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The International Will in Italy

If you have properties and assets in different countries, you may be interested in knowing more about the international will. The international will was created in the Washington Convention on 26 October 1973 and was ratified by several countries,…

Registering and driving a foreign car in Italy

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Many people want to bring their car with them when moving to Italy and keep asking questions about driving in Italy and registering their car. It is certainly possible to bring your car with you when moving to Italy, although costs to ship…

The notaio: how are they involved in the buying process?

We talked about the role of the geometra in the buying process in Italy in one of our past article. As promised, today I would give a very brief overview on the involvement of the notaio in the buying process. As a preliminary remark, it’s…

Renting in Italy: responsibilities of the tenant

It’s quite common for people moving to Italy to rent a property first, to get acquainted with the new town while looking for a property to buy. This brief article is meant to give you some tips on how costs are split between landlords and…

Owning a property in Italy: which taxes do you have to pay?

Once you have successfully found a property in Italy and have become the proud owner of a beautiful house along the coast, up on the mountains or in a historic city, you become responsible to pay some annual taxes. These are: − IMU −…

Short term rentals in Italy

You may be dreaming of owning a property in Italy and may be thinking to rent it out short term while you are not there, to cover some costs. If that is your plan, you may want to know that from the 1st September 2024 rules to rent out properties…

The geometra: how are they involved in the buying process?

I often hear people saying that to buy a property in Italy you just need a geometra and a notary, you do not need anyone else. This may be true; however, I’d like to clarify the involvement and the role of the geometra in the buying process.…

Buying in August

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If you have already visited Italy in the past in August, you may be familiar with the sign in the picture. It literally means: “closed for holidays”. Funny uh? Well..., yes, August is the king of the Italian summer holidays and almost everyone…

Move to Italy FAQ part 4

1. When shall I register in a Comune as resident? You need to register as resident in a Comune as soon as you move there or as soon as you obtain your permit of stay. 2. How can I register as a resident in a Comune? You need to contact the…

One-off taxes and costs when you buy a property in Italy

When you buy a property in Italy there are some taxes and expenses you may want to take into account to set your overall budget. Taxes are different if you buy a prima casa (main residence) or if you buy a seconda casa (holiday home). Taxes…

Vat refund for people resident out of the EU

Since the summer is upon us and you may have planned a trip to Italy to scout properties or just to visit our beautiful country, you may be interested to know that, if you do some shopping in Italy, and are a non-EU resident, you can ask for…

Buying in Italy, the “categorie catastali”: what are they?

While looking for a property to buy, you may have bumped into some “categoria catastale A3” or “categoria catastale C3” etc. and you may have wondered what that was. The categorie catastali are classes properties in Italy are grouped…

Buying in Italy: “prima casa” or “seconda casa”?

As a preliminary remark, it’s essential to say that the amount of tax to pay when you buy a prima casa, primary residence, is lower than when you buy a seconda casa, holiday home; that’s why it is relevant to know if you are going to buy…

Move to Italy: FAQ 3

1. Will I have to pay taxes in Italy if I live there? If you are resident in Italy, as a general rule, you have to declare all your worldwide income and assets. Bilateral treaties, though, avoid double taxation. Specific tax schemes/rules may…

The buying process in Italy: some HEADS UP

This brief article is meant to give some heads up on two problems I bump into more and more often. 1. What you have visited is not what you are buying. This happens more often than you could expect. Properties in Italy are identified by…

“Carta di identità”: what is it and how to get one?

The carta di identità is an identity document issued by local town halls to all residents. To get a carta di identità you need to be resident in that comune, therefore you need to be registered in the anagrafe of that comune. You can apply…

“NUDA PROPRIETÀ” AND “USUFRUTTO”

While looking for a property in Italy, you may have bumped into a nuda proprietà for sale and you may have wondered what that was. In very simple words, in Italy the ownership (piena proprietà) of a house is made by the mere ownership of…

Move to Italy FAQ 2

1. Can I buy a property in Italy if I’m not a citizen nor resident? Yes, you can if Italian citizens are allowed to buy a property in your country. This is called reciprocity. 2. Can I get a loan in Italy to buy a property if I’m not…

THE OFFER TO BUY: A CRUCIAL STEP IN THE BUYING OFFER

The offer to buy is one of the most important and crucial steps in the buying process. It includes clauses, terms and conditions of the sale, most of which will be reported in the final contract; it is a proper agreement, binding for both…

HOME SCHOOLING IN ITALY

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The school is open to all: art.34 of the Italian Constitution expressly says so; and it is compulsory to receive an education for at least 10 years. An alternative to attending traditional schools is represented by parental education, also…

PRIVATE SALE OR AGENCY SALE?

