Italy Investor Visa: Residence in Italy Through Bonds, Company Capital or a Donation
You want residence in Italy without buying property. The Italy Investor Visa lets non-EU investors make an investment or donation in Italy and then apply for residence. It starts at EUR 250,000 in an innovative start-up and runs to EUR 2 million in government bonds.
A committee, a Nulla Osta and a visa in the right order
The Italy Investor Visa has a fixed order of steps, and the first one is not the consulate. Applicants who start at the consulate lose time, because the Committee must issue the Nulla Osta first.
What it looks like from the outside:
- Three routes with very different amounts.
- A two-year holding rule on bonds and company capital.
- A visa that follows the Nulla Osta and is filed in person.
How it feels:
- You worry you will start at the wrong office.
- You fear tying up EUR 2 million for two years.
- You feel unsure what the Committee looks for.
You do not have to find the right order alone
We know how hard it is to follow a process when the first step is not where you expect. You want someone who has read the rule on the official page, tells you honestly when a route does not fit, and stays with you until the file is filed.
What we have done:
- 35+ years in immigration and investment migration
- 25,000+ families guided since 1991
- 3rd Generation in the immigration industry
- 2026 Canadian Choice Award winner
What we believe:
- Honesty first: we tell you when a route does not fit, before you move money.
- Checked rules: every figure on this page is read from an official source and dated.
- Your plan, not a template: the right route depends on your goals, your family and your funds.
We believe you should know the full order of steps before you invest.
What you get
| Feature | Benefit | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| An investor visa under Article 26-bis of the Immigration Consolidated Act | You can invest or donate and then apply for residence | You choose the kind of investment that fits you |
| Three routes from EUR 250,000 to EUR 2 million | You pick bonds, company capital or a donation | Your preference decides, not property |
| No property purchase | You do not need to buy or rent a home to qualify | Your investment stays financial |
| An authorisation before the visa | You know the Committee has looked at your case before you apply abroad | You avoid filing blind |
| A start-up route at EUR 250,000 | You can enter at a lower amount | You support an Italian business |
Where it takes you: a visa to enter Italy as an investor, and then residence in Italy. This is residence, not a passport.
Is it right for you?
An honest answer before you move funds.
| A good fit if | Consider another route if |
|---|---|
| You can invest EUR 2 million in Italian government bonds, EUR 500,000 in an Italian company (EUR 250,000 in an innovative start-up) or donate EUR 1 million | You want to buy property for your residence: this route does not use property |
| You can hold bonds or company capital for at least two years | You cannot hold the investment for two years |
| You can show means above the healthcare cost-sharing minimum | You cannot be present for the in-person visa step |
| You can attend the consulate in person | Your funds cannot be documented |
Not sure Italy is the best fit? Compare all European routes, or use Find my program and we match your goals to the right one.
What you need
You need a qualifying investment or donation, proof you control the funds, means of subsistence and lodging. The Investor Visa for Italy Committee reviews the application first.
What the Embassy of Italy in Abu Dhabi and the consulates list:
- An application to the Committee through the government IT platform, with documents attesting the investment or donation.
- For bonds and company capital, proof that you hold or benefit from the amount, which must be transferable to Italy.
- Means to support yourself in Italy above the minimum level for exemption from healthcare cost sharing.
- After the Nulla Osta: the D-type national visa application form, photographs, your passport, and proof of suitable lodging in Italy.
- In-person attendance at the consulate, with printed originals and photocopies.
- For nationals of Pakistan, Afghanistan, Iraq, Palestine and holders of certain travel documents, the full names of both parents shown by a birth certificate or consular declaration (London consulate checklist).
The routes and rules
Italy offers three routes, and the Committee decides before the consulate does. The amounts are the figures on the official consular pages.
| Route | Minimum | What counts | Conditions |
|---|---|---|---|
| Government bonds | EUR 2 million | Italian government securities | Held for at least 2 years |
| Company capital | EUR 500,000, or EUR 250,000 for an innovative start-up | Instruments representing the capital of an enterprise established and operating in Italy; the start-up must be in the special registry section | Held for at least 2 years |
| Donation | EUR 1 million | A philanthropic donation to a public-interest project in culture, education, immigration management, scientific research or recovery of cultural heritage and scenic assets | A project of public interest |
**Who can be included. Your partner sets out the family rules for your case before you commit funds.
What it costs, and what waiting costs
The investment is the larger cost. Set it against the cost of a wrong start: filing at the consulate before the Nulla Osta, or holding the wrong instrument.
| Item | What the official pages say |
|---|---|
| Investment or donation | EUR 250,000 to EUR 2 million by route |
| Professional fees | Agreed with the local partner |
Source: Embassy of Italy in Abu Dhabi checklist (April 2025), consular pages in London and Kuala Lumpur (July 2026 checklist).
