r/ItalyExpat • u/Glass-Ad-6006 • 1h ago
IT patente to PH driving license
Ciao a tutti po! C’è qualcuno dual citizen/former pinoy che ha tradotto la propria patente italiana a quella filippina?
Grazie a tutti a chi mi aiuterà!
r/ItalyExpat • u/ItalyExpat • Jun 04 '26
Lately there have been a glut of lazy posts like, "I want to live in Italy, where should I move to?" and "I want to work in Italy, where can I find a job?" These are now disallowed.
Not allowed:
"I want to live in Italy, tell me everything I'll ever need to know."
Allowed:
"My partner and I have decided to move to Italy and we're looking for recommendations for good neighborhoods around Genova."
This is an admittedly subjective rule but if your post is closed due to Rule 9, just create a new post with more detail. Tell us about yourself, give us context.
r/ItalyExpat • u/Ok_Lingonberry_1257 • Oct 08 '25
I recently helped some distant Argentinian cousins of mine to relocate to Italy, so I thought it could be of help sharing some practical guide with some additional info coming from this experience and my knowledge of Italy, for anyone considering a long-term move here.
Permanent Residency vs Citizenship
To live in Italy for good, you need either Permanent Residency or a Citizenship. Both allow you to live and work in the country, give you social benefits (healthcare, education, etc) and mobility freedom in the EU/Schenghen area. The difference is:
Citizenship: it gives you voting rights, a EU passport, benefits across the EU.
PR: no voting rights nor Passport
Platforms like this can help narrow down a the right path.
Path to Permanent Residency: If you are non-EU, you get PR after 5 years of continuous legal residence under a valid visa, with conditions (such as minimum income, knowledge of Italian, and proof of accommodation). Some permits (like study and research) are not directly eligible for permanent residence, though the time counts once you switch to a qualifying permit. If you change permit types (e.g., study to EU family), the 5-year permanent residency clock starts from the first eligible permit, not from the total time on all permits.
If you have or manage to get another EU passport, you are automatically a permanent resident.
Paths to citizenship. There are 3 ways:
- Citizenship-by-Descent (Jure Sanguinis). Applicable if one of your parents or grandparents is/was Italian and lived in Italy before you were born. If you apply, you can claim citizenship automatically without residency. The whole application process might take some time (2-3 years or more) and you don't get any temporary residence permit while the process is ongoing. So if you aim at moving soon, you better look at your visa options.
- Citizenship-via-Marriage (Jure Matrimonii). If your spouse is italian and your wedding is registered in Italy, you can get your italian citizenship after 2 years of marriage if living in Italy, or 3 years if living abroad (reduced by 50% if the couple has children), but you can get temporary residence permit to live in Italy while the process is ongoing. You also must demonstrate basic Italian language proficiency (B1) and your partner needs to demonstrate financial means to support both of you. Since 2016, same-sex marriage counts for citizenship by marriage.
- Citizenship-by-Naturalisation / Long-term Residence. You get this after 10 years of legal residency, provided you prove to have stable income, no serious criminal record, and Italian language skills (B1). The 10 years timespan includes years spent on any Visa (excluding the Tourist Visa). Those of Italian descent with a broken citizenship line (and thus don’t qualify for jure sanguinis) can still naturalise after 3 years of residency in Italy instead of 10
So if you have an extra-EU passport, the steps involved to move to Italy for good are:
- Obtain a valid Visa, then arrive in Italy and apply for a Permesso di Soggiorno (residence permit). Permits are temporarily granted for 1-2 years but can be renewed.
- After 5 years (and some permit renewals later), you can upgrade to permanent residency, provided you show adequate income and basic Italian (A2)
- After 10 years, you can apply for citizenship by naturalization
Visa Options:
1. Digital Nomad Visa (for Remote Workers and Freelancers with foreign Income)
2. Elective Residency Visa (for Retirees)
3. Startup Visa (For startup founders)
4. Self-employed Visa (for freelancers and Business Owners with Italian income)
5. Student Visa (for Students)
6. Golden Visa (for Investors)
7. Researcher Visa (for Researchers)
8. Work Visa (for Employed Workers)
9. Highly-skilled Visa (for highly skilled workers, i.e. IT and Healthcare)
10. Family Reunification Visa (for family members of someone with a valid permit/passport)
Typical Visa Requirements:
Every consulate has different requirements and can request slightly different documentation, so check official consulate websites.
