A national visa and residence pathway to undertake an authorised independent profession or business in Italy.
Residency to citizenship
- 01Residence
- 02EU long-term residencefrom 5 years
- 03Italian citizenshipusually 10 years
Each stage has its own eligibility requirements.
- Benefits
- Permission to perform the approved self-employed activity and reside in Italy.
- Eligibility
- The activity must be legally permissible for a foreign national and meet the applicable category and annual entry-quota rules, unless an exemption applies.
- Requirements
- Professional authorisation where required, financial-resource certification from the relevant chamber or professional body, accommodation and a Questura Nulla Osta. Evidence and quota availability depend on the exact self-employment category.
YOUR LONG-TERM PATHWAY
Residency to citizenship
- 01
Residence
Enter on the appropriate visa and keep a valid residence permit, maintaining the qualifying investment, work or independent means.
- 02
EU long-term residence · from 5 years
Usually available after five years of eligible lawful residence, with adequate income and the required Italian-language evidence.
- 03
Italian citizenship · usually 10 years
For most non-EU nationals, naturalisation requires ten years of legal residence. B1 Italian, qualifying income, a satisfactory criminal record and the nationality assessment are separate requirements, shorter periods apply to certain groups.
Permanent residence and nationality are separate applications. An investment or elective-residence permit is not a direct citizenship programme.
Each stage requires its own qualifying conditions and decision. The years shown are eligibility periods, not approval times.
