On May 20, the Italian Parliament converted decree-law 36 into ordinary law, bringing significant reforms to the rules governing citizenship by descent.

Key Points:

  • Italian citizenship by descent can now only be claimed through a parent or grandparent.
  • Previously, anyone with an Italian ancestor who lived after March 17, 1861, qualified for citizenship by descent.
  • Children of Italian citizens born abroad do not automatically receive citizenship.
  • Applications for citizenship by descent submitted to an Italian authority before March 27, 2025, will be processed under the previous regulations.

This alert has been provided by the BAL Global Practice Group.

Copyright © 2025 Berry Appleman & Leiden LLP. All rights reserved. Reprinting or digital redistribution to the public is permitted only with the express written permission of Berry Appleman & Leiden LLP. For inquiries, please contact copyright@bal.com.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation has announced the call for applications for grants to study, research or train in legally recognized Italian educational institutions for the 2025-26 academic year.

Key Points:

  • The Italian government will award the grants to foreign students residing abroad and Italian citizens residing abroad who complete study courses and research/training programs in public or legally recognized Italian educational institutions.
  • Grants are compatible exclusively with the onsite attendance of academic courses in Italian territory.
  • To enroll, applicants must provide a certification regarding their proficiency in Italian language.
  • Applications are due by May 16, 2025, at 2 p.m. Central European Time.
  • Applications can be submitted exclusively online through the “Study in Italy” platform.

This alert has been provided by the BAL Global Practice Group. 

Copyright © 2025 Berry Appleman & Leiden LLP. All rights reserved. Reprinting or digital redistribution to the public is permitted only with the express written permission of Berry Appleman & Leiden LLP. For inquiries, please contact copyright@bal.com. 

The Italian government’s policy update regarding biometric data collection for certain long-term visas is now in effect.

Key Points:

  • As BAL reported, Decree Law No. 145/2024 came into effect on Oct. 11, 2024, and introduced several provisions regarding the entry of foreign workers and changes in work immigration procedures.
  • As part of the Decree Law, effective Jan. 11, it is now mandatory for Schengen visa (type C) and national entry visa (type D) applicants to submit biometric data, including fingerprints, during the application process.
  • Applicants are required to appear in person when submitting visa applications and must travel to the nearest Italian Embassy or consular office to have their biometric data collected.

Additional Information: In addition, as part of the Decree Law No. 145/2024, the new requirement for employer confirmation before visa issuance also went into effect Jan. 9. This change requires employers to confirm their effective interest regarding a work permit within seven days of being notified that a worker’s visa application has been examined before the visa is issued.

Now, once a work permit is approved, the Visa Information System will transmit a request to the employer via certified email for confirmation of their interest in the work permit. If confirmation is not received within seven days, the authorization is revoked.

This alert has been provided by the BAL Global Practice Group.

Copyright © 2025 Berry Appleman & Leiden LLP. All rights reserved. Reprinting or digital redistribution to the public is permitted only with the express written permission of Berry Appleman & Leiden LLP. For inquiries, please contact copyright@bal.com.

The Italian government approved a law decree that introduces new provisions regarding the entry of foreign workers.

Key Points:

  • Decree Law No. 145/2024 came into effect on Oct. 11 following its publication in the Official Gazette of the Italian Republic.
  • The first section focuses on streamlining and improving the efficiency of entry procedures for foreign workers, introducing important changes to the application procedure, including:
    • The contract of stay and the integration agreement for quota and non-quota subject work permit applications will now be signed digitally directly between the parties, rather than at the immigration office.
      • Previously, an employer and worker were obligated to go to the immigration office within eight days of entry for the signing of the contract of stay.
      • Effective immediately, both the employer and the worker must now sign the contract of stay digitally within an eight-day period, and employers will submit the signed documents to the immigration office for the necessary next steps.
    • Beginning in January, employers will need to confirm their effective interest regarding a work permit within seven days of being notified that the worker’s visa application has been examined before the visa is issued.
      • Once the work permit is approved, the Visa Information System will transmit a request to the employer via certified email for confirmation of their interest in the work permit.
      • If confirmation is not received within seven days, the authorization is revoked.

Additional Information: In addition to the above, the decree introduces a set of rules regarding the issuance of work permits under the quota system, including changes concerning the maximum number of applications per applicant as well as new quotas for 2025 and “click days” dates. Finally, the new decree includes a new biometric data requirement for national visas beginning in January and a shortened waiting period for labor market tests to eight days.

