10 Procedures and administrative formalities to go to live in Italy
When expatriating to a new country, a certain number of administrative steps must be taken in order to fully settle in and become an expatriate. This is even more true in Italy where different authorities issue different important documents, and where it is sometimes difficult to do the administrative steps in the right order. Procedures to become a resident, tax identification number, pet registration, car registration, there are many compulsory steps for those who want to live in Italy and it is not easy to know how to live in Italy and be in order. Moving to Italy entails a number of obligations towards the various government agencies and it is important to be in order to avoid any worries and to complete all the necessary formalities. Any self-respecting expatriate must take these administrative steps in order to settle down fully. What are the administrative formalities and steps to take to live in Italy? How to be in order and respect the steps to register to live in Italy? I tell you everything about the administrative steps to take when you decide to live in Italy.
Codice Fiscale - Italian Tax Number
The tax number is called Codice Fiscale and it is the identification number for the tax authorities in Italy. Everyone has one, even babies, and it is a mandatory step to access many services, such as registering at the health center or opening a bank account. This is simply the first step on the list of administrative procedures and formalities to do in order to live in Italy. If you apply for it before moving to Italy, the Italian tax identification number Codice Fiscale can be obtained from the Italian Consulate in your home town, with proof of identity. If you want to apply for it after you have moved to Italy, you have to go to an office of the Agenzia delle Entrate in your place of residence. This is an administrative process that Lisbob can do for you.
The Codice Fiscal number is important because it identifies you from a fiscal point of view and it is compulsory to open a bank account, to subscribe to a gas or electricity contract, or to buy a cell phone.
We can obtain the Codice Fiscale on your behalf, online. Just click on the banner below:
Registration in the Civil Registry - Anagrafe
This is one of the most important administrative procedures when moving to Italy. Registration in Anagrafe, the Italian civil status registry, is mandatory for anyone who resides in Italy for more than 3 months. To register with the Civil Status Registry, Anagrafe, you must go to the town hall of your municipality of residence to file an application for registration with the Civil Status Registry, Anagrafe.
Documents required to apply for registration in the Civil Registry in Italy:
Valid identity document;
Document certifying the applicant’s work in Italy (if the application is made in the professional context): employee (employment contract with a company) or self-employed (registration with a chamber of commerce or VAT number);
Document attesting to enrollment in educational or vocational training courses (if stay and registration are required for study or training purposes): certificate of enrollment in a recognized public or private institution;
Certificate of financial capacity to support yourself and your family;
Certificate of health insurance policy or other appropriate coverage for all risks in the national territory.
Once the file has been completed and handed over to the Italian authorities, you must wait for the local police to carry out the necessary checks. Following this visit, you will be issued a certificate of residency, and you will then officially become an Italian resident.
Subscribing to the Italian social protection system
One of the most important steps when settling in Italy is to be able to benefit from access to the Italian social protection system. The Italian social security is called Servizio Sanitario Nazionale. Membership in the SSN is certified by a magnetic card called Tessera Sanitaria or Tessera Europea di Assicurazione Malattia (TEAM) which is in fact the European Health Insurance Card.
This card is necessary to carry out all health-related procedures and to receive health care within the framework of the social protection system. For example, the Tessera Sanitaria is essential to buy medicines and treatments in the pharmacy or to go to the hospital. In order to obtain it, you must go to an office of the Aziende Sanitarie Locali (ASL, local health companies) once you have registered for the SSN, and ask for the Tessera Sanitaria or the TEAM card.
Don’t forget to register to Italian social protection system - SSN
Open a bank account
Among the steps and formalities to be done in order to live in Italy, opening a bank account in Italy is one of the first steps to be taken when moving to Italy. Indeed, the opening of a bank account allows you to domicile your income and to benefit from banking services such as debit or credit cards, home loans or international transfers. This is an administrative process that Lisbob can do for you.
The bank account cannot be opened without a TIN in Italy. It is also necessary to present documents in order to open an account, such as
Identification: valid national identity card or passport;
Codice Fiscale;
Proof of address: electricity, water or telephone bill;
Proof of occupation: employment contract, pay slip.
Pets
If you decide to move to Italy with your pet then you will need to make certain arrangements for your four-legged friend and follow certain steps. In fact, Italy, like other European countries, imposes certain regulations for pets and the ones you will take with you when you move to Italy will not escape them.
