Italy Business Partner Residency, which is referred to in English as Self-Employment – Corporate Role and in Italian as Lavoro Autonomo – Ruolo Aziendale. It is a type of residency visa for individuals who can operate as a partner or manager in a company registered in Italy. This type of residency is one of the official pathways for work and business immigration to Italy.
Reputable and established Italian companies and industries that have high turnover and revenue can recruit an experienced and capable foreign individual in their senior management and advisory team under the title of partner, manager, chairman of the board, auditor, or senior consultant. At PAREX, we review the professional background and capabilities of Extra UE and foreign applicants and forward them to an Italian company whose activities and needs align with your experience. After the interview process, approval by the Italian company, and completion of administrative procedures, an invitation letter and work residency permit are finally issued for you. A one-year residency visa is issued for the applicant from the Italian embassy, and after entering Italy, the residency card is obtained.
Italy's business partner residence
To obtain Italy Business Partner residency, you can apply for a self-employment visa as an active partner in a reputable and established Italian company. This legal pathway allows you, by participating in an active Italian company, to obtain temporary residency and eventually convert it to permanent residency.
Conditions for the Italian Trade Partner Residence
- Having a minimum age of 18 years for the main residency applicant.
- Having an official role in the Italian company’s official gazette with the title of CEO or member of the board of directors
- Proof of income and bank balance: You must demonstrate that you have sufficient financial resources to cover the living expenses for the first year in Italy. This includes providing bank account statements and income documents.
- Having at least 3 years of documented professional experience in the position of president – CEO – chairman or member of the board of directors.
- Having a specified place of residence in Italy: Documents of house purchase or a lease contract for at least one year.
- Important note: The applicant for this residency is not considered an employee receiving a salary from the company and cannot have an employment contract.
Benefits of Italy’s business partner
- Possibility of obtaining residency for spouse and children
- Without obligation to invest or purchase property.
- Right to education for the entire family
- Possibility of renewing residency, obtaining permanent residency and Italian passport
- Access to Italy’s healthcare and education system.
The process of action and residency of Italy’s business partner
The process of applying for Business Partner residency, which is considered as an active partner in an Italian company, consists of several precise and legal stages.
- Consultation with PAREX company and assessment of your eligibility for this type of residency: Reviewing your goals and plans for residing in Italy, as well as evaluating your professional and educational background, financial capability, and providing precise consultation and information regarding the suitability of this program with your conditions and objectives.
- Preparation of documents for obtaining the invitation letter and also the residency visa
- Purchasing a residential unit in Italy
- Applying for the residency visa from the Italian embassy in the country of residence: The visa issuance process takes between one to three months.
- Entry to Italy and application for the residency card (Permesso di Soggiorno): To obtain the residency card, registration at the Questura within the first week of arrival in Italy is mandatory.
- Fingerprinting at the Questura and obtaining the family residency card within 30 days afterward.
Free consultation: Our specialists will guide you through the visa application stages and answer your questions free of charge.
Required documents for Italy Business Partner Residency
Required documents for obtaining the Business Partner residency permit from the Italian government
- Passport with a minimum validity of 2 years for the applicant
- Original and translated power of attorney for residency matters that the applicant grants to the PAREX company lawyer.
- Translation of the applicant’s birth certificate into Italian
- Preparation of resume and personal statement for the main applicant, spouse, and children.
- Translation of all professional documents
- Complete documents from the Italian company
Required documents for obtaining the Business Partner visa from the Italian embassy
Documents of the residency applicant themselves
- Passport with a minimum validity of 2 years for the applicant
- Copy of passport and copies of previous Schengen visas
- Original and translated birth certificate of the applicant into Italian
- Visa application form and 2 color passport photos
- Proof of financial sufficiency and bank statements of the applicant for a period of 6 to 12 months with a minimum balance of 15,000 euros.
- Documents showing that the applicant’s bank balance is derived from the applicant’s legal income in their own country.
- Documents related to rental or purchase of a residence for living in Italy.
- One-way ticket reservation
- NULLA OSTA permit from the Italian government for issuing residency
- Articles of association of the Italian company
- Recent company registration documents of the Italian company mentioning the visa applicant’s position and share percentage.
- Registered declaration of the Italian company at the local labor office stating that the applicant is not an employed employee of the company and has no employment contract of any kind.