BAL Analysis: The decree must be presented to the parliament for conversion into law by Dec. 10 or it will lose effectiveness. BAL will continue to monitor any additional changes and will provide more information as it becomes available.

This alert has been provided by the BAL Global Practice Group.

Copyright © 2024 Berry Appleman & Leiden LLP. All rights reserved. Reprinting or digital redistribution to the public is permitted only with the express written permission of Berry Appleman & Leiden LLP. For inquiries, please contact copyright@bal.com.

The Italian government clarified the requirements for the new digital nomad visa and issued important updates for the new online work permit application, family reunification and work rights for citizenship candidates.

Key Points:

  • The Italian government recently introduced the digital nomad visa, which allows third-country foreign nationals to reside in Italy and perform highly skilled work for up to 12 months.
    • The government has clarified that in order to qualify, an individual must have highly skilled professional experience that is equivalent to that required for an EU Blue Card.
    • An applicant must also possess a higher education degree or a post-secondary level professional qualification of at least three years. Five years of professional experience/qualifications may be a substitute for the education requirements.
  • In addition, the government recently created a new online application process for non-quota intra-corporate work permit applications. The government has now stated a financial statement and a certificate attesting to the duration of employment must be provided by the applicant’s employer as part of the application process.
  • Finally, the Italian government provided additional important immigration updates including:
    • Confirmation that individuals holding a residence permit derived from a citizenship application are eligible for work authorization while their case is pending.
    • Effective June 1, dependent foreign nationals (spouses and children) must now apply for a “family reasons” type D national visa if they are staying longer than 90 days for family reunification reasons.

Additional Information: Dependent foreign nationals could previously apply for a short-stay visa for tourism or family visit to stay in Italy while their family reunification application was pending. As the type D national visa is now required, these individuals must provide documentary proof of the family relationship, as well as other documents from the principal visa holder, including an invitation letter and identity documentation.

BAL Analysis: The government announced the requirements for the new digital nomad visa to provide additional guidance to prospective applicants. Officials also clarified the documents required for the new online application process for non-quota intra-corporate work permit applications to streamline the application process. BAL will continue to monitor any additional changes and will provide more information as it becomes available.

This alert has been provided by the BAL Global Practice Group.

Copyright © 2024 Berry Appleman & Leiden LLP. All rights reserved. Reprinting or digital redistribution to the public is permitted only with the express written permission of Berry Appleman & Leiden LLP. For inquiries, please contact copyright@bal.com.

The Italian government announced the list of documents required for the new digital nomad visa and a new online application process for non-quota intra-corporate work permit applications.

‌Key Points:

  • As BAL previously reported, the Italian government recently introduced a digital nomad visa that allows third-country foreign nationals to reside in Italy and perform highly skilled work for up to 12 months.
  • Through the Italian Consulate in London, the government confirmed important information on the documents that will be required, including:
    • A duly filled and signed application form
    • A valid passport/travel document
    • Passport-style photos
    • Proof of qualification or relevant professional experience
    • Documentation of previous fiscal year income

In addition, the government has also recently created a new online application process for non-quota intra-corporate work permit applications.

Eligible workers who have at least 12 months of employment may now apply online. The permit allows non-EU workers to work in Italy without being subject to any work permit quota limits, provided that individuals previously worked for an Italian company that is currently operating outside the European Union.

Additional Information: In order to qualify for the digital nomad visa, a foreign national must receive an annual income that is no less than three times the minimum level required for exemption from healthcare participation expenses (around €25.000, about US$30,163). They must also possess health insurance for the entire period of stay, proof of accommodation and have at least six months of work experience as a digital nomad or remote worker. In addition, the government confirmed that individuals applying under the remote worker visa category must submit an employment contract that includes a written declaration by the employer. More information from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs regarding the requirements can be found here.

BAL Analysis: The new visa is designed to attract more highly specialized workers and is a welcome change for foreign nationals who qualify and wish to work remotely in Italy. The government has announced the documents that are required to provide additional guidance to prospective applicants and streamline the application process for digital nomads and remote workers.

This alert has been provided by the BAL Global Practice Group.

