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Italy's Investor Visa gives non-EU, non-EEA and non-Swiss nationals a two-year Italian residence permit, renewable for three years, from EUR 250,000 in an innovative Italian startup.
The clearance is decided within 30 days of a complete application, and no minimum stay applies.
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Answer and evidence
Italy’s Investor Visa (launched 2017) grants a renewable two-year EU residence permit via one of four investments: EUR 250k innovative startup, EUR 500k company, EUR 1m donation, or EUR 2m government bonds. No minimum stay; citizenship by naturalisation can be requested after 10 years of legal residence.
Overview
Italy Investor Visa grants a residence permit in exchange for a qualifying investment from €250,000. The programme is run by the government, which decides every application; Mirabello Consultancy prepares and coordinates your side of the application. A Mirabello specialist then confirms the right route and the full cost for your family.
Italy’s Investor Visa (launched 2017) grants a renewable two-year EU residence permit via one of four investments: EUR 250k innovative startup, EUR 500k company, EUR 1m donation, or EUR 2m government bonds. No minimum stay; citizenship by naturalisation can be requested after 10 years of legal residence.
The Italy Investor Visa (art. 26-bis of Legislative Decree 286/1998) grants Italian residence to non-EU, non-EEA and non-Swiss nationals who invest in the Italian economy or make a qualifying donation. The outcome is a residence permit, not a passport: a two-year permit marked "per investitori", renewable for further three-year periods while the investment is maintained. It is one of two ways sophisticated clients establish themselves in Italy; the other is the Italian flat-tax regime for new residents, and the two can be combined (see below).
There are four qualifying routes: €250,000 into an Italian innovative startup; €500,000 into an Italian limited company; a €1,000,000 philanthropic donation to a project of public interest; or €2,000,000 in Italian government bonds. The investment is made only after approval. You first apply online for a clearance (nulla osta) from the Investor Visa for Italy Committee, which by law issues its decision within 30 days of a complete application, and around 25 to 35 days is typical in practice. You then obtain the investor visa, enter Italy and complete the investment within three months of arrival. In our practice the whole process takes around three to six months.
On the Mirabello Investment Migration Index Italy scores well on mobility and its fast first-stage clearance. Investors often compare it with the Greece Golden Visa and the Portugal Golden Visa. Every figure is provenance-tracked and confirmed against the official Investor Visa for Italy portal of the Ministry of Enterprises and Made in Italy. This is information, not advice; a Mirabello specialist confirms the current terms for your circumstances.
Investment routes
The Italy Investor Visa programme offers 4 approved investment routes, each independently verified by the Mirabello data team against official government sources. Minimum required investment starts from €250,000. A Mirabello specialist will confirm which route best matches your nationality, family composition, budget and preferred timeline.
| Route | From | Type |
|---|---|---|
| Innovative startup investment | €250,000 | business |
| Italian limited company / corporate equity | €500,000 | business |
| Philanthropic donation of public interest | €1,000,000 | donation |
| Italian government bonds | €2,000,000 | bonds |
Cost calculator
Choose your route and family, and see the complete government-side cost, the investment plus every mandatory official fee, itemised line by line, so the number you budget is the number you pay. Every figure follows our verified programme data, and your specialist confirms the final total.
Last updated 2026-09-22
On the Innovative startup investment route. Every figure below is an official government-side cost, computed by the same engine that powers the calculator and the Mirabello data API.
| Line item | Amount (EUR) |
|---|---|
| Innovative startup investment, minimum investment | €250,000 |
| Entry permit / establishment fee, Main applicant | €116 |
| Entry permit / establishment fee, Spouse | €116 |
| Entry permit / establishment fee, Child (age 10) | €116 |
| Estimated government-side total | €250,348 |
Plus 3 official fee(s) we hold as being re-verified against the source and therefore exclude from the total above: Residence-permit issuance fee, Main applicant; Residence-permit issuance fee, Spouse; Residence-permit issuance fee, Child (age 10). A specialist confirms these for your family.
MCPItaly Investor Visa is scored by the Mirabello Investment Migration Index across seven dimensions: investment cost, visa-free mobility, processing speed, path to citizenship, regulatory stability, family inclusion and tax treatment. A higher composite score signals a more competitive, accessible and well-regulated programme.
Scored on cost, mobility, speed, path, stability, family and tax.
Our read: Italy’s Investor Visa (launched 2017) grants a renewable two-year EU residence permit via one of four investments: EUR 250k innovative startup, EUR 500k company, EUR 1m donation, or EUR 2m government bonds. No minimum stay; citizenship by naturalisation can be requested after 10 years of legal residence. Regulatory status: not listed on FATF, EU tax, US OFAC, or OECD CRS-risk lists. Strategic perspective, advisory only; figures provenance-tracked, unconfirmed items flagged for verification.
