Italy Digital Nomad Visa and Elective Residence Visa: Legal Pathways to Live and Work Remotely in Italy

Work from Italy, Live in Italy: Digital Nomad and Elective Residence Visas

Zurich, 31 October 2025

GGI World Conference 2025

On the GGI World Conference 2025 in Zurich, Kairós LBC – through its Italian Citizenship and Immigration Department and represented by Avv. Patrizia Giannini – delivered a structured legal overview of two key immigration pathways increasingly relevant in the current global mobility landscape: the Italian Digital Nomad/Remote Worker Visa and the Elective Residence Visa.

The presentation contextualized these instruments within the broader transformation of work models, marked by the exponential growth of remote work and digital nomadism worldwide. Particular attention was devoted to the Interministerial Decree of 29 February 2024, in force since 4 April 2024, which introduced the regulatory framework governing the Digital Nomad and Remote Worker Visa for highly qualified non-EU professionals performing remote work through technological tools.

The analysis addressed eligibility requirements, income thresholds, documentary obligations, health insurance coverage, accommodation standards, and post-entry residence permit procedures, as well as the possibility of family reunification.

In parallel, the Elective Residence Visa was examined as a distinct immigration channel designed for non-EU nationals possessing stable and substantial passive income, who intend to reside in Italy without engaging in professional activity within the territory. The discussion highlighted financial thresholds, evidentiary standards, and renewal conditions, outlining the strategic differences between the two regimes.

The purpose of the contribution was to provide legal and tax professionals within the GGI network with a clear and operational framework for advising internationally mobile clients seeking lawful residence in Italy, ensuring compliance with immigration law while aligning lifestyle planning with regulatory certainty.