Your path in three steps
Three steps from your first answers to your residence.
- Step 1: Find your route. Use Find my program. You get a shortlist and a cost view for your family in a few minutes.
- Step 2: We do the heavy lifting. We qualify your case and check your funds, instruments and documents. When your case is qualified, we bring in the right local partner, who prepares the Committee application and the visa file.
- Step 3: Your residence in hand. The Committee issues the Nulla Osta, you apply for the visa at the consulate in person, and you complete the investment as the rules require.
Processing time depends on the authority and on how complete your file is. The visa and permit lengths are on the government portal, which your partner sets out before you commit.
Status: what changed and when
Reviewed 22 October 2026. Sources: Embassy of Italy in Abu Dhabi, Consulate General of Italy in London, Embassy of Italy in Kuala Lumpur.
| What | Status |
|---|---|
| Routes | EUR 2 million government bonds, EUR 500,000 company capital (EUR 250,000 for an innovative start-up), EUR 1 million donation |
| Process | Application to the Committee through the investorvisa.mise.gov.it platform, then the national visa at a consulate |
| Holding period | At least 2 years for bonds and company capital (Abu Dhabi checklist, April 2025) |
| Consulate checklist | A checklist dated July 2026 lists the same routes and the Nulla Osta step |
What could change: the amounts, the nationality rules and the portal steps. What we do about it: we re-read the official pages before each update and show the date.
After you have the residence
**You keep your standing by completing the investment and keeping to the holding rule. Your partner sets out the renewal steps before you commit.
- Holding: bonds and company capital are held for at least two years.
- Means: you keep the means of subsistence you showed.
- Lodging: you keep a suitable lodging in Italy.
Two possible futures
A year from now, you may still be comparing guides while the rules shift. You hold a brochure, a number from one adviser that contradicts another, and no date on any of it.
Or your family has a residence in Italy, your route is one that exists, and your file went in clean. You feel relieved, and you chose on facts you could check.
The cost of staying put: routes and rules change, and each change can add cost or close a door.
Your ultimate success:
- Relieved: your family has a base in Europe
- Confident: you chose a route that exists today
- Protected: the people you worry about are covered
- In control: you decided on your terms, with the facts
Which route fits your family?
Answer eight short questions and the finder ranks all 17 residence programmes against your goals, funds and family. You see your shortlist and the cost for your family first, and a form only if you want it emailed with a fact sheet.
Why clients choose Amir Ismail & Associates
35+ years of hands-on immigration experience and 25,000+ successful cases. 3rd generation in the immigration industry. We bring in qualified local partners in each country, so you deal with one accountable team from first question to filing.
One point of contact
We qualify your case first, then bring in the right local partner. You deal with us throughout.
A strategy built for your family
We match routes to your goals, funds and family, not a template.
Application accuracy
Document and source-of-funds review that prevents costly errors and refusals.
Timely updates
We track rule, fee and regulator changes across every program for you.
End-to-end support
From your first question to your permit in hand, we guide every step.
Proven track record
2026 Canadian Choice Award winner, trusted since 1991.
What our clients say
Real reviews from clients we have guided across borders.
Frequently asked questions
What does the Italy Investor Visa really cost?
The investment or donation is EUR 250,000 to EUR 2 million by route. Your partner checks the Committee and visa fees before you file. Professional fees are agreed with the local partner.
How long does it take?
Processing time depends on the authority and on how complete your file is. We tell you what we know about the current process before you commit funds.
Will my application be approved?
No route promises approval, and we make no approval claims. The Committee assesses the nature and effectiveness of the investment. We tell you before you pay if your case does not fit.
What is the Italy Investor Visa?
The Italy Investor Visa is an entry visa for non-EU nationals who intend to make an investment or donation in Italy. It was introduced by the Budget Law 2017, which added Article 26-bis to the Immigration Consolidated Act (Decree 286/1998).
Do I need to buy property?
No. The three routes are government bonds, company capital and a donation, and none of them requires property.
Where do I start?
With the Investor Visa for Italy Committee, through its government IT platform. The Committee issues a Nulla Osta, and only then do you apply for the visa at the consulate.
How long must I hold the investment?
Bonds and company capital must be held for at least two years.
Can my family be included?
Your partner sets out the family rules for your case before you commit funds.
Do I need to attend in person?
Yes. Applicants must appear in person at the consulate, with printed original documents and photocopies.
What if the rules change after I apply?
It depends on the transition rule in each law. The consular checklists carry the warning that information may change without notice, and the status box shows the date we last read each source.
Do you recommend instruments or companies?
No. We do not recommend or sell bonds, companies or projects and we do not quote returns. We explain what the official pages require and bring in a local partner when your case is qualified.
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Last reviewed: 22 October 2026 · Last updated: 22 October 2026
