As a family member of an Italian citizen, you have a full right to enter and stay in Italy. Depending on your nationality and current residence, you may need an entry visa. The most important information is gathered here in 3 steps.
#1 Check
Are you eligible for residency in Italy? You have such right if you can prove one of the following family relations:
- spouse (or same-sex registered partner)
- children and grandchildren (up to 21 years) of the Italian citizen and those of the spouse
- parents and grandparents of the Italian citizen and those of the spouse
- siblings of the Italian citizen
#2 Prepare
If you are a national of a country listed for visa requirement to Italy/Europe, you need to apply at the closest Italian Consulate for a visa for family members (Visto d’ingresso per familiari di cittadini italiani). Such a visa clears your entry through the border checks upon arrival in Europe (more precisely, in the Schengen area). The terms and requirements for this kind of visa are often not published on the Italian Consulate’s websites. In general, the conditions are more favorable than any other visa, the process is free of charge and shorter. The documents to attach to the application may vary from Consulate to Consulate. Documents required for your visa application: In general, this is what the Italian Consulates require:
- Application form filled in with your data (download here) 1 photo in ICAO format (4.0 x 3.5 cm, color photo with white background, taken within the last 6 months)
- Proof of family relation, e.g. official marriage record. The record must be in full format (i.e. including the names of the parents of each spouse or parents, for birth certificates), legalized/apostilled and translated into Italian. Marriage records must be issued less than 6 months before. That is a requirement, in case the Italian citizen did not register the concerned vital record in Italy as yet (at the municipality in which he is a resident or, if not residing in Italy, at the municipality of Rome);
- Invitation letter signed by the Italian citizen (Dichiarazione di ospitalità, download here) your passport + 2 copies (the passport must be valid for at least 3 months after the planned departure date from the Schengen area and was issued less than 10 years before. The passport must have at least two blank and unmarked visa pages)
- Italian citizen’s passport (copy)
- Flight reservation: The reservation document must indicate the applicant’s name, departure city, and destination. In order to avoid any unnecessary expense, flight ticket confirmation can be done after visa issuance.
- Health care insurance: insurance must be valid for the whole Schengen area. It must cover medical fees, hospitalization and repatriation costs of up to 30,000 euros. The insurance must fully cover the initial period of stay within the Schengen area.
- Letter of authorization for visa application/passport return (in case the applicant does not submit the application in person). For those who choose to submit the application by a representative, it is mandatory to provide a letter of authorization, signed by the applicant, mentioning the name of the representative and his/her contacts. The representative ID must be shown and a copy of the ID must be submitted.
#3 Follow The Process
After submitting your application, you are entitled to obtain a visa within 90 days. This term might be extended one time to 30 more days. Please note that, if your application wasn’t complete from the start, the Consulate can stay the process for the time needed for you to give the missing document (max 90 days).
FAST TRACK: The process goes much faster when the Italian citizen has registered in Italy the document proving the relation. For example, if the Italian citizen has married or had a child outside of Italy, it is very important to register the marriage or birth record at the Italian Consulate (if the Italian citizen resided abroad) or in Italy (at the municipality of residence, office of Stato Civile).
What happens next?
In order to secure your residence in Italy, you are expected to apply for a residence permit or a residence card upon your arrival. The family members within the 1st and 2nd degree (spouse, children up to 21 years, parents, grandparents and grandchildren) can obtain a five-year residence card. The other family members are entitled to obtain a two-year residence permit. You may read here about the differences between the two. It is required to prove that you depend on the Italian citizen for your maintenance and to register your residence at the same address.
Would you like to know more?
Download my Free Guide “4-Step Strategy” to obtain a residence permit for family members, complete with the official forms: Invitation statement by the Italian citizen for the family member to show at the border (or to obtain an entry visa, where applicable): Dichiarazione di alloggio e garanzia
- “Dichiarazione di ospitalità” to be submitted to the immigration police within 48 hours
- “Dichiarazione di presenza” to be submitted to the immigration police within 8 days
+ the list of documents required by the police for the application.
Request your Free Guide here:
I’m Italian leave in uk with my wife she’s algerian we want go to Italy for holiday where I need to apply for her visa and how thanks
Hello, Luca. According to Italian law, for family members of an Italian citizens the same rules apply as for family members of the EU citizens. So you should apply for a visa following the information at this page of the Italian Consulate in London (VFS). Let me know how this works for you ?
Hello, looking for your view. I am a British citizen married to an Italian citizen. We both currently live and work in the UK however need to go to Italy to stay with my husband’s parents for approx. 2 months. I would like to know if I would be able to work remotely for my British employer during this period without any additional requirements? Our marriage is also registered in Italy. Thank you in advance!
The answer is affirmative. According to Italian law, no legal impediment stands if you want to perform a work activity for a non-Italian client or employer, during your <90 days stay on a tourist visa. Have a nice stay in Italy!
Good morning Lara, apologies I posted a few days ago and it has disappeared. My situation – I am a UK national married to an Italian. I am moving to Sardinia in August. I have a place to stay, I will not be working there (I will be working abroad) and I will have my military pension. What visa do I need or can I just apply for residency as soon as we arrive?
Good morning, Richard. if you are moving to Italy with your spouse, you are entitled to a visa with more favorable conditions than the regular family visa. The visa you should apply for via VFS is described on this page of the official Italian Consulate website. How does this work for you?
Hello ,I’m Tellvin from Africa ,my cousin has gained her Italian citizenship and I’ve also applied to study in the university in italy
I want to know if I can also gain my Italian citizenship through my cousin since I hold a study visa
Unfortunately, there is no possibility under the law currently in force to obtain Italian citizenship through your cousin.
Hi, I lost my Italian permanent residence card, National ID card, Sanitary card in 2020 during Covid19 in the UK, I was unable to go back to Italy till now. I’m planning of going back in July with my Italian parents to see how to get them back. Besides I’ve got residence in Italy for 10 years, I was meant to apply for Italian citizenship this year and I’m over 21yrs old. what do I have to do? And what are the requirements please? I will be glad if you can help with some advice thanks.
Acquiring Italian citizenship by residence involves proof of your legal stay in Italy for at least 10 years prior to the application. Moving to another country can impede your ability to prove that you actually resided and paid your taxes during the concerned time period. You can find detailed information about the application (and the documents to attach) on the Ministry of the Interior representative in your province of residence in Italy (Prefettura), such as this in Rome
Hi there.
I want to join my sister (an Italian national) in Italy on sibling visa. Can I get a permanent residency of Italy if I become independent and start my own business in Italy after arriving there.
Please explain in detail.
Thanks and regards
you may obtain first a residence permit for family reasons, which enables you to work and start a business. Once you have your business, you may then convert your permit into one for business owners at your own residence address. At that point, your position in Italy will not be dependent on your Italian sibling’s any longer.