Moving to Italy: everything you wanted to know but were afraid to ask

First, let's take a look at why people consider moving to Italy in the first place.

So here are the 5 most common reasons to immigrate to Italy:

• Incredibly beautiful country with a pleasant climate and a measured lifestyle that many people are very impressed with;
• Stable economy and social guarantees (e.g. free medicine);
• Loyalty to immigrants - benefits for buying real estate, the opportunity to start a business or get a job;
• Easy to learn Italian language;
• Lots of interesting places to visit in each region.

Firstly, if you are not going to move to Italy for good, but just want to spend an unlimited amount of time in this country (remember, a biometric passport, as well as the Schengen multi visa, allows you to stay in the territory of the EU member states for no more than 90 days per half-year), you only need to issue a national visa type D.

Italian visa type D gives the right for long-term stay in the country. It can be obtained:

Judging by this list, the easiest way is to find a relative or marry a local; get a job or buy real estate in Italy. If you manage to get such a visa, the next steps are simple: first you apply for a residence permit, and then you apply for Italian citizenship. After a week of stay in Italy with a visa type D you can apply for a residence permit. You can apply at any local questura (police department in Italy). There are two types of authorization for a residence permit in Italy: paper and plastic. But the grounds for obtaining it are the same - work, study, family reunification, political asylum or choosing Italy as a place of residence with sufficient funds.

You can book a hotel in Italy with a discount of up to -65% on the website.

A residence permit in Italy is granted for a period of 6 months to 2 years, depending on the basis of your stay in the country. If you do decide to move to Italy for permanent residence, you will need to obtain the appropriate permit, which is granted only to those who have lived in Italy for at least 5 years. That is, you will need to apply for a residence permit at least three times. And here pay attention: you can not get a residence permit:

• Those who received a residence permit in connection with long-term studies (scientific research, internship);
• Those who have requested political asylum and received refugee status;
• Holders of temporary protection residence permits, or those who received a permit for humanitarian reasons;
• Consuls and diplomats.

That is, from the previous list there is only family reunification, work and the choice of Italy as a place of residence (which entails the purchase of real estate or the presence of an impressive bank account). With the right to permanent residence, you are, in fact, already an Italian citizen, the only difference is that you do not have the right to vote. To apply for full citizenship, you need to live in Italy for another two years. You can be refused citizenship if:

• You have not been in the European Union for 12 months;
• You have not been in Italy for the last 6 years;
• You have fraudulently obtained a residence permit;
• You have simultaneously become a holder of a residence permit in two European countries;
• You have been deported.

Of all the possible grounds for obtaining a permit for permanent residence in Italy or citizenship can help advice only with work and the purchase of real estate. A decent bank account can only be inherited or earned. And you can find (or create ;) family ties on your own.

When it comes to finding a job in Italy, things are tight. Some ten years ago, many people went to this country in order to find a job quickly and stay in Europe. Now it has become almost unrealistic: Italians themselves are suffering from unemployment.

Therefore, we advise you to find a job first, and then go and try to get a residence permit. You can find a job in Italy through special agencies (check them several times), through acquaintances or by direct hiring in a particular company. Before you sign a contract with someone, make sure that you will be able to get a residence permit with them.

Buying real estate in Italy is better than getting a job - if only you had the means! There are many agencies that deal with houses and apartments in Italy. You can look for and make deals with their help, having previously checked and read real reviews of their work.

The price level for real estate in Italy is approximately as follows:

• Apartment in Rome - from €130
• Apartment in Milan - from €85,000
• Apartment/villa in Florence - from €210 000
• Apartment in Venice - from €280 000

Buying real estate in Italy, you will need to pay taxes. When buying from a private person, the registration fee is 7% of the value of the apartment or house, mortgage fee - 2%, cadastral fee - 1%. When buying from a legal entity VAT is 10% of the value of the apartment or house, registration fee - €168, mortgage fee - €168, cadastral fee for re-registration of property - also €55.

If you are not intimidated by the previous points and still intend to move to Italy, be prepared for local prices that are not insignificant. Here are the national averages:

• Dinner in an inexpensive restaurant - €15
• Coffee in an establishment - €1.56
• A liter of milk - €1.45
• A dozen eggs - €3.44
• A kilogram of chicken - €10.58
• Bottle of wine - €6
• Transportation fare - €1.70
• Cab ride (one kilometer) - €1.44
• Rent a one-bedroom apartment (not in the center) - €578
• Utilities in a one-bedroom apartment - €198.56
• Mobile tariff for a month - €13.53
• Going to the cinema - €9
• Jeans - €77
• Cost of shoes (sports shoes) - €84

We found out the average costs with the help of Numbeo.