
First you apply for clearance from the interministerial committee, declaring a formal commitment to invest and documenting that the funds are available and lawfully obtained. Only once that clearance is issued do you approach a consulate for the visa. After entering Italy you make the investment, within three months, and prove it to the committee.
The investment must then be maintained for at least two years. Divesting earlier costs you the permit.
The four routes
They are alternatives, not cumulative, and each has a different recipient and a different set of documents.
- €2,000,000 in bonds issued by the Italian state, held for at least two years.
- €500,000 in shares or equity of a company incorporated and operating in Italy.
- €250,000 where the company is an innovative startup registered in the dedicated section of the business register.
- €1,000,000 as a donation supporting a project of public interest in culture, education, immigration management, scientific research or the preservation of cultural and natural heritage.
What the committee actually scrutinises
Not the amount. Proving you have the money is usually the easy part. What the file turns on is the lawful origin of the funds: where they came from, over what period, through which transactions and with what documentation from the country of origin.
Applicants who have accumulated wealth over decades across several jurisdictions often underestimate how much reconstruction this takes. It is the phase to begin first, not last.
What it is not
It is not a citizenship-by-investment programme. Italy has no such programme. The investor route gives a residence permit, and citizenship follows the ordinary rules: 10 years of legal residence for naturalisation, unless another route such as descent or marriage applies.
It is also not a tax regime. Tax residence and any special regimes are governed by separate rules and separate authorities. They matter a great deal to this audience, and they are the accountant's field: we work with accountants who handle this and coordinate the two timelines, because the date you enter Italy affects which tax year everything begins in.
Family and the following years
Family members can accompany the investor through the routes provided for family members. As always, setting this up alongside the main application saves months.
The permit lasts 2 years, renewable for a further 3. Renewal requires proof that the investment has been maintained, which means the documentation needs to be kept in order from the start rather than reconstructed at renewal.
The figures cited on this page
Every amount, threshold and deadline comes from our public register of legal parameters, each recorded with its legal reference and the date we last checked it. When a value changes, this page changes with it.
| Parameter | Value | Legal reference | Checked |
|---|---|---|---|
| Investment in government bonds for the investor visa | €2,000,000 | Art. 26-bis, c. 1 lett. a) D.Lgs. 286/1998 | |
| Investment in an Italian company for the investor visa | €500,000 | Art. 26-bis, c. 1 lett. b) D.Lgs. 286/1998 | |
| Investment in an innovative startup for the investor visa | €250,000 | Art. 26-bis, c. 1 lett. b) D.Lgs. 286/1998 | |
| Philanthropic donation for the investor visa | €1,000,000 | Art. 26-bis, c. 1 lett. c) D.Lgs. 286/1998 | |
| Duration of the investor visa | 2 years, renewable for a further 3 | Art. 26-bis D.Lgs. 286/1998 | |
| Years of residence for citizenship, non-EU nationals | 10 years | Art. 9, c. 1 lett. f) Legge 5 febbraio 1992, n. 91 |
Frequently asked questions
Is this subject to the Decreto Flussi quotas?
Do I have to invest before applying?
Does this lead to Italian citizenship?
Will I become tax resident in Italy?
Professional scope. Italy Immigration Hub is an administrative consultancy, not a law firm, and does not carry out activities reserved to members of the Italian Bar. Legal advice on disputes, court filings and representation before judicial authorities are handled by qualified lawyers we work with, instructed directly by the client. We are a private, independent operator with no affiliation to Italian public authorities, and the outcome and timing of any procedure depend on the competent authority. Legal notice (Italian).
Related pages in English
Full procedural detail in Italian
The Italian pages carry the complete document lists, cost breakdowns, step-by-step procedures and the mistakes that most often cause refusals.