ELECTIVE RESIDENCE PERMIT IN ITALY: REQUIREMENTS, PROCEDURE, AND BENEFITS
The elective residence permit is a specific type of residence permit that allows non–European Union foreign nationals to live permanently in Italy without carrying out any work activity, provided that they have independent, stable, and sufficient financial resources to support themselves.
This permit also allows the holder to travel freely to other countries within the Schengen Area for up to 90 days in any 180-day period.
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It is a measure designed in particular for retirees, financially independent individuals, investors, or people who wish to move to Italy as a lifestyle choice, without employment purposes, and to enjoy on a continuous basis the territory, services, and quality of life offered by the country.
WHAT IS THE ELECTIVE RESIDENCE PERMIT
The elective residence permit is governed by article 11 of Presidential Decree No. 394/1999 and by the Interministerial Decree of 11 May 2011, No. 850, Annex A, paragraph 13.
It is issued to non-EU citizens who intend to establish their residence in Italy without engaging in any work activity, demonstrating that they possess adequate and continuous financial resources.
Holders of this permit may live in Italy, rent or purchase property, register with the municipal population registry, access healthcare services, and move freely within the Schengen Area for short stays.
However, working—whether as an employee or as a self-employed person—is not permitted, unless the permit is subsequently converted in the cases provided for by law.
Elective residence therefore represents a form of stay based on a personal choice of settlement, not linked to work, study, or family reunification needs.
WHO CAN APPLY FOR AN ELECTIVE RESIDENCE PERMIT
The permit may be requested by any non-EU citizen who is able to demonstrate compliance with the economic, housing, and insurance requirements set out by law.
In particular:
- foreign nationals holding an elective residence entry visa;
- foreign nationals who previously held a residence permit for employed work, self-employment, or family reasons and who apply for conversion of their existing permit (Article 14, paragraph 1, letter d) of the Implementing Regulations);
- foreign nationals who have family ties with a European Union citizen that do not fall within the definition of “direct family member” under EU law. This category includes, in particular, cohabiting partners of EU citizens.
This also applies to partners cohabiting abroad with the applicant for the residence permit.
REQUIREMENTS FOR OBTAINING AN ELECTIVE RESIDENCE PERMIT
To obtain an elective residence permit, all of the following requirements must be met. The absence of even one of them may lead to rejection of the application.
- Minimum income requirement
The financial requirement is the most important one. Applicants must demonstrate financial resources (such as pensions, annuities, real estate income, stable business or commercial activities, or other sources not deriving from salaried employment) amounting to no less than three times the annual amount indicated in the Ministry of the Interior Directive of 1 March 2000, which defines the means of subsistence for the entry and stay of foreign nationals in Italy.
In general, administrative practice requires a net annual income of approximately €32,000 for a single applicant, with an increase of about 20% for each cohabiting family member. This amount may be updated annually.
The income must derive from lawful and verifiable sources, such as pensions, rental income, dividends, interest, or other continuous revenues, provided that they do not originate from work activity.
2. Availability of accommodation in Italy
Applicants must demonstrate the availability of suitable accommodation in Italy, whether owned or rented.
In the case of a lease, the rental contract must be duly registered and have a duration consistent with the length of the permit requested.
3. Health insurance
The applicant must hold health insurance valid in Italy, either private or through registration with the Italian National Health Service, fully covering the risks of illness and injury.
4. Absence of impediments
As with any residence permit, there must be no serious criminal convictions or elements indicating that the applicant poses a threat to public order or state security.
PROCEDURE FOR OBTAINING THE ELECTIVE RESIDENCE PERMIT
The procedure consists of several stages and requires careful preparation of the documentation.
Application for the entry visa
The first step takes place at the Italian Consulate in the applicant’s country of origin or stable residence, where the application for an elective residence visa is submitted together with all required documents.
It should be noted that, according to administrative case law, the absence of an entry visa is considered a purely formal issue and must be regarded as secondary to the verification of the substantive requirements set out in Article 11, paragraph 1, letter c-quater, of Presidential Decree No. 394/1999 and Annex A, No. 13, of the Ministerial Decree of 11 May 2011. These provisions require only the availability of accommodation to be designated as a residence and the possession of substantial financial resources and health insurance (Regional Administrative Court of Sicily – Catania, judgment No. 3031 of 2025).
As a consequence, refusal of an elective residence permit based solely on the absence of an entry visa is unlawful where the authorities have not established the lack of the substantive economic and housing requirements, given the specific nature of this type of residence permit, which—due to its characteristics—may fall outside the quotas governing entry flows of foreign nationals.
Entry into Italy and application for the residence permit
Once the visa has been issued, the foreign national must enter Italy and submit the application for the residence permit within eight days, using the postal kit and attaching the required documentation.
Appointment at the Police Headquarters and issuance
The competent Police Headquarters (Questura) will summon the applicant for fingerprinting and verification of the documentation. If the outcome is positive, the permit is issued, generally with annual validity.
DURATION AND RENEWAL
The elective residence permit generally has a duration of one or two years and is renewable, provided that the original requirements continue to be met.
The renewal application is submitted via the postal kit.
After five years of lawful and continuous residence, it is possible to apply for an EU long-term residence permit.
CONVERSION OF THE ELECTIVE RESIDENCE PERMIT
In certain cases, the elective residence permit may be converted into another type of residence permit—such as for family or work reasons—if the holder meets new requirements during their stay in Italy.
Such conversion must be carefully assessed, as it is not automatic and requires compliance with strict conditions and precise deadlines.
COMMON ISSUES
As described, the elective residence permit allows registration in the municipal population registry of the place of habitual residence and presupposes, as a substantive requirement, the stable and effective presence of the holder in Italy. In accordance with the civil law definition of residence under Article 43, paragraph 2, of the Civil Code—also referred to in immigration legislation—elective residence does not constitute a separate or attenuated legal concept, but rather implies the actual establishment of one’s habitual abode in Italy.
Failure to register with the population registry does not, in itself, automatically justify refusal or revocation of the residence permit; however, it may legitimately be considered as indicative of the absence of the substantive requirement of effective residence, where accompanied by factual elements demonstrating the lack of stable and continuous presence in Italy. In this sense, population registry residence is not merely formal in nature, but represents the legal reflection of a pre-existing factual situation that the individual is required to declare under current registry regulations (Regional Administrative Court of Friuli Venezia Giulia, No. 551/2011).
Moreover, although the elective residence permit allows travel within the Schengen Area for short stays (up to 90 days in any 180-day period), the holder’s main residence must remain in Italy. Pursuant to Article 13, paragraph 4, of Presidential Decree No. 394/1999, the residence permit may not be renewed or extended if the foreign national has interrupted their stay in Italy for a continuous period exceeding six months, or—where the permit has a duration of at least two years—for a continuous period exceeding half of the permit’s validity, unless the absence was due to military obligations or other serious and duly documented reasons.
This provision is particularly relevant for the elective residence permit, which by its nature presupposes stable and effective habitual residence in Italy. Consequently, prolonged or prevailing absences from Italian territory, if not justified by objective and documented reasons, are incompatible with the substantive requirements of the permit and may lawfully lead to refusal of renewal or revocation.
In any case, if the application is approved, the applicant will receive a card similar to the one shown below.
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