What Is the Digital Nomad Visa for Italy (and Can You Actually Get It?)
Probably the most popular visa in all of Italy, but are you eligibile?
For years, people asked the same question over and over again: “Can I live in Italy and work remotely?”
You could come as a tourist. You could study. You could get residency through other routes. But there was no clear, legal pathway designed for people working online for overseas companies.
Then Italy introduced the Digital Nomad Visa, Italy.
Suddenly, a door that had felt permanently half-closed opened just enough for a new kind of life.
Read on to find out what the digital nomad visa actually is, who it’s really for, how you apply, and what my experience of using it was when I moved to Italy.
What is the Digital Nomad Visa in Italy
The digital nomad visa allows non-EU citizens to live in Italy while working remotely for non-Italian companies or clients. That detail is everything, and I’ll come back to it.
It’s designed for:
Remote employees
Freelancers with overseas clients
Business owners whose work is entirely outside Italy
It is not a work visa for the Italian job market. You are not moving to Italy to take a job with an Italian company. You are bringing your work with you.
That distinction is the backbone of the visa.
Who the Digital Nomad Visa is actually for
This visa works best for people who already have:
Stable remote income
An established employer or client base
A job that doesn’t depend on physical presence
It suits:
Online business owners (this was me. I also have a PR agency in Melbourne, so this was my ticket here and a good back-up if my citizenship fell through – thankfully it didn’t!)
Designers
Writers
Consultants
Anyone who has made their laptop their office
What it does not suit is someone who arrives in Italy hoping to figure the work part out once they get there. Italy expects your income to already be set.
How long the visa lasts
The digital nomad visa is issued for one year initially. It is renewable if you still meet the income and work requirements.
This makes it ideal for:
Testing life in Italy
Giving yourself legal breathing space
Creating a stable base while you explore longer-term options
It is not designed for quick stays. It is designed for actually living here.
How nuch do you need to earn?
This is the question everyone asks first and for good reason. At the time of writing this, most Italian consulates are working off an income requirement of around €28,000–€30,000 per year (gross) for the digital nomad visa. Some quote slightly higher or lower depending on the country you apply from, but that range is what most applicants are being asked to prove.
The key thing to understand is this:
Italy isn’t looking for abundance. It’s looking for stability.
They want to see that your income is:
Ongoing
Reliable
And not dependent on work inside Italy
That income must come from:
A foreign employer
Overseas clients
Or an international business you run yourself
Savings on their own usually won’t be enough. This visa is built around what you earn, not just what you have in the bank. You’ll normally need to show:
Recent payslips or contracts
Or consistent freelance invoices
And tax documents, depending on the consulate
And yes, every consulate interprets this slightly differently. Italy likes to keep you alert.
How I used the Digital Nomad Visa
When I moved to Italy, my long-term goal was citizenship. But as anyone who has dealt with Italian bureaucracy knows, nothing moves quickly. Documents get delayed. Appointments take months. Laws change.
The digital nomad visa became my legal safety net.
It allowed me to:
Live in Italy legally
Set up a real life here
Register where possible
Build community
Wait without panic while my citizenship process unfolded
It wasn’t just paperwork. It gave me peace of mind. It meant I didn’t have to live in constant uncertainty while Italy did what Italy does, at its own pace.
Living as a Digital Nomad in Lecce, Salento
I based myself in Lecce, in the south of Italy, and something really surprised me. There is a genuine digital community here, and it’s great!
Some of my closest friends in Lecce have come from joining this digital community. There are regular planned events, co-working days with home-cooked lunches, social catch-ups and real, genuine connections.
There are also:
Free coworking spaces
Low-cost shared offices
Cafés that welcome laptops without pressure
Informal meetups
A strong international mix
You can work in the morning and be at the sea by late afternoon without it feeling like a performance. That balance is rare. And unlike many well-known digital nomad hotspots, Lecce still feels like a real Italian city first. You’re not living inside a bubble built for foreigners.
What the Application Process Is Like
The application itself happens through the Italian consulate in your home country. Every consulate interprets the rules slightly differently, which is part of the Italian experience.
You will usually need:
Proof of remote work - if you have an employer you’re going to need to verify this.
Company information - if you have your own company like I did, you’ll need to prove this through registrations and tax returns.
Proof of your degree - you’ll also need to show that you’re degree qualified and often need to have this verified by your university. Check with your consulate about this.
Proof of income - around €28,000–€30,000 per year (gross), which is between 50-60K AUD.
Accommodation - yes you need a 12-month lease. Read more on how to get a lease for your digital nomad visa here.
Health insurance - this can form part of travel insurance but you need it for the duration of the visa. There are requirements about what type of cover you need, so make sure you check this with your consulate.
Clean criminal record
Patience is not optional. The visa doesn’t move at the speed of your inbox. It moves at the speed of Italy, but this is generally one of the quicker visas to get and once lodged, you should have it within 3 months.
Is the Digital Nomad Visa a path to citizenship?
Short answer: not directly. It does not count as a fast track to citizenship on its own. However, it can support legal residence, which may contribute toward other long-term pathways depending on your situation.
In my case, it was a bridge. Not the destination, but the structure that allowed me to get there properly.
Is the Digital Nomad Visa worth it?
If you already earn remotely and you’re looking for a legal way to build a life in Italy without pretending you’re a tourist, then yes. It can be life-changing.
If you’re hoping Italy will magically solve your income problem once you arrive, then no. This visa assumes the work is already done.
If You’re Considering This Path
If you’re thinking about the digital nomad visa as part of your move to Italy, take time with it. Not just the paperwork, but the question beneath it.
What kind of life are you actually trying to build here?
And if you’d ever like to talk through your specific situation privately, that’s exactly the kind of guidance I offer through Italy & Back.
Want to find out more about the Relocation Support we offer? Get in touch!