Italy is among the favorite retirement destinations for Americans because of evident reasons. The mild climate, high quality of life, and excellent healthcare facilities in the country make it ideal for retirees. Most importantly, you need not struggle much for immigration formalities. The Elective Residency Visa (residenza elettiva) gives you easy access as a retire. It is specifically tailored for people who are financially capable of supporting themselves without working. If you want to know more about the option, you can get qualified assistance from Bersani Law Firm for the process. Experts can make it a breeze for you. Here are some insights into planning a dream retirement in Italy with an elective residency visa.
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Elective Residency Visa for retirement goals
The Italian elective residency visa is essentially a long-stay visa apt for people who want to relocate permanently to Italy. But you must have adequate funds to sustain yourself. However, these retirement funds should be in the form of pensions, savings, and investments instead of regular employment or business. Simply speaking, this immigration option does not entitle you to work in Italy. Moreover, you will have to convert it to an Italian Residence Permit after landing in the country to stay here for more than 90 days. Any person who does not hail from an EU country, or Lichtenstein, Norway, Iceland, or Switzerland, must apply for the Elective Residence Visa to live here as a retiree.
Documentary requirements
Like any other immigration route, an Elective Residency Visa has a set of documentary requirements. You will have to provide paperwork to prove your eligibility for the process. Here is a list of essentials you must have at hand.
- You will need proof of funds showing you can support yourself even without working. A minimum of € 31,000 per year is essential if applying alone, while married couples have to show € 38,000 per year for financial sustenance in Italy. The amount goes up by 20% for every dependant coming along. These funds should be in the form of pensions, property income, annuities, or income from joint stock in a company. The fact is that you cannot work for a regular income in the country with an Elective Residency visa, but you must be financially independent.
- Next on the list is proof of lodging to show that you have a place to live in the country after arriving here. You can show purchase papers or a lease/rental agreement for this purpose.
- International health insurance comes next on the list of visa requirements. It should cover € 30,000 per year and medical expenses in every member state of the EU.
- You must have a passport with two blank visa pages. Also, it should be valid for at least three months after the expiry of the visa.
- Additional requirements include passport-size pictures, civil status documents like birth or marriage certificates, and police clearances from your country of current residence.
Besides these documents, you will need an Italy long-stay visa application form, duly completed, signed, and dated.
Application process
Once you have all the paperwork in place, you can go ahead with the application process. The good thing is that you can apply for it at your local consulate. You will have to start by booking an appointment at the Italian consulate in your jurisdiction. If your country does not have one, you can submit your application to the consulate of a Schengen country collaborating with Italy for outsourcing visa submissions. You will have to carry the documents on the date of appointment for verification. At this stage, you have to pay the visa fee and wait for the processing time. You can travel to Italy after approval.
Applying for a residence permit
Landing in Italy with an elective residency visa is just the start. You will have to get a residence permit to start a comfortable life after retirement in the country. Be ready to apply for it within eight days of landing. You can visit a local post office to get the residence permit application kit. Complete it and submit it to the post office. You will have to include copies of the required document with the application. After doing so, you will get an appointment for the application at the local Questura (police headquarters). You will have to provide the originals of the required documents and your fingerprints here. Expect them to ask some questions as well. The Questura will issue your Residence Permit card after a processing period.
At this stage, you are ready to start a new life in Italy. Although the process sounds simple, the documentation part can get overwhelming. It makes sense to hire an expert to ensure that nothing is amiss with your paperwork. Having experts guiding you makes the process fast and easy.
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