# Advice for visa type for American moving to Italy



## csainz

Hello All,

I am working on moving to Italy next year, 2010, and would appreciate any advice on which Visa to acquire. I am not a student nor do I plan on working. I know that visa is very hard to get. 

Any suggestions from any of you that have made the journey?

Thank you very much!
Ciao, Charlotte


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## Bevdeforges

The first place to check would be the website for the Italian consulate covering the area in which you live. The following is the Washington DC consulate information Embassy of Italy in Washington - Page not available

Many countries in Europe have a far simpler visa system than in the US, in that you only apply for a short-term visa or a long-term visa. Your "rights" (i.e. to work, attend school, whatever) are assigned based on what you give as your reasons for wanting to stay in Italy (or wherever) for the period of time you are requesting on your visa.

If you want a visa that will allow you to work, you normally have to have a job offer and an employer willing to sponsor you - which puts much of the responsibility on the employer for initiating the visa process.
Cheers,
Bev


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## NickZ

csainz said:


> Hello All,
> 
> I am working on moving to Italy next year, 2010, and would appreciate any advice on which Visa to acquire. I am not a student nor do I plan on working. I know that visa is very hard to get.


You only have one choice then. The ER [elective residency or something like that] visa. You will need to show a fair bit of income plus the various other easier requirements.


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## csainz

*Visa Info*



Bevdeforges said:


> The first place to check would be the website for the Italian consulate covering the area in which you live. The following is the Washington DC consulate information Embassy of Italy in Washington - Page not available
> 
> Many countries in Europe have a far simpler visa system than in the US, in that you only apply for a short-term visa or a long-term visa. Your "rights" (i.e. to work, attend school, whatever) are assigned based on what you give as your reasons for wanting to stay in Italy (or wherever) for the period of time you are requesting on your visa.
> 
> If you want a visa that will allow you to work, you normally have to have a job offer and an employer willing to sponsor you - which puts much of the responsibility on the employer for initiating the visa process.
> Cheers,
> Bev


Thank you so much Bev.. I will keep checking here. INteresting enough most of the web pages for our local consulates do not offer the various forms so maybe the Embassy in Washington is the place I need to check for forms.

Again, thank you so much for the help and advice.

Ciao and Cheers!
Charlotte


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## csainz

*Visa Info for American to Italy*



NickZ said:


> You only have one choice then. The ER [elective residency or something like that] visa. You will need to show a fair bit of income plus the various other easier requirements.


Thank you Nick! I will check into that.
Ciao, Charlotte


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## Jim2551

We just finished the process of getting a 1-year visa to enter Italy for residency as retired persons -- the "fair bit of income" in our case was 48,000 euros per annum of guaranteed (pension) income, plus owning a habitable house and an Italian bank account. Not an easy task -- and not many Americans have guaranteed pension income any more.


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## van

*van*



NickZ said:


> You only have one choice then. The ER [elective residency or something like that] visa. You will need to show a fair bit of income plus the various other easier requirements.


I am a new user..I also am trying for long-term visa. As a senior, I am required to have health ins for the term of the visa. (1+ years) Anyone have an inexpensive
alternate to this dilemma? Thanks


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## Bevdeforges

van said:


> I am a new user..I also am trying for long-term visa. As a senior, I am required to have health ins for the term of the visa. (1+ years) Anyone have an inexpensive
> alternate to this dilemma? Thanks


You may want to look into the medical insurance offered through AARO, an association for US expats. AARO - Association of Americans Resident Overseas They gear their offerings to meeting the visa requirements, though they also offer medical insurance plans that allow you to go back to the US for treatment (in conjunction with your Medicare coverage). Any plan that includes US coverage is going to be very expensive.

I'm told that the AARO plan is a good deal. At the very least it should give you a base on which to compare other commercial plans.

You do need to be an AARO member to take advantage of the plan, so figure another $70 or so a year for AARO membership.
Cheers,
Bev


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## van

Thanx, Bev...I'll look into this
van


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## walklans

*Americans Moving to Italy*



Jim2551 said:


> We just finished the process of getting a 1-year visa to enter Italy for residency as retired persons -- the "fair bit of income" in our case was 48,000 euros per annum of guaranteed (pension) income, plus owning a habitable house and an Italian bank account. Not an easy task -- and not many Americans have guaranteed pension income any more.


Thanks for the info. My husband and I want to do the same thing. Which consulate did you have to go to? Was the process tortuous? How long did it take? Is the 48.000 Euros per year per person or for the family? And when you say "guaranteed" income, does that mean only Social Security and pension or does that also count savings? Sorry for all the questions, but it's so hard to find someone who's done this. Thanks for any advice you can provide.

Sherry


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