A four-question indicative check to see whether this programme fits your profile. A Mirabello specialist then reviews your nationality, family structure, budget and timeline in full confidence, confirming your detailed eligibility and which investment route best suits you, at no cost and with no obligation.
Based on your answers, Italy Investor Visa looks worth a closer look. A Mirabello specialist will map the precise route to your nationality, family and tax position.
Book a free consultationHow it compares
The table below compares Italy Investor Visa against its closest alternatives, scored on the Mirabello Investment Migration Index across cost, visa-free mobility, processing speed, regulatory stability and path to citizenship. All investment figures and processing times are sourced from official government data and independently verified by the Mirabello data team.
Sourced live from the MirabelloMCP · | Programme | From | Timeline | Min. stay | Mobility | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 🇮🇹 Italy Investor Visa | €250,000 | 3-6 months | None | Visa-free travel throughout the Schengen Area | Residence permit |
| 🇨🇾 Cyprus Permanent Residency | €300,000 | About 2 months | One visit every 2 years | EU member state | Residence permit |
| 🇲🇹 Malta Global Residence Programme (GRP) | €220,000 | 3-6 months | None | Visa-free travel within Schengen Area | Residence permit |
| 🇲🇹 Malta Permanent Residence (MPRP) | €99,000 | No official figure | None | Visa-free travel within Schengen Area | Residence permit |
Questions
The questions below cover Italy Investor Visa investment costs, processing timelines, eligibility and family inclusion, minimum-stay requirements, the path to citizenship and tax obligations. All figures are provenance-tracked against official sources; where a threshold is time-sensitive, the verified date is shown alongside the answer.
Figures verified against official sources, provenance-tracked, information, not advice · Last updated 2026-10-11
Four routes: EUR 250,000 into an Italian innovative startup, EUR 500,000 into an Italian limited company, a EUR 1,000,000 philanthropic donation of public interest, or EUR 2,000,000 in Italian government bonds. The investor visa is open to non-EU, non-EEA and non-Swiss nationals only. Modest government visa and residence permit fees are payable per person on top.
By law the Investor Visa for Italy Committee decides on the clearance (nulla osta) within 30 days of a complete application, and around 25 to 35 days is typical in practice. Including the visa, arrival in Italy and the residence permit, the whole process takes around three to six months in our practice.
No. The investor residence permit can be held and renewed without a minimum stay in Italy, provided the investment is maintained. Permanent residence and citizenship are different: they require genuine residence in Italy.
No. The Investor Visa is an immigration route that grants residence for a qualifying investment. The Art. 24-bis flat tax is a separate tax election available once you become an Italian tax resident, and the two can be combined. See our Italy flat-tax guide for the tax regime.
Possibly, in time. Non-EU nationals may apply for Italian citizenship by naturalisation after ten years of legal residence, subject to Italian at B1 level and other conditions. It is an eligibility to apply, not a guarantee, and it requires genuine residence in Italy.
Yes. One qualifying investment covers your spouse, minor children, adult children who are dependent for health reasons, and dependent parents. They receive family visas, and modest government visa and permit fees are payable per person.
Yes. As an Italian residence-permit holder you can travel without a visa throughout the Schengen Area, for up to 90 days in any 180-day period in Schengen states other than Italy.
Ask Mira, our AI guide for immigration and relocation. Mira answers questions on costs, timing, family members and alternatives from the same verified data as this page, in your language, and a Mirabello specialist confirms any specific case before you commit.
AI-generated general information, not legal or tax advice.
Estate planning
A residence permit in Italy does not change your nationality and adds no law you can elect under EU Regulation 650/2012 (Article 22). If you come to live in Italy, the law of Italy may govern your estate by default under Article 21, unless you elect the law of a nationality you already hold. The permit changes no tax position.
The law of Italy has forced heirship: part of the estate is reserved for close family and cannot be left freely by will.
See the Italy position in our succession matrix, or read which law governs your estate. General information, not legal advice.
The primary official sources the Italy Investor Visa figures on this page are verified against. Where a mandatory fee is not in a published schedule, it is marked as disclosed by Mirabello from case experience.
Book a confidential, no-obligation consultation with a Mirabello investment migration specialist, in your own language. We will confirm which programme fits your profile, your budget and your timeline, and outline the precise path to your second citizenship or residence permit, at no cost and with no commitment.
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