Copyright © 2024 Berry Appleman & Leiden LLP. All rights reserved. Reprinting or digital redistribution to the public is permitted only with the express written permission of Berry Appleman & Leiden LLP. For inquiries, please contact copyright@bal.com.

The Italian government announced a new digital nomad visa that allows foreign nationals to perform highly skilled work in Italy either as a freelancer or as an employee/collaborator for a company outside of Italy.

‌Key Points:

  • The digital nomad visa allows third-country foreign nationals to reside in Italy and perform highly skilled work for up to 12 months.
  • The Italian government introduced the digital nomad visa, which is now available, after originally crafting the framework in 2022.
  • The visa is exempt from quota limits, and it is not necessary to apply for a work permit. The visa is also renewable.

Additional Information: In order to qualify, a foreign national must receive an annual income that is no less than three times the minimum level required for exemption from healthcare participation expenses (around €25,500, or about US$27,000). They must also possess health insurance for the entire period of stay, proof of accommodation and have at least six months of work experience as a digital nomad or remote worker. Applications are submitted at the Italian consulate in the foreign national’s country of residence.

BAL Analysis: The new visa is designed to attract more specialized workers and is a welcome change for foreign nationals who qualify and wish to work remotely in Italy. Digital nomad visas are increasingly prevalent and demonstrate a concerted effort by certain countries to innovate and attract more skilled workers without negatively impacting their local workforce.

This alert has been provided by the BAL Global Practice Group.

Copyright © 2024 Berry Appleman & Leiden LLP. All rights reserved. Reprinting or digital redistribution to the public is permitted only with the express written permission of Berry Appleman & Leiden LLP. For inquiries, please contact copyright@bal.com.

The Italian government has published new rules governing how foreign nationals can obtain an EU Blue Card as of Nov. 17.

‌Key Points:

  • The European Union issued a directive in 2021 that updated the existing EU Blue Card process, and Italy’s new rules are intended to comply with that directive.
  • The new rules update key provisions, including:
    • Education required for unregulated professions (must meet one of these conditions):
      • Three-year university-level degree.
      • Post-secondary professional qualification of at least three years.
      • Five years of professional experience in the sector relevant to the job offer.
      • Three years of professional experience (acquired in the previous seven years) for managers and specialists working in the field of information and communication technologies.
    • Necessary job-offer duration and salary requirements:
      • Job offers must be for a minimum of six months.
      • Employers cannot offer an annual salary that is less than national collective agreements.
    • Other key updates include providing alternative skill pathways, expanding protections for seasonal workers, providing greater long-term mobility options and improving short-term mobility options.

BAL Analysis: It is expected that other EU member states will also formalize the upgraded EU Blue Card rules. The 2021 EU directive gave EU member states until Nov. 18, 2023, to implement the upgrades for those countries that opted in.

This alert has been provided by the BAL Global Practice Group.

Copyright © 2023 Berry Appleman & Leiden LLP. All rights reserved. Reprinting or digital redistribution to the public is permitted only with the express written permission of Berry Appleman & Leiden LLP. For inquiries, please contact copyright@bal.com.

The Italian government has announced a cap of 450,000 work authorizations for nationals outside the European Economic Area (EEA) for 2023-2025.

‌Key Points:

  • A quota of 136,000 work authorizations has been set for 2023. Applications will be accepted from Dec. 2 to Dec. 31.
  • A quota of 82,550 of this year’s work authorizations will be in the agriculture and tourism-hotel sectors for certain nationalities.
  • The remainder of this year’s authorizations, 53,450, are designated for nonseasonal work in the sectors of freight transportation on behalf of third parties, construction, hospitality and tourism, mechanics, telecommunications, food, shipbuilding, fishing, hairdressing, transportation of passengers by bus, electrician work and plumbing.

Background: The Italian government published a decree on Sept. 27 authorizing the quotas for the three-year period 2023-2025. The decree capped the non-EEA work authorizations at 151,000 for 2024 and 165,000 for 2025. For both years, applications will be accepted starting in early to mid-February until the end of the year. Employers are encouraged to take note of the quotas and plan their international recruiting and hiring programs accordingly.

This alert has been provided by the BAL Global Practice Group.

‌Copyright © 2023 Berry Appleman & Leiden LLP. All rights reserved. Reprinting or digital redistribution to the public is permitted only with the express written permission of Berry Appleman & Leiden LLP. For inquiries, please contact copyright@bal.com.