Persons who wanted to immigrate to Italy from UK could easily relocate from one country to the other, as both states were part of the European Union (EU) and EU citizens have the right to relocate from one EU state to another without completing any immigration formalities.
However, as the UK is no longer a part of the EU, this has important consequences on how British people can immigrate to Italy from UK. In this article, you can find out few of the main procedures that are applicable to British citizens who want to live in Italy after BREXIT.
| Quick Facts | |
|---|---|
| Immigration requirements for short stays | Britons who arrive to Italy for short stays (up to 90 days in a period of 180 days) must have a valid passport with an expiration date of at least 3 months longer than the date when the individuals leave Italy. |
Immigration requirements for long stays | Individuals who immigrate to Italy from the UK for long stays must have a valid visa that reflects the reason for which the persons arrived here. |
Visa exemptions for British nationals | They apply solely for short stays and they are extended to all categories of Britons, including British Overseas Territories citizens and British protected persons. |
| Reasons of arrivals for which visa exemptions are granted | For tourism, visiting family and friends, business-related events. For other situations, such as medical care, different policies and procedures can apply, even for short stays. |
| Can Britons travel to other European states visa-free? | Yes, this right is granted for short stays in Italy as well as for long stays. For the latter case, Britons are issued with an Italian visa, but if they want to travel to other European states they may do so without having to apply for a new visa. |
| Obligation to apply for a residence permit | This obligation appears in the case of those who immigrate to Italy from the UK and stay for over 90 days. |
| Reasons for which Britons can relocate to Italy for long stays | One can relocate to Italy from the UK for long stays via the following: – study (long-stay student visa); – remote work (digital nomad visa); – residence (residency visa); – retirement (elective residency visa – It can be used also by young persons as long as they obtain income from non-Italian source); – investments (investor visa). |
| Visa processing fees | EUR 116 (for long-stay visas, regardless of the purpose of the arrival), EUR 50 (student, post-graduate, apprenticeship, vocational training) |
| Residence permit fee (yes/no) | Yes |
| Where to apply for an Italian residence permit | The application is processed by the Ministry of the Interior, but the document is issued by the police heaquarters. |
| Requirements ot become an Italian permanent resident | The applicant can start the formalities for permanent residency after living in Italy for 5 years. He or she must present documents attesting lawful residence in Italy, source of income and Italian language proficiency. |
| Minimum residency for citizenship | Non-EU foreigners can start citizenship formalities based on their residency after 10 years of stay in the country. |
| Ways to acquire citizenship in Italy | Citizenship by naturalization (based on the years of residency), by descent, or by birth |
| Fee for citizenship formalities | EUR 250 (standard fee for citizenship), EUR 600 (for citizenship by descent), excluding legal/attorney fees |
| How we can help clients | Prepare the visa application file (when necessary), help in family relocation, assist in obtaining a residence permit, etc. |
For more details, you can always address to our team of immigration lawyers in Italy, who can offer an in-depth presentation on the current obligations and rights. Our lawyers can also present the steps you need to take in order to immigrate to Italy.
In the list below, our immigration lawyers in Italy present some of the main aspects British citizens should be aware of. Please address an immigration lawyer before arriving in this country, as your access can be denied if certain requirements aren’t met. It is advisable to study the law and the procedures of the British Government:
- British citizens who move to Italy starting with 1st January 2021 for a period of maximum 90 days in a 180 days period are not required to apply for a visa;
- the immigration rules follow the EU Regulation 2019/592;
- under the above mentioned law, the UK is added as a part of the Annex II of the EU Regulation 2018/1806, which exempts British citizens from applying for a visa for short-term stays;
- if a British citizen living in Italy will host a UK citizen, the first will have the obligation to inform the police about the presence of the latter in maximum 48 hours since the person arrived in this country;
- also, if an EU citizen will live in the home of a British citizen that is relocated to Italy, the latter is obligated to inform the police about this living arrangement in the case in which the EU citizen will stay in the respective home for more than 30 days.
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Immigration procedures applicable to UK citizens after 1st January 2021
Starting with 1st of January 2021, the UK has officially lost its EU membership, following the enactment of the Withdrawal Agreement, and, with it, the right to free movement also ended.
For those who relocate to Italy from UK after 1st of January 2021, new immigration procedures apply, as the British citizens are no longer considered individuals with rights granted by the EU. This means that such persons have to apply for a visa, issued based on the purpose of the stay.
The requirement is imposed for those who relocate to Italy from UK for a long-stay purpose, who have the right to apply for permanent residency, just like any other third party nationals. Those staying on a permanent basis are allowed to apply for citizenship in Italy. They can also have Italian-UK dual citizenship.
Passport requirements
Regardless if a Briton arrives to Italy for short stays or if the person applies for immigration to Italy under one of the available visas, it is always necessary to have a valid passport issued by the British authorities. The Italian immigration institutions apply the Schengen area rules to third party foreigners, and by this, a valid passport means:
- the document must have a date of issue of less than 10 years, calculated at the moment when the persons arrives in Italy;
- at the same time, the document’s expiry date must be 3 months past the day of the departure from the Schengen area.
What visa types can British citizens obtain?
According to the law, foreigners are free to apply for any of the visas available in this country, provided that the foreigners qualify for the respective documents. Given that Britons need to apply for a visa only when they arrive here for stays longer than 90 days, they may request any of the following:
- student visa;
- work visa;
- self-employment visa;
- Elective Residence visa;
- Golden visa in Italy (it is an investment visa that can open the possibility of acquiring permanent residency in this country, provided that the conditions of the investment project are maintained).
When can a British national apply for permanent residency in Italy?
The law on immigration to Italy regulates the same conditions for obtaining permanent residency regardless of the nationality. Thus, British nationals can obtain following the same rules available for all immigrants.
According to the law, a foreign can obtain permanent residency after living in Italy for a continuous period of 5 years. The application must contain a variety of documents, including papers attesting the purpose of stay in the country (employment, family reunification, business, etc.).
Is dual citizenship recognized in Italy?
Yes, foreigners can apply for dual citizenship in Italy in certain situations. Just like other European states, Italy grants the right to dual citizenship, but a set of conditions have to be satisfied and it must be noted that this applies only to certain categories of foreigners. For instance, one can apply for Italian-UK dual citizenship if the British citizen has certain ties with Italy.
For instance, if the British citizen will move to Italy to get married with his or her Italian partner, who is an Italian national, then the right to apply for Italian-UK dual citizenship can be granted. The same is available in the case in which the British national has family ties with Italian nationals.
How many Britons live in Italy?
The British society is well represented in Italy, as there are around 60,000 British persons currently living here. Half of the total represents British citizens who opted to immigrate to Italy from UK, while the other half refers to individuals who live here, have British ancestry and who are naturalized in this country.
If you need more details, please address our team of immigration lawyers in Italy, who can present more details on how to apply for Italian-UK dual citizenship. If you need a digital nomad visa in Italy, contact us for legal assistance, we can also help you immigrate to Italy.