Italy Digital Nomad Visa
Official nomad visaWhat this visa gets you
Visa
Entry document
Temporary residency
1 year, renewable
Permanent residency
After 5 years
Citizenship
After 10 years of residence
- Income requirement
- 24.789 EUR annui (tre volte il livello minimo di reddito per l'esenzione dalla partecipazione alla spesa sanitaria)
- Application fee
- €116
- Family allowed
- Yes
How do Australian citizens apply for the Italy Digital Nomad Visa?
Can Australian citizens apply from inside Italy?
Generally no: most applicants apply from outside Italy before they travel.
The "fly in on a tourist stamp and convert" route is a widespread misconception and does not work for this visa. If you already hold legal residence in Italy on another permit, different rules may apply, so confirm with the authorities.
How long does the Italy Digital Nomad Visa really take for Australian citizens?
9–22 weeks (≈ 2–5 months)
- Police clearance (verified)1w
- Apostille (verified)1w
- Consular appointment (typical)4w
- Processing 4–17w official4w
- Post-arrival registration (verified)1w
Official processing: 4–17 weeks. The rest is doc gathering + waiting in a queue, none of which the consulate counts.
Avoid these
What do people get wrong about the Italy Digital Nomad Visa?
- The tourist-stamp convert myth. Flying to Italy on a tourist stamp and converting it into the residence visa from inside the country is not possible for Digital Nomad Visa. Almost every application story that goes badly starts with this misconception.
- Underestimating timing by a factor of 2–3. The "60-day processing" line is real, but it's only the consulate's processing window. The door-to-door reality includes police clearance, apostille, consular appointment lead, and post-arrival registration, so most applicants land between 4 and 7 months.
- Skipping or mis-formatting the apostille. Apostille is the single most cited rejection reason. Every supporting document from your home country needs an apostille from the right authority, and they expire. Don't apostille more than 4 months before submission.
Documents
What Australian applicants typically submit
Documents needing an apostille (Australian authorities):
- AFP National Police Certificate (criminal record check)
- University degree or professional qualification certificate
Worth knowing: Australian passport holders are visa-free for short Schengen stays but still need the national type-D digital nomad visa to live and work remotely in Italy, applied for at the Italian consulate covering their Australian state before travelling. Jurisdiction is by residence state (Sydney covers NSW, Melbourne covers Victoria and Tasmania, Canberra covers the ACT plus Queanbeyan and Cooma, Brisbane covers Queensland and the Northern Territory, Adelaide covers South Australia, Perth covers Western Australia), and appointments are booked through the Prenot@mi portal. Australia and Italy have both a double-taxation convention (1985) and a bilateral social security agreement (1993).
Tax
How is Digital Nomad Visa income taxed for Australian citizens?
Becoming an Italian tax resident generally makes worldwide income taxable under progressive IRPEF. Qualifying new tax residents can elect the reformed regime impatriati: eligible Italian-source employment or self-employment income up to EUR 600,000/year is taxed on only 50% of its amount (a 50% exemption), rising to a 60% exemption for those relocating with a minor child. The relief lasts five tax years with a commitment to keep Italian tax residence for at least four years. Eligibility for digital nomads is not automatic and depends on the regime's specialisation and prior-non-residency conditions.
Money, roughly (indicative)
Regime: Impatriate — 50% exemption (5 yrs), about 42.5% effective tax on €60k/yr.
50% income-tax exemption for 5 years (60% with a dependent child), on the first €600k. Old 70/90% rates ended 2025. Freelancers in the gestione separata pay ~26% social (≈24% in a professional fund); may be nil if a totalisation agreement keeps you in your home system.
Living comfortably to well in Milan runs about €2,100–€2,950/mo for one person, incl. rent. Roughly 38% less than the same living in Sydney, which runs about A$5,700/mo (≈ €3,400).
Estimate your take-home in the tax calculator →Worth a specialist's time. A short call before you commit usually pays for itself, especially for US citizens (FEIE/FATCA), existing UK ties, or unwinding SA tax residency.
Recommended for your move
- SafetyWingFlexible monthly cover
Health insurance built for nomads. Monthly subscription.
Get a quote - GenkiEU-regulated, long-term
EU-regulated health insurance for nomads and expats; long-term and resident cover.
See plans - WiseGetting paid abroad
Multi-currency account and low-cost transfers at the mid-market rate.
Open an account - RevolutEveryday spending
Multi-currency card with budgeting and fee-free transfers.
Open an account
FAQ
Italy Digital Nomad Visa: common questions
Can Australian citizens get the Italy Digital Nomad Visa?
Yes. The Digital Nomad Visa is open to Australian passport holders as non-EU nationals. The main requirement is proof of income of at least €2,066 per month.
Can I apply for the Italy Digital Nomad Visa from inside Italy?
Generally no. Australian applicants normally apply at the Italy consulate responsible for their region before travelling. Note this is about converting a short tourist stay; if you already hold legal residence in Italy on another permit, different rules may apply, so confirm with the authorities.
How long does the Italy Digital Nomad Visa take for Australian applicants?
Official processing is 4–17 weeks. Door-to-door, including police clearance, apostille, consular appointment lead time, and post-arrival registration, most Australian applicants take about 4–17 weeks (roughly 1–4 months).
Do I need an apostille for the Italy Digital Nomad Visa?
Yes. Supporting documents issued in Australia (such as your police clearance) must be apostilled by the competent Australia authority before submission. Apostilles can expire, so don't obtain them more than a few months ahead of applying.
How much does the Italy Digital Nomad Visa cost?
The government application fee is about €116. The consular fee paid in Australia is approximately 116 EUR. Budget separately for police clearance, apostille (if required), translations, and required health insurance.
Does the Italy Digital Nomad Visa lead to permanent residency?
Yes. Time on the Digital Nomad Visa counts toward permanent residency, for which you can typically apply after 5 years of legal residence.
Can I bring my family on the Italy Digital Nomad Visa?
Yes. Spouses and dependent children can generally be included as dependants, usually with a higher combined income requirement and their own supporting documents.
What's next
Keep going
See Italy side-by-side with similar programmes.
Every country ranked by what's left after tax and living costs.
Different answers may surface a programme you didn't consider.
Every dated change we've logged for Italy: income thresholds, fees, consular policy.
Expatlas provides information for orientation only and is not legal advice. Always verify current requirements with official government sources and consult an immigration lawyer for your specific case.