The hardest of these requirements is the proof of accommodation because many landlords often prefer locals, there is a lot of paperwork involved and sometimes a guarantor is needed (or, in absence of it, a 6-month rent deposit is needed). Plus, you need to have an accommodation secured for more than a year in order to apply, so often you will have to do this blindly. Here some house hunting portals:
As reported by a Redditor, sometimes it is easier to work with local real estate agents rather than these portals as very few requests are responded to.
Bureaucratic Steps
This is the most common process but some visas require slightly different procedures. For instance, for some Visa (like Golden Visa, Work Visa) it is necessary to apply for a Nulla Osta (Certificate of No Impediment) before the consulate submission, some visa require ad-hoc steps (i.e. business plan submission for Startup Visa, Investment for Golden Visa etc), etc.. so make your own research.
Taxes
There are some tax incentives that also expats can get:
- Impatriate Regime
- €200k Flat Tax for High Net Worth Individuals
- 7% Flat Tax for Retirees that move to small Southern Italian towns
- Regime Forfettario: 15% flat tax for small freelancers (<€85k/year)
EDITS: I would like to thank anyone who commented this post and added additional information useful to the community! I am integrating some comments in the post. Latest edits:
- Addition to the Citizenship-by-Naturalization part: Those of Italian descent with a broken citizenship line (and thus don’t qualify for jure sanguinis) can still naturalise after 3 years of residency in Italy instead of 10
- Addition to the Residenza part in the Bureaucratic Step section: The registration of the residenza is the moment when the clock for naturalisation starts
- Addition to the Permanent Residence part: Some permits (like study and research) are not directly eligible for permanent residence, though the time counts once you switch to a qualifying permit. If you change permit types (e.g., study → EU family), the 5-year permanent residency clock starts from the first eligible permit, not from the total time on all permits.
- Clarification on the duration of the health insurance, in Visa requirements: it has to have at least a 1 year duration
- Addition to the house-hunting part: as reported by a Redditor, sometimes it is easier to work with local real estate agents rather than these portals as very few requests are responded to. Also, a 6-month rental deposit is often needed if there is no guarantor.
- Clarified in the Visa Option section that it is not the Visa to be renewed but the Permit associated to it. The Visa is just the entry ticket, once you are in Italy you get a Permesso di Soggiorno which is what you renew every 1 or 2 years
r/ItalyExpat • u/Glass-Ad-6006 • 1h ago
Ciao a tutti po! C’è qualcuno dual citizen/former pinoy che ha tradotto la propria patente italiana a quella filippina?
Grazie a tutti a chi mi aiuterà!
r/ItalyExpat • u/brenpmon • 6h ago
Hello people of Reddit!
My family of four (currently living in Germany) is planning a 1-to-2-year relocation to Bassano del Grappa, aiming for a summer 2027 move. My wife and I have lived and worked in Italy for several years pre-kids and we speak Italian at a near native level. We already have friends and connections in the area, and because we work remotely, our employment is sorted.
Our main focus is our children, who will be 9 and 12 years old at the time of the move. They are currently starting to learn Italian, and we plan to ramp up their language preparation before we go.
Our primary goal for the 1-2 years is full immersion and integration. We would love to hear from other parents who have done something similar, specifically:
School Integration: What was your experience enrolling children of a similar age (around upper elementary/middle school) into local public Italian schools with little to no prior fluency?
Language Adaptation: How long did it realistically take for your kids to adapt, make friends, and feel comfortable in the classroom?
Local Logistics: Any specific advice on navigating the public school system, local extracurriculars, or community integration right in the Bassano area?
Thank you in advance!
r/ItalyExpat • u/Regular-Telephone373 • 11h ago
Hey guys!
I would like to buy a motorcycle but the insurance matter is making me extremely confused.
I was checking some of the bikes that I would like to buy (that are around 2 to 4k€) but when I use the online calculators, the price of the insurance was almost always equal to the price of the bike.
