As a family member of an Italian citizen, you have a full right to enter and stay in Italy. Depending on your nationality and current residence, you may need an entry visa. The most important information is gathered here in 3 steps.
#1 Check
Are you eligible for residency in Italy? You have such right if you can prove one of the following family relations:
- spouse (or same-sex registered partner)
- children and grandchildren (up to 21 years) of the Italian citizen and those of the spouse
- parents and grandparents of the Italian citizen and those of the spouse
- siblings of the Italian citizen
#2 Prepare
If you are a national of a country listed for visa requirement to Italy/Europe, you need to apply at the closest Italian Consulate for a visa for family members (Visto d’ingresso per familiari di cittadini italiani). Such a visa clears your entry through the border checks upon arrival in Europe (more precisely, in the Schengen area). The terms and requirements for this kind of visa are often not published on the Italian Consulate’s websites. In general, the conditions are more favorable than any other visa, the process is free of charge and shorter. The documents to attach to the application may vary from Consulate to Consulate. Documents required for your visa application: In general, this is what the Italian Consulates require:
- Application form filled in with your data (download here) 1 photo in ICAO format (4.0 x 3.5 cm, color photo with white background, taken within the last 6 months)
- Proof of family relation, e.g. official marriage record. The record must be in full format (i.e. including the names of the parents of each spouse or parents, for birth certificates), legalized/apostilled and translated into Italian. Marriage records must be issued less than 6 months before. That is a requirement, in case the Italian citizen did not register the concerned vital record in Italy as yet (at the municipality in which he is a resident or, if not residing in Italy, at the municipality of Rome);
- Invitation letter signed by the Italian citizen (Dichiarazione di ospitalità, download here) your passport + 2 copies (the passport must be valid for at least 3 months after the planned departure date from the Schengen area and was issued less than 10 years before. The passport must have at least two blank and unmarked visa pages)
- Italian citizen’s passport (copy)
- Flight reservation: The reservation document must indicate the applicant’s name, departure city, and destination. In order to avoid any unnecessary expense, flight ticket confirmation can be done after visa issuance.
- Health care insurance: insurance must be valid for the whole Schengen area. It must cover medical fees, hospitalization and repatriation costs of up to 30,000 euros. The insurance must fully cover the initial period of stay within the Schengen area.
- Letter of authorization for visa application/passport return (in case the applicant does not submit the application in person). For those who choose to submit the application by a representative, it is mandatory to provide a letter of authorization, signed by the applicant, mentioning the name of the representative and his/her contacts. The representative ID must be shown and a copy of the ID must be submitted.
#3 Follow The Process
After submitting your application, you are entitled to obtain a visa within 90 days. This term might be extended one time to 30 more days. Please note that, if your application wasn’t complete from the start, the Consulate can stay the process for the time needed for you to give the missing document (max 90 days).
FAST TRACK: The process goes much faster when the Italian citizen has registered in Italy the document proving the relation. For example, if the Italian citizen has married or had a child outside of Italy, it is very important to register the marriage or birth record at the Italian Consulate (if the Italian citizen resided abroad) or in Italy (at the municipality of residence, office of Stato Civile).
What happens next?
In order to secure your residence in Italy, you are expected to apply for a residence permit or a residence card upon your arrival. The family members within the 1st and 2nd degree (spouse, children up to 21 years, parents, grandparents and grandchildren) can obtain a five-year residence card. The other family members are entitled to obtain a two-year residence permit. You may read here about the differences between the two. It is required to prove that you depend on the Italian citizen for your maintenance and to register your residence at the same address.
Would you like to know more?
Download my Free Guide “4-Step Strategy” to obtain a residence permit for family members, complete with the official forms: Invitation statement by the Italian citizen for the family member to show at the border (or to obtain an entry visa, where applicable): Dichiarazione di alloggio e garanzia
- “Dichiarazione di ospitalità” to be submitted to the immigration police within 48 hours
- “Dichiarazione di presenza” to be submitted to the immigration police within 8 days
+ the list of documents required by the police for the application.
Request your Free Guide here:
Hy
I live in uk on student visa.I want to know if i will go to italy on tourist visa after that can i stay in italy for long time.My father is citizen in italy.I am 30 year old.
Good thinking, Sharry! You can reside log term at your father’s address. Read more details here. You may even check your options for getting Italian citizenship, if your father became a citizen while you were below 18 years of age.
Hi Lara,
I am an Italian citizen. I don’t work now since I’m pregnant. I want to take my husband to Italy. And I wanted to know if he has to show some money in his bank account and if so how much and for how long? And what about insurance, should he contact any institution that deals with it?
Thank you
Your husband is required to show insurance and financial means only for the trip and to enter the Schengen area. Once in Italy, he will be granted long-term residency irrespective of his financial means. A minimum health care coverage is guaranteed by the local government on a par with Italian citizens. You’re welcome to read more of my mind hacks on residency for family members of Italian citizens at this page.
Hello Lara
I am married to an Italian citizen for the last 20 years. We have an 11 year old daughter, UK passport.
My wife would like to move back to Italy with her job and if possible I would change my UK based contract to a Italian based contract, same company I currently work for.
Would I need to apply for the Family Visa. And what Visa would my daughter require?
hello, Nathan! You need to apply for a permission to stay (residence Card/FAMIT), once you move to Italy, and precisely a FAMIT. No need to apply for a visa entry clearance. If your daughter was never registered as an Italian citizen with the Consulate, you may do so by sending them her original birth record. Alternatively, she will have to delay her registration as Italian until she will obtain a permission to stay in Italy as a british citizens and will register her residence with the local municipality.
Hi,
I am italian/Australian citizen and my doughter (has only australian passport) can she stay longer than 3 months in Italy? Does she need a visa to stay longer than 90 days? The information above do not specify if Australia is one of the countries listed for a Visto d’ingresso per familiari di cittadini italiani.
Thank you in advance.
Hello Denise! In fact, Australians don’t need a visa. During the initial 90 days, the children of an Italian citizen can directly apply for a permission to the local immigration police office in Italy and extend their stay. It is very important to show your daughter’s birth record mentioning you as her mother.
Hi I am Italian national can I bring my brother to Italy for visit ?
Thanks
Sure, and he may even stay long-term. Just follow the information in the article on this page.
Hi,
My father is an Italian national. I am over 18 years old. Am I eligible to apply for family reunion visa for Italy?.
Yes you are, Ash. You may also be eligible for Italian citizenship. Check all the information here: Get Italian Citizenship Through Your Parents
Hi there Lara,
My partner is Italian (citizen, Italian passport and has a carta identita) but has indefinite leave in the UK, and I am a UK citizen.
We are planning on getting married very soon in the UK and would like to permanently move to Italy within the next few years with my 8 year old Daughter (his step-daughter) and my Grandmother.
What is the best way to make us all permanently residing in Italy legal?
Also, do you have any advice about what I should do if I want to keep my UK based job (remote working)?
Thanks so much in advance.
Luchia
Hello Luchia! The best way is to get married and register your marriage record in Italy. You can do that by sending it to the Italian Consulate. After that, you’re good to go! You are welcome to check my best mind hacks on this subject in the article Long-term Residency for Family of Italian Citizens: FAMIT