Investor Visa — Innovative Startup
Invest in a qualifying innovative Italian startup through the Investor Visa programme. This route is for investors; the separate €50,000 founder programme is explained in its own tab.
Overview
Route information is set out below.
Requirements
The qualifying investment
- Invest at least €250,000 in equity of an innovative startup registered in the special section of Italy’s business register.
- Verify that the company and the proposed transaction qualify at the time of application. A new business does not qualify simply because it calls itself a startup.
- Complete the approved investment after entry within the programme deadline and retain it throughout the residence permit and any investor renewal.
- Buying residential property does not qualify as the investment for this programme. You can arrange accommodation separately.
The Nulla Osta is an immigration approval stage, not a guarantee of the investment’s value or return. Startup equity can lose value and may be difficult to sell.
Initial application essentials
- The programme is for eligible non-EU applicants. It is currently suspended for Russian and Belarusian citizens, including non-EU dual nationals who hold either passport.
- Provide a valid passport, the required application forms and photographs, and evidence of lawful residence in the consular district where you apply.
- Document the lawful origin, availability and transferability of the required funds. Supply the criminal-record, financial and personal documents requested for your case.
- Arrange suitable accommodation, personal maintenance funds in addition to the investment, and appropriate health cover. Follow the responsible consulate’s current checklist.
- There is no standard Italian-language certificate in the initial Investor Visa application. Investor permit holders are exempt from the integration agreement for the first five years; later long-term residence and citizenship have separate language rules.
Who can accompany you?
Spouse or civil partner
A qualifying spouse or recognised civil partner must be at least 18. The relationship must satisfy Italian family immigration rules.
Children
Unmarried children under 18 may qualify, including a spouse’s children with the required parental consent. Adult children qualify under general reunification only where dependency results from total disability.
Dependent parents
Strict dependency conditions apply: ordinarily no other children in the country of origin, or parents over 65 whose other children cannot support them for serious documented health reasons.
Choose the correct family procedure
The investor legislation permits qualifying accompanying-family entry. Later reunification is a distinct procedure and can carry a two-year lawful-residence requirement. Confirm the applicable route, income, accommodation and documentation before planning travel.
Process and Procedure
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Select and assess the investment
Check eligibility, the proposed recipient and financial risk. Prepare the investment plan, source-of-funds evidence and supporting documents before committing.
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Request the Nulla Osta
Submit the complete application through the Investor Visa portal. The Committee’s published assessment period is 30 days; requests for further evidence can suspend the process.
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Apply for the entry visa
Use the Nulla Osta within six months to apply at the responsible Italian consulate. Consular checks and appointment availability are separate from the Committee stage.
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Enter and apply for the permit
After entering Italy, apply to the Questura for the investor residence permit within eight days. Complete the required identification and document formalities.
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Complete the investment
Make the full approved investment or donation within three months of entry and upload the evidence to the programme portal. Missing the deadline can lead to refusal or revocation.
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Maintain and renew
Keep the qualifying investment in place throughout the permit. Seek the renewal Nulla Osta and start renewal at least 60 days before expiry; approval can support a further three-year permit.
Allow roughly three to four months from application, subject to appointments, documentation and government review. The 30-day Committee assessment is one stage. Arrange suitable rented or owned accommodation and complete the investment within three months of entry.
Long-Term Residence and Citizenship
Investor flexibility and your long-term plan
The investor permit’s continuity-of-stay exemption lasts for the first five years from its initial issue. It does not waive the actual-residence conditions for long-term resident status or citizenship. Selling the investment while relying on investor status can affect your permission; review any exit before acting.
EU long-term residence
After five years of qualifying legal residence, you may apply for EU long-term resident status. Adequate income, the relevant housing requirements and A2 Italian normally apply, with recognised exemptions.
Residence must be real
For the standard five-year calculation, absences must normally be under six consecutive months and no more than ten months in total, subject to statutory exceptions. Keeping an investment alone does not meet the residence test.
Potential nationality after ten years
Most non-EU nationals may apply after ten years of uninterrupted legal residence. B1 Italian normally applies, alongside income, conduct and other requirements. Some categories have shorter statutory periods.
A separate application
Residence does not automatically lead to a passport. Naturalisation is assessed by the authorities and takes additional time. Italy permits multiple citizenship; also check your existing nationality’s rules.