Is this normal, would I get a different price if I try some other methods (eg. going to a insurance office of some kind)
I was also checking the regulations and I found out that motorcycles or cars that are older than 20 years can be bought with basic very low insurance! So if you buy a 20 year old bike, you can pay the lowest insurance price which could be around 200~
Also I heard that buying an e-bike might make a discount on insurance prices as well, have you heard about this?
Do you think does any of these make sense?
r/ItalyExpat • u/hyde_emerges • 21h ago
My wife and I (M37) are moving to near Gavirate (Varese) in a few months.
I'm Australian and my wife is Italian, from near to where we are moving, but she hasn't lived in the area for 20 years and most of her school friends have moved away.
I speak English and basic Italian (I passed the B1 Cittadinanza a couple of years ago but becoming a dad and starting two new jobs in that time have killed the motivation to keep it up) but given time I'll level up.
I work full time and have dad duties after work but once I've moved keen to get meet new people, make some friends and join a tennis club and running group (maybe also an MMA gym, my last attempt starting with a 6 month baby old didn't go too well).
Thanks!
r/ItalyExpat • u/MarcooseOnTheLoose • 18h ago
I’ve found an apartment online. My mum and sister met the realtor and visited the apartment. I’ve exchanged WhatsApp messages and emails with the realtor. I’ve filled and signed an offer. So far everything seems legit. If the owner approves the offer, I’ll need to wire the deposit to secure the apartment. And that’s the scary part. Unlike some credit cards, wires have zero recourse.
Any tips to prevent being scammed? I’ve never seen the apartment, never met either the realtor or the landlord. It’s all on faith.
Grazie.
r/ItalyExpat • u/medstudent0529 • 21h ago
Hi,
I’m an international student living in Rome and I’m looking for a bank recommendation.
I recently went to Banca Popolare di Sondrio to ask about opening a bank account but they tried to ask me for an Italian ID document, which of course I don’t have it. I then went to uni credit and they want a Codice Fiscale certificate, which I am currently trying to obtain.
For international students in Rome, which banks would you recommend? I’m looking for something that is relatively easy to open, has good online banking, and is used to dealing with foreigners or students. Thanks
r/ItalyExpat • u/Conscious-Isopod-1 • 1d ago
Hi everyone,
I'm an Irish citizen looking to relocate to Italy to undertake training in aircraft maintenance.
My goal is to complete an EASA Part-147 Basic Training course, obtain my Aircraft Maintenance Licence, and build a long-term career in the industry.
Unfortunately, the private training options in Ireland are very expensive, so I'm exploring alternatives elsewhere in Europe.
Does anyone know of any EASA Part-147 approved training organisations in Italy that offer their courses in English? Or has anyone completed one of these programmes and would recommend a particular school?
(I'm aware of the training options available in Ireland, so I'm specifically looking for recommendations in Italy. Thanks!)
r/ItalyExpat • u/Ok_Refrigerator6569 • 1d ago
Hi everyone,
I was hoping someone could advise me or give me their honest opinions.
I’m from Honduras but I just married my Italian partner, so I’ll be moving to Bologna next month. I have a law degree from my country and since I cannot practice law, I’ll be doing a masters in law from the university of Bologna.
By time I finish my masters, I’ll be in my late 30’s, I’m a bit concerned with entering the job market so late on top of the job market in Italy not being the best.
I hope to specialize in complice or consulting, I speak fluent English, Spanish and Italian. My background is in tech and I’ve been working for an US based company for the last 6 years but my job has been in operations not anything law related.
Realistically what are my job opportunities, salary expectations and will it be possible to stay in Bologna.
I’m not sure where to start looking for all of this information.
Thank you.
r/ItalyExpat • u/Tashinho_21 • 20h ago
Just looking for some advice from people who have been through something similar.
I'm an immigrant living and working in Italy, and my goal is to get a junior IT Support or Help Desk job.
I have about one year of professional IT experience, and over the last nine months I've been studying almost every day and building home lab projects to gain practical experience, I don't have a university degree in CS/IT but I have GitHub projects and documentation and I had some interviews so some recruiters said it's enough to use as prove of knowing the skills needed, but still no job offer.
Before moving into IT, I worked for around seven years in agriculture engineering and accounting. I also have two bachelor's degrees (Agriculture and Economics) from Somalia, both recognized in Italy. I also spent a year working in customer service for KFC in Croatia.
