INVESTOR VISA FOR ITALY
Investor Visa for Italy is a state programme allowing non-EU nationals and their families to obtain a residence permit for Italy for a significant contribution to the economy of the country.
Currently investment options for a residence permit in Italy are:
-€. 250,000 investment in an Italian innovative start-up (as described below at "Start Up Visa" paragraph)
-€. 500,000 investment in a company registered and operating in Italy
-€.1,000,000 donation in important social projects in Italy
-€.2,000,000 investment in Italian government bonds.
The total invested amount should be channelled within three months after arrival in Italy on an investor visa. All the investments should be made for at least two years.
Advantages
A residence permit (or permesso) allows an investor to live permanently in Italy and travel freely throughout the EU.
The holders of an investment residence permit are entitled to work and carry on business in Italy.
An application for an investment visa is processed in 30 days. Documents for a golden visa are submitted online via a dedicated platform. After the application is approved, the consulate of Italy issues an investor visa that allows an applicant to enter the country.
Investors are entitled to reunite with their family members in Italy. It is not required to know the Italian language to obtain or renew a residence permit.
A golden visa allows an investor to apply for permanent residency after living for five years in Italy and then obtain citizenship on the general grounds in ten years.
An investor may opt for a special tax treatment applicable to wealthy foreigners. The single flat tax rate in Italy is €100,000 annually for theinvestor and €25,000 annually for each family member on allthe foreign-sourced income irrespective of the amount.
Online application
An investor makes an online application to take part in the golden visa programme for Italy. The applicant fills out a questionnaire and uploads copies of documents on the dedicated government platform.. Once the application is approved, the approval of Nulla Osta (certificate of “no impediment” to an investor visa) release is sent to the investor via the platform.
Important note:
The applicant makes the investment only after receiving official confirmation that the residence permit will be issued. When the application is made, it is sufficient only to sign investment commitment. The risk that money will be invested without receiving a residence permit is excluded.
START UP VISA
A startup self-employment entry visa can be requested by non-EU nationals who wish to establish an innovative startup in Italy. An "innovative startup" is a young, limited liability company whose business model is strongly oriented to technology. Requirements to be met are the followings: it is a newly incorporated company, or it has been operational for less than 5 years; it has its headquarters in Italy or in another EU/EEA country, provided it has at least a production unit or a branch in Italy; c) it has an annual turnover lower than €5 million; d) it does not distribute profits, nor it did so in the past; it has as exclusive or prevalent corporate purpose – as stated in the deeds of incorporation – the production, development and marketing of innovative goods or services of high technological value. In addition, one of the following criteria must be met: 1) at least 15% of the greater value between annual costs and turnover can be attributed to R&D activities; 2) at least 1/3 of the total workforce are PhD students, holders of a PhD or researchers; or, alternatively, 2/3 of the total workforce must hold a Master’s degree; 3) the enterprise is the holder, depositary or licensee of a registered patent (industrial property), or the owner and author of an original registered software.
References:
11.01.21 "Dear Mr. Mattioli, it was a great pleasure to meet with you today and get an inizial feedback on the innovative startup and the investor visa rules" T.C. Executive in a Greece-Cyprus based company providing services to non-EU investors.
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