Traditionally speaking, 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.
The most, EU citizens are required to register their residency in the new EU member state after living in that place for at least three consecutive months. 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. 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.
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What are the rules for British citizens who already live in Italy?
The legislation applicable to British citizens relocating to Italy or to other EU states is imposed based on when the relocation took place. The moment of the relocation is important as the UK and the EU signed the Withdrawal Agreement, which was created for the purpose of ensuring good immigration policies for the citizens of both structures while the formalities of exiting the EU were still concluded.
The Withdrawal Agreement was applicable until 31st of December 2020, and this is why matters concerning immigration to Italy are divided into two categories, referring to the obligations and rights of British citizens who relocated before 1st of January 2021 and those who relocate after this date.
Thus, those who relocated in this country before this date and who were legally registered with the Italian institutions as local residents retain a set of rights, which are granted under the provisions of the Agreement. However, those who were not registered can face a set of legal challenges and they must conduct new immigration procedures to maintain the right or living, working or studying in Italy. Please mind that if you are interested to apply for Italian-UK dual citizenship, the procedure can be done from this country.
Immigration procedures applicable to UK citizens after 1st January 2021
For those who relocate to Italy from UK after 1st of January 2021, new immigration procedures will apply, as the British citizens are no longer considered individuals with rights granted by the EU. This means that such persons will have to apply for a visa, issued based on the purpose of the stay. The requirement is imposed for those who will relocate to Italy from UK for a long-stay purpose. Those staying on a permanent basis will also be allowed to apply for Italian-UK dual citizenship.
In the list below, our immigration lawyers in Italy will present some of the main aspects British citizens should be aware of. Please address to 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 new immigration rules follow the EU Regulation 2019/592;
- under the above mentioned law, the UK will be 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 a 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.
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.
Thus, 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. If you need more details, please contact our team of immigration lawyers in Italy, who can present more details onhow 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.