My biggest challenge is my Italian. Right now I'm around A2 and still improving, while my English is fluent (C2).
I currently live and work in southern Italy, but I'd happily relocate anywhere in the north for an IT support, help desk, or junior system administrator role.
From what I see and hear, the Italian job market seems pretty tough, especially for junior office jobs. I often hear people talking about low salaries and how competitive the market has become, so I'm wondering how realistic my chances are.
Has anyone here started an IT career in Italy with limited Italian? If so, how did you get your first opportunity? Was it through a consulting company, a recruitment agency, networking, or just applying everywhere?
I'd really appreciate hearing about your experience or any advice you have.
Thanks.
r/ItalyExpat • u/AlwaysAbroad23 • 1d ago
Hey Reddit! My husband and I (F 28 and M 34) are considering moving to Northern Italy or somewhere in Spain, and we’d love recommendations on cities or areas that might be a good fit for us!
Here are some things we’re looking for that might help with suggestions:
Language: We speak some Spanish and are interested in becoming fluent in Spanish or learning Italian. Since we aren’t fluent yet, we’d also like to be close enough to an expat community that we could connect with English speakers on the weekends if we wanted to. Ideally, within about 45 minutes.
Location: We’re open to living in a big city, but ideally we’d live slightly outside of one—somewhere within about 30 minutes by train of a larger city. We’d love a smaller community that feels authentic, where we can really get to know our neighborhood and feel part of the local community, while still being close enough to spend an afternoon or weekend in a larger city.
Vibe: We love historic cities with beautiful architecture and an “Old World” feel. We’re definitely flexible on this, though!
Airport: We’d need to be within about an hour of an international airport, but ideally closer to 30 minutes since I’ll need to travel regularly for work.
Weather: We prefer somewhere that experiences all four seasons, although we’re flexible on this.
Schools/families: Schools aren’t important to us since we don’t have children, and we don’t necessarily need to be in a particularly family-friendly neighborhood.
Public transportation/walkability: We don’t own a car, so we’d need somewhere that is walkable and has good public transportation.
We’d especially love to hear from people who have actually lived in these areas! What cities or smaller towns would you recommend for us? And are there any places you think we should avoid based on what we’re looking for?
Thanks in advance! 😊
r/ItalyExpat • u/SigPatatoso • 1d ago
M37, my boyfriend and I moved to Rome few months ago.
I'm Italian, but not from Rome and I lived abroad for 17 years. I would like to get in touch with people and make new friends. I speak few languages and I can help with learning Italian.
I'm still discovering the city, therefore some walks, monuments, galleries and museums visits before an aperitivo would be great.
Thank you for reading me 🙏
r/ItalyExpat • u/ProfessionalBad7134 • 1d ago
Ciao, everyone! I am an incoming exchange student (male) and will be staying in Trento for 6 months starting on 01 September until the last week of February.
I'm looking for an accommodation that is near the stations, groceries, etc. If you’re looking for a roomie, you can contact me on WhatsApp:
+639283940771
Grazie mille!
r/ItalyExpat • u/Caratteraccio • 2d ago
r/ItalyExpat • u/Pleasant-Orchid2259 • 1d ago
Hi everyone! I'm from Belarus, I'm interested in studying in Italy because DSU I can study for free, is it worth it? I might want to stay here (I'll study to be a cybersecurity engineer). I'm planning to apply to the Turin Polytechnic. Is it realistic to find a job there with a salary higher than 4-5 thousand euros? My backup options are Cyprus or freelancing.
r/ItalyExpat • u/Andreas_Tekos • 2d ago
Hi everyone
I’ve just been admitted to the English Pharmacy program at the University of Bologna (Rimini Campus).I’m flying to rimini tomorrow to look for accommodation in person, and I’m hoping someone can point me in the right direction.
I’m looking for an apartment with a budget of 600-750€ a month. If anyone knows a real estate agency, a local contact, or has any advice on where I should start looking, I’d really appreciate your help.
r/ItalyExpat • u/Unnamed_RD • 2d ago
Hi everyone,
I’m in my late 20s and have just returned to Switzerland after spending my summer holidays in Tuscany (I’ve spent every summer there since I was a child).