In Italy the registration and the license of authorization are compulsory for all dogs from 3 to 6 months old. The registration of a pet must be done at the City Hall of the area of residence of the owner or keeper of the animal.
In order to proceed with the registration and obtain the license for your pet in Italy, you will need to present:
-Animal health bulletin (rabies vaccine up to date);
Electronic identification chip
Some breeds of dogs fall into special categories and require special procedures and formalities.
Registration of children in school
When moving to Italy with your family, it is important to find out in advance about your children’s or grandchildren’s schooling and the registration process. As a foreigner, there are different possibilities to enroll your children in school.
Italian public or private school: it is determined according to your residence and it will be necessary to register your child there;
International school: the teaching is generally in English, and the prices are higher: it will be necessary to count between 9,000 and €14,000 per year and per pupil;
The choice of schooling for your children will depend greatly on your expatriation project: its duration, its purpose, as well as your personal aspirations. For a better integration, the Italian public education system is recommended. You can consult our file on the equivalences and differences between the French and Italian educational systems.
Registering children at school is an important step as en expat living in Italy
Equivalence of diplomas
When one goes to live in Italy, whether for studies for professional reasons, it is essential to know whether it will be possible to have one's skills recognized and to obtain equivalences of diplomas obtained abroad. This approach is called a dichiarazione di valore (declaration of value) and allows to receive an equivalence of his or her foreign diplomas.
Be careful, these steps are long and complicated, and it is very important to know and specify the purpose of the application (study, work, regulated profession) before launching any approach whatsoever.
You must submit your application by submitting various forms and documents. If you already live officially in Italy, you can submit and submit your application directly in person. If you reside abroad or are not yet officially resident in Italy, you will need to apply to the Italian embassy or consulate you depend on before the date set by the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Education, University and Research (MUIR).
In order to be complete and accepted, an application for diploma equivalence in Italy must include certain elements.
List of documents to present for a diploma equivalence in Italy:
Application form to the Dean of the University ;
Original of the university degree in question ;
3 passport photos ;
Original analytical certificate of university exams issued by the university containing all the details (dates, places, conditions) ;
List and details of courses taken for each exam ;
Original of the school certificate that allowed admission to the university where the diploma was awarded.
Get the SPID
Administrative procedures have been modernized and simplified in recent years. In order to pay taxes or fines, for example, it is necessary to obtain a SPID. It’s even possible to fill out a tax return, request a civil status certificate or register a child at school. Pensioners are even required to use the SPID as it is mandatory to access the services of the Italian pension fund, the INPS.In short, the SPID is an essential element for your daily life and as an expatriate you have every right to obtain one. This will save you time and travel.
It is a system that allows you to identify yourself online and to do administrative procedures without having to move. I explain in detail how to apply for it and how to get it, by clicking here.
Car registration
This is one of the most important points to consider when deciding to move to Italy and one of the most complicated steps to take. Taking your car, or selling it before leaving? This is not a trivial issue. Indeed, the steps can be complicated and the taxes can become high. You will have more information by using our simulator in order to be more serene in these steps and administrative formalities.
Nevertheless, it is important to register your car in the right order and with all the documents. In fact, too many foreign car owners have been forced to pay unexpected taxes or take their car to the impound lot because of a missing document, a misunderstood step or a wrongly filled out form and a missed deadline.
Let the professionals do it for you: some companies do everything for you, from registering your car to applying for tax exemption.
The first and most important step is to order the Certificate of Conformity of your vehicle. You can do it online by clicking here.
Foreign car registration is a very important procedure when moving to Italy
Driver’s license exchange
You have a driving license with no administrative validity and are a resident in Italy. Did you know that you have to exchange your French driving license for an Italian one after two years of residence? In fact, the pink license will no longer be recognized by the Italian authorities and you must start the process to exchange it for an Italian license.
Be careful because if you are checked with a French driving license that is not valid in the eyes of the Italian authorities, you risk fines of up to €3,000, and greater worries in the event of an accident where you are at fault!
To exchange your driver’s license for an Italian one you can read our article on the subject. This is an administrative process that others can do for you.
We have done a tour of the administrative procedures and formalities to do to live in Italy. However, as each expatriation is different, certain steps are not included in this article. You can contact Lisbob and his team for more information about other formalities to live in Italy.