Italy digital nomad visa: requirements in 2026

Italy's digital nomad and remote-worker visas let non-EU highly qualified people live in Italy while working through technology tools. You need a minimum lawful income, health insurance, suitable housing and at least six months of relevant experience; the visa can run up to 365 days, then you request a permesso di soggiorno.

This guide summarises the interministerial decree of 29 February 2024 as explained on Italian embassy and consulate pages. For broader compliance themes see our cross-border employment checklist.

TL;DR

Legal basis: article 27(1)(q-bis) and related rules of Legislative Decree 286/1998, implemented by the decree of 29 February 2024 (GU 4 April 2024).
Digital nomad = remote self-employment; remote worker = employment or collaboration, employer in Italy or abroad.
Shared requirements: highly qualified profile, income at least three times the healthcare co-payment exemption floor, Italian-valid health insurance, suitable housing, six months' prior experience.
Visa duration up to 365 days; permesso di soggiorno within eight working days of entry.
No SUI work nulla osta for remote workers; no provisional Questura nulla osta for digital nomads under the consular guidance cited below.

Two routes, one decree

Italian missions distinguish two labels under the same decree:

Digital nomad: non-EU national who will perform highly qualified self-employed work remotely with technology tools. The visa category is autonomous work / digital nomad.
Remote worker: non-EU national who will perform highly qualified employed work or a collaboration under article 2(1) of Legislative Decree 81/2015, for an employer or client with a registered office in Italy or abroad. The visa category is subordinate work / remote worker.

In both cases the activity must meet the highly qualified standard of article 27-quater(1) of Legislative Decree 286/1998.

Shared documentary requirements

Consular checklists (for example the Italian Embassy in Pristina page) require applicants to show that they:

are highly qualified under article 27-quater(1) D.Lgs. 286/1998;
have lawful annual income not lower than three times the minimum level set for exemption from healthcare cost-sharing (consular pages cite 8,500 euro as that reference level);
hold health insurance covering medical care and hospitalisation in Italy for the stay;
have suitable accommodation for the visa period (registered rental contract or ownership);
have at least six months of prior experience in the activity they will perform as a digital nomad or remote worker.

They also list a passport valid for three months beyond the last day of the stay abroad, the national visa form (type D) and two ICAO-compliant photos.

How to prove “highly qualified”

The same consular guidance allows alternative proofs:

a tertiary education qualification of at least three years, or a post-secondary professional qualification of at least three years / NQF level 6;
the regulated-profession requirements of Legislative Decree 206/2007, attested before the visa application by the competent Italian authority;
at least five years of professional experience at a level comparable to tertiary education, documented by public authorities (company details, role, contracts or payslips, employer attestation);
for ICT managers or specialists under ISCO-08 codes 133 and 25, at least three years of relevant experience acquired in the seven years before the application.

Documents from non-EU authorities generally need legalisation or apostille plus Italian translation.

Extra papers for remote workers only

Remote workers must also present:

the employment or collaboration contract, or a binding offer, for highly qualified work;
a signed employer declaration, with a copy of a valid ID, stating that the employer has had no convictions in the last five years.

After you arrive

The visa can last up to 365 days. Within eight working days of entering Italy you must apply for a permesso di soggiorno at the Questura of the province where you stay. Consular pages state that digital nomads do not need the provisional Questura nulla osta under article 40(5) of DPR 394/1998, and remote workers do not need the SUI work nulla osta.

Tax residence is a separate test

Holding this visa does not by itself settle Italian tax residence. Under the rules clarified by Agenzia delle Entrate Circular 20/E, physical presence in Italy for more than 183 days in a year (184 in a leap year), civil residence, domicile centred on personal and family ties, or registry registration (rebuttable presumption) can make you an Italian tax resident on worldwide income, subject to treaties.

If you are comparing corridors, see also ETIAS and EES for visa-free travellers and Italy decreto flussi 2027 quotas. For a first case check try the Relomatrix Snapshot.

FAQ

What is the difference between digital nomad and remote worker?

Under the interministerial decree of 29 February 2024, a digital nomad is a non-EU self-employed person working remotely with technology tools. A remote worker is an employee or collaborator working remotely for an employer or client based in Italy or abroad.

How long does the visa last?

Consular guidance states that these visas can last up to 365 days. After entry you must apply for a permesso di soggiorno at the Questura within eight working days.

What income do I need?

You must show lawful annual income of at least three times the minimum level set for exemption from healthcare co-payment. Italian consular pages cite 8,500 euro as that reference level, so the floor is three times that amount.

Do I need a work nulla osta?

For digital nomads the consular guidance says no provisional Questura nulla osta is required under article 40(5) of DPR 394/1998. For remote workers, no SUI work nulla osta is required.

Does the visa decide Italian tax residence?

No. Tax residence follows the TUIR tests clarified by Agenzia delle Entrate Circular 20/E: civil residence, domicile based on personal and family ties, physical presence for more than 183 days, or registry registration as a rebuttable presumption.

Sources

Checked on 5 November 2026.

General information only, not immigration or tax advice. Confirm requirements with the competent Italian consulate, Questura or a qualified professional before you apply.