The “Investor Visa” is a new type of entry visa for non-EU citizens willing to invest or make a donation to support strategic assets in Italy. This visa allows entry and residence in Italy for two years and it is renewable for 3 more years.
The Investor Visa is not subject to any annual limit on entries (“quotas”).
Foreign citizens interested in obtaining residence in Italy through the Investor Visa must meet one of the following conditions:
- Invest an amount equal to or exceeding € 2.000.000 in Italian Government Bonds
- Invest an amount equal to or exceeding € 1.000.000 in companies incorporated and operating in Italy
- Invest an amount equal to or exceeding € 500.000 in innovative startups
- Donate an amount equal to or exceeding € 1.000.000 to projects of public interest related to the following areas: culture, tourism, education and scientific research, migration management.
The original investment has to be guaranteed for the whole time frame for which permit is allowed.
In addition to the investment conditions, investors will also have to meet the following requirements:
- They must be able to prove the personal possession of the amounts to be allocated to the investment/donation
- The investment or donation declared in the visa application must be made within three months, starting from the date of arrival in Italy
- They must be able to prove to have sufficient personal resources to stay in Italy.
The Investor Visa is basically a two-year residence permit, which can be revoked at any time if the person fails to meet one of the requirements listed above. As mentioned, if you maintain your investment or donation throughout the 2 years of validity of your residence permit, you will be able to renew it for three more years, upon Committe’s approval (“Comitato Investor Visa for Italy”).
Finally, it is also worth mentioning that this special residence permit is extended as well to family members of the applying investor.
If you wish to learn more about the “Investor Visa for Italay” programme, please check the extensive guidelines here. Don’t hesitate to contact me if you need any support or more information on this opportunity.