Property private sales are still quite popular in Italy and this is mainly due to the saving on agency fees. Let’s see the main characteristics of each one. Agency sale: 1. When a property is advertised by an agent, the agent should…

MOVE TO ITALY: a brief overview for non-EU citizens

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Moving to a foreign country may be stressful and it can be even more stressful when the sequence of steps to take is not clear. This is a very brief overview of the process for non-EU citizens, who are not family members of EU or Italian citizens. 1.…

Buying a property in Italy: do I need a lawyer?

The law in Italy doesn’t require you to be assisted by anyone in a property transaction. The only essential figures in a property transaction in Italy are the seller, the buyer and the notary. Hence the short answer to that question is: “nope,…

Buying in Italy: how to protect your deposit

When you make an offer to buy a property in Italy, you are requested to pay a deposit to prove you’re serious about buying. Agents usually ask for the buyer to leave a personal check with them, which they will then hand over to the seller…

Move to Italy FAQ 1

1. Do I need a codice fiscale to live in Italy? You need it for a number of things: for buying, renting, opening a bank account, buying a mobile sim card, etc., so if you are considering to move to Italy, the sooner you get it, the better it…

I’m a foreigner, can I buy property in Italy?

This is a question very often asked. People from all over the world are fascinated by Italy and want to invest in the Bel Paese. Unfortunately not everyone can buy a property in Italy, though. In Italy there is a rule called “reciprocity”:…

Estate agents in Italy: peculiarities

Sometimes people willing to buy a property in Italy are amazed to learn that estate agents in Italy work in a different way than in their home country and that the entire buying process is, more or less, different. To become an estate agent…

ERV monetary requirements NEWS

In June all Italian consulates in the US have been informed by the Italian Foreign Ministry to request €31.000 as the minimum passive income amount to grant the elective residence visa. This requirement applies to anyone; spouses would need…

Tips for living in Italy

Sometimes it happens that people, who just moved to Italy, don’t know some important rules and after a few years (or even a few months) they find themselves in trouble. For this reason, I thought I’d summarise some rules to abide by. RESIDENCY 1. Register…

Let’s talk about the “codice fiscale”

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The codice fiscale - fiscal code – is an alphanumeric code, based on your name, place of birth and date of birth. It is assigned to all Italian citizens at birth and it lasts forever, i.e. it does not have an expiry date, nor it needs to…

7% flat tax for pensioners: which towns?

Few days ago, I was asked if the towns of L’Aquila and Spoleto were eligible for the 7% flat tax for pensioners. Before answering this question, I think it is useful to remind what this scheme is about. The 7% flat tax scheme for pensioners…

€1 Homes

1€ homes are still heavily promoted abroad and I see three are still a lot of people interested in the scheme. It’s certainly very attractive to buy a home in the Bel Paese for just 1€, however I’d advice whomever is interested in the…

Which vehicle for non-resident in Italy?

If you have a property in Italy and are not resident, you may need to have a vehicle to move around, especially if you are in a remote area. If you are not resident, however, you cannot buy a vehicle, since proof of residency is required…

Shall I pay tax in Italy?

If you live full time in Italy, as a general rule, you are obligated to pay taxes on all your worldwide income and assets. Bilateral treaties may make some of your income and assets tax free or reduce the amount of tax you have to pay. However,…

Tv licence in Italy: do I need to pay it?

I was recently asked if the canone Rai – the Italian tv licence - was due by property owners not resident in Italy. The canone Rai is due by property owners who have a tv in their homes. The amount of the canone Rai is €90 for the year…