Italy Golden Visa 2026: cost, routes & residency
An investor visa geared to startups and companies, not property.
Italy's Investor Visa grants residency for investment: €250,000 in an innovative startup, €500,000 in an Italian company, €2 million in government bonds, or a €1 million philanthropic donation. It's a two-year renewable residency with a light stay requirement and a path to permanent residence and, eventually, citizenship.
How the Italy Golden Visa works
Four routes: €250,000 into an innovative Italian startup, €500,000 into an established Italian company, €2 million in Italian government bonds, or a €1 million philanthropic donation. Notably, real estate is not an eligible route.
Stay requirement and what it leads to
The stay requirement is light, so it suits low-presence holders. The two-year residency renews for three more, leads to permanent residence, and to citizenship after ten years of residence.
At a glance
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Minimum investment | From €250,000 (startup) |
| Main route | Startup / company / bonds |
| Minimum stay | Low |
| Leads to | Residency → citizenship (10 yrs) |
| Where | EU / Schengen |
Where it fits in a borderless plan
For wealthy movers, Italy's €100,000–200,000 annual flat-tax regime on foreign income often matters more than the visa itself — weigh them together. A golden visa is a residency, not a passport. Pair it with a deliberate plan for where you are actually tax-resident and a self-custody plan for your Bitcoin. Compare every programme in our golden-visa guide, or go for a passport via investment or ancestry.
Frequently asked questions
How much does the Italy Golden Visa cost?
The minimum investment is From €250,000 (startup). Startup / company / bonds is the main route. Programmes change often, so confirm current thresholds before applying.
Does the Italy Golden Visa lead to citizenship?
It leads to residency → citizenship (10 yrs). A golden visa grants residency; a passport is a separate, longer process — see our golden-visa guide and the dual-citizenship guide.
What's the minimum stay for the Italy Golden Visa?
Low. Low-presence requirements are part of the appeal of most golden visas, but rules vary and change — verify the current position.
Official sources
Rules change — always confirm the current position with the primary authority:
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