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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 after ~10 years.
MCP
Overview
Italy Investor Visa is a government-authorised residency by investment programme that grants residence permit in exchange for a qualifying investment in the country. It is regulated by the government's investment authority and administered through licensed advisers such as Mirabello Consultancy. Minimum investment starts from €250,000.
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 after ~10 years.
The Italy Investor Visa grants renewable European Union residency to non-EU investors who put capital into the Italian economy, with Schengen travel and a route that can lead to citizenship over time. The outcome is a residence permit, not a passport. It is one of two ways sophisticated clients establish themselves in Italy; the other is the Italy flat-tax regime, and the two are complementary rather than mutually exclusive (see below).
There are four qualifying routes [ against investorvisa.mise.gov.it]: €250,000 into an innovative Italian startup; €500,000 into an Italian limited company; a €1,000,000 philanthropic donation of public interest; or €2,000,000 in Italian government bonds. A distinctive feature is speed of the first step: by law the nulla osta (clearance) decision is issued within 30 days of a complete application, and firms report around 25-35 days in practice, with roughly 3-6 months end to end.
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 Italian Investor Visa portal and the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs. 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 |
MCPScored 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 after ~10 years. 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 | Approximately 3-6 months end to end; nulla osta decision by law within 30 days of a complete application | None | 185 visa-free | Residence permit |
| 🇦🇱 Albania Residence by Investment | €100,000 | Approx. 10-25 working days for the residence-permit decision once documents are complete | Maintaining residence | n/a | Residence permit |
| 🇪🇨 Ecuador Investor Residence | $48,200 | ~60 days from application to approval | During temporary stage: | n/a | Residence permit |
| 🇧🇷 Brazil Residence by Investment | BRL 700,000 | n/a | Very light | 170 visa-free | Residence permit |
Questions
The Italy Investor Visa programme starts from €250,000 via Innovative startup investment (tiered).
Indicative processing time is Approximately 3-6 months end to end; nulla osta decision by law within 30 days of a complete application (firms report ~25-35 days in practice)..
None to hold or renew the investor residence permit. (However, qualifying for permanent residence or citizenship does require real, continuous physical residence.)
Italian citizenship by naturalisation after ~10 years of legal residence (subject to language B1 and other requirements). residence-day requirements and any 2025-2026 citizenship-law changes.
Four routes: EUR 250,000 into an innovative Italian 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. Government fees are additional and.
The first-stage clearance (nulla osta) is issued by law within 30 days of a complete application, with firms reporting around 25-35 days in practice, and roughly 3-6 months end to end ().
No, they are different but complementary. The Investor Visa is an immigration route granting residence for a qualifying investment. The Art. 24-bis flat tax is a separate tax election available once you become an Italian tax resident. Many clients use both. See our Italy flat-tax page for the tax regime.
It can, but not automatically. Italian citizenship by naturalisation is possible after around ten years of legal residence, subject to conditions. It is an eligibility to apply, not a guarantee ().
Yes. The qualifying investment covers the investor's family, with Italian government fees applied per person ().
Yes. The Italian residence permit provides Schengen-area visa-free travel across 27 European countries.
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.
Book a free consultation