# Do you need identity card in order to renew permesso di soggiorno for elective residency in Italy after year 1?



## rsamuelson (Sep 4, 2020)

I am planning on applying for a permesso di soggiorno for elective residency in Italy. I have enough financial assets to meet the requirement for passive income. My question is do you need an identity card in order to renew the permesso di soggiorno? I would plan to be in Italy less than 180 days per year (in which case I would not be required to pay taxes) however I'm wondering if I still need to pay taxes to obtain the identity card to then renew it.


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## NickZ (Jun 26, 2009)

Italy use three tests for tax residency.

Being register with the town for residency for more than half the year.
Centre of interests for more than half the year
Normal domicile for more than half the year.

None of these require you to be in Italy. In fact the Italian government requires you to cancel your residency if you leave the country and don't want to remain tax resident according to the first test. But even if you do you can be tripped over by the other two.

You can't get an ID card without have residency.


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## GeordieBorn (Jul 15, 2016)

From what I understand, for elective residency you do not pay tax in Italy under any circumstances, however you also cannot work there and must have the income or equivalent value in property.


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## Italia-Mx (Jan 14, 2009)

I'm an Italian citizen and was holding legal residency in Italy for nine years when I applied for a Mexican visa with my Italian passport at the Mexican Embassy in Rome. I then left Italy and spent two years in Mexico. When I returned to Italy and re-established my residency in the same comune, I received a TV Tax bill for the two years I was in Mexico. I took this bill to the tax authorities who asked to see the Mexican visa in my Italian passport. When they were satisfied that I had not been in Italy for those two years, they relieved me of the tax but told me that if I had CANCELLED my residency before I went to Mexico, I would not have received any tax bills while I was gone.


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