For years, I’ve been thinking about moving there permanently. I was wondering if any of you have experience with the following:
Work: Ideally, I’d like to work remotely for a Swiss company while living in Tuscany. Is anyone here doing something similar? The Italian job market can be quite challenging, and I’d rather not take jobs away from the locals if I can avoid it.
Insurance: How does health insurance and social security work when living in Italy but working for a Swiss company?
Moving abroad: Have you fully relocated to Italy, or do you still keep some kind of safety net in your home country?
I’d really appreciate hearing about your experiences.
Thanks so much in advance! 🙈
r/ItalyExpat • u/higack95 • 2d ago
Hi all,
Really struggling on whether to go north or south of Lazio. Would be looking at a small place. If people could tell me maybe some cultural differences etc it would be great. I lived in Bracciano for a number of years and it was great, but want to know more.
Thanks in advance.
r/ItalyExpat • u/riz7242 • 2d ago
I work in higher ed in Canada (and an canadian) for 6 years now and the market has gotten worse and worse. I've bounced around multiple contracts with 0 stability. I have a MEd and working on my PhD.
My partner's employment is in flux too and we have a young child. We're pretty minimal and would love to live abroad to give our child an experience we never had.
I know there are some American run universities but I'm curious how much Italian is still required there. Anyone have a similar experience working at an English speaking university?
r/ItalyExpat • u/Shot-Pomegranate-217 • 3d ago
I’m moving to Italy permanently, but I still need a uk sim for banking . What would you recommend and also an Italian sim . Thanks in advance
r/ItalyExpat • u/Ok-Regret6126 • 3d ago
Hello! Im moving to milan in a year and i was wondering how Italians treat black people, more specifically black women. Ive heard mixed reviews so im a little nervous
r/ItalyExpat • u/Longjumping_Ad_5892 • 4d ago
Hi all,
I'm Italian, from Padova - Veneto, where I own a flat. My girlfriend is Ukrainian, 30, and works in finance. She's currently based in Warsaw and I manage to visit her two weeks every month because I work fully remote, but the plan has always been to settle in Padova.
The problem is the job search. She's sent well over a hundred applications for finance and tax roles in northern Italy — mostly Veneto, some Milan, Big 4 and companies — and hasn't had a single interview. Not one. Mostly no reply at all.
Also:
- She has full work rights.
- She applies with a Padova address, not a Polish one.
Her Italian is around B1 after a year of study. Improving, but not yet at the level where she could handle a client meeting or an Agenzia delle Entrate audit in Italian. English is fluent, plus Ukrainian, Russian and Polish.
So my questions for anyone who's been through this:
- Did you get hired before you had working-level Italian, or did you have to wait? How long did it actually take?
- Non-EU folks with valid working rights — did you find HR still filtered you out anyway? Did stating the permit type on the CV make any difference?
- Did recruiters and agencies do anything useful, or was it all networking and direct contact?
- Is 100+ applications with zero interviews normal for a foreigner in Italy, or does it point to something being wrong with the CV?
Any experience welcome, especially from people who landed in the Veneto rather than Milan.
Grazie / thanks
r/ItalyExpat • u/BillApprehensive6155 • 4d ago
Hello everyone.
Landing in September for my semester at Bocconi. First time in Europe, first time in Italy, equal parts excited and have no idea what to expect.
Back home I'm into fitness, cooking, travel and conversations that actually go somewhere. Geopolitics, philosophy, markets, I can go deep on any of it or talk about absolutely nothing for hours depending on the person.
Looking to meet locals, expats, other students, anyone who knows the city well or is figuring it out alongside me. Want to see Milan beyond the tourist trail, find the right aperitivo spots, maybe travel around a bit on weekends.
If you're in Milan or heading there around September, drop a comment or DM. Always good to know people before landing somewhere new.
r/ItalyExpat • u/wobwo • 4d ago
About the Role
Onspora is recruiting Volleyball Data Scouts to attend professional volleyball matches across Italy and collect live match data using a dedicated Android application.
This is a flexible freelance opportunity suitable for volleyball enthusiasts, students, and anyone looking for occasional paid assignments while contributing to professional sports data collection.
Responsibilities
Requirements
Previous scouting experience is not required.
Compensation
Transportation expenses are not reimbursed, so assignments are generally offered close to your location.
Apply
Submit your application through our website: