For non-EU nationals, receiving permission to live and work in Italy involves a three-part process:
- Find an Italian employer who will hire you and apply for your work permit (they have to apply for your work authorization in Italy). Only after your employer receives your work permit and sends it to you, you can:
- Apply for an Italy Work Visa at the Italian Representation in your home country. If you receive the Italy Work Visa, only then you can:
- Enter Italy and apply for a Residence Permit to be allowed to stay and work in the country legally.
In addition, you only have a short window of time during which you can apply for an Italian Work Visa. The Italian Government also sets out yearly quotas in regards to how many non-EU citizens they will issue work visas to.
What documents do I need to provide to support my Italy Work Visa application?
When applying for an Italy work visa, you must have a set of supporting documents that are required for an Italian visa application. The additional requirements for an Italy Work Visa include:
- Copy of your signed work contract.
- The original and a copy of your Nulla Osta.
- Completed Italian Long-Stay Visa Application form.
- Passport with at least two blank pages, valid for at least three months after the duration of your visa.
- Passport pictures.
- Proof of accommodation in Italy.
- Proof of sufficient financial means.
- Proof of paid visa fee.
- Diplomas/other certificates.
Where and when can you apply for an Italy Work Visa?
- If the Italian immigration office grants you a work permit, your employer has to send the permit to you (usually electronically). The Italian Government also notifies the Italian representation in your country (such as an Italian embassy or consulate), in which you will apply for a work visa.
- If your country has no Italian Representation, you must apply at the Visa Application Center or another Schengen country’s representation that Italy has outsourced visa applications to.
- You must submit the application in person after you have collected all the necessary documents and downloaded and completed the Italy Visa Application Form.
- After you apply for your Italian work visa, the Italian authorities will process your application and decide whether you meet the requirements for a visa.
Working in Italy for EU Nationals
Since Italy is part of the European Union, any EU national can enter the country and start working without any authorization (such as a work permit). But they do have to get a “declaration of presence” from a local police office or Questura.
If an EU citizen wants to stay longer than three months, however, they must also apply for a residence permit.
The Visa Requirements for Wife/Husband of an Italian Citizen
If your wife or husband is an Italian national, and you wish to travel to Italy, you will need to apply for an Italy Visa for the Spouse of an Italian Citizen.
Required Documents for an Italian Visa for the Wife/Husband of an Italian Citizen
When applying to get an Italian visa as the spouse of an Italian national/citizen, you must provide the following additional documents:
- Proof of Italian citizenship (ID card or consular card or certification of Italian nationality or naturalization order).
- Italian marriage certificate.
- Italian family record book.