- Declaration from the Italian company committing to cover the applicant’s annual living expenses in Italy
Required documents in Italy to obtain the original residency card
- Original and copy of passport and copy of residency visa
- Specific residency card form. A package known as (Kit Giallo)
- Lease contract for the place of residence or house deed in Italy
- Documents related to one-year insurance
- Copy of Nulla Osta
- Registration documents of the Italian company with proof of the applicant’s position
- Bank documents with a minimum of 8,500 euros to cover the cost of living for the first year
Costs for applicants seeking Italian business partner residency
- PAREX service fees for obtaining the applicant’s residency
- Cost of travel to Italy (including flight, hotel, transfer to the destination city)
- Costs related to purchasing or renting a home including: deposit, monthly rent, real estate agency commission
- Government payments such as insurance, stamp duty = approximately 500 euros per person
- Cost of document translation and confirmation by the Italian embassy = approximately 300 to 700 euros
- Italian embassy visa stamp fee = 116 euros per person
Residence of the spouse and children
Family members eligible for visa and family residency can reside in Italy for the same duration as the main applicant. Eligible family members include: spouse, children under 18 years old, disabled child over 18 years old, and in special cases, parents over 65 years old only if they have no other child in their own country.
What conditions must the main applicant meet to obtain residency for family members?
- The main applicant’s residency card must have been issued in Italy.
- Having sufficient income in accordance with Italy’s standard of living to cover the total expenses of the family.
- Having suitable accommodation in Italy: providing a lease contract or property deed; the house must meet health standards and have sufficient space for all family members.
How to obtain residence for family members
There are 2 methods for obtaining residency and joining family members to the main applicant.
First method
After the main applicant receives residency, his/her family travels to Italy on a tourist visa and obtains family reunification residency in Italy. In this method, practically one year after the main applicant, the necessary conditions and documents for family reunification become available.
Second method
After receiving the main applicant’s residence card, in Italy, Nulla Osta is requested for the family and the family of the Italian embassy travelled to Italy by receiving the National Visa and receive their residency card.
Important note: Currently, the second method is not recommended, because according to the new regulations, the applicant can apply for Nulla Osta for their family after having 2 years of declared income.
Family reunification for parents of the main applicant
For parents over 65 years old: Residency for accompanying parents over 65 can be obtained in 2 cases. If the parents do not have any other child in your country to take care of them, or if the son or daughter who is with the parents in your country has a serious and severe illness themselves.
For parents under 65 years old: If the parents are financially dependent on you for their living expenses and do not have any other child in their own country.
Italy's Trade Partner Resident
The first residency card is 1 year, the second and third cards are 2 years, and after 5 years permanent residency will be granted.
Conditions for renewing residency: There are 2 ways for subsequent renewals.
- First way: Continuing your collaboration while maintaining the position and appropriate income in the same previous company with regular payment of insurance and taxes. In this case, the company must still be active.
- Second way: If your collaboration with the previous company is not renewed, depending on your conditions and goals, there are multiple methods for renewal. For example, a similar contract with another company, an employment contract, obtaining a freelance or self-employment work permit (such as obtaining a business license), registering a company and starting a business, or purchasing an active business.
Time to get the Italian business partner’s residence
Overall, the timeline for obtaining Italy Business Partner residency varies depending on the status of the documents, the destination city, and the response time of the relevant authorities. The entire process, from start to receiving the residency card, consists of 2 main stages:
- Process inside your country: From start to receiving the residency visa while the applicant is in your country, which takes 4 to 8 months
- Process inside Italy: From the applicant’s entry into Italy until receiving the residency card.
The approximate time for each stage is as follows:
| Row | Various stages | Explanations | Approximate time |
| 1 | Preparation of applicant’s documents | Official translation of the applicant’s documents and power of attorney with confirmation from the Italian embassy | 1 to 2 months |
| 2 | Preparation of documents in Italy | Finding a suitable Italian company and contracting with the company + registering the applicant’s position in the company and obtaining the official gazette + renting a residence | 1 to 2 months |
| 3 | Application for permit (Nulla Osta) from the Italian government | Thorough review of documents by the Italian government for issuing the permit | 2 to 3 months |
| 4 | Obtaining visa from the Italian embassy | Requesting an embassy appointment and submitting the visa application | 1 to 2 months |
| 5 | Travel to Italy and obtaining the residency card | Application for residency card and fingerprint registration at the Questura | 2 to 4 months |
Permanent residency with the residency of the Italian business partner
After 5 years of temporary residency in Italy, it is possible to obtain permanent residency in this country. The conditions for obtaining permanent residency include: having an A2 level Italian language certificate, residing in Italy, and maintaining annual income resources according to the required standards to cover living expenses in Italy.
Citizenship and Passport with Italian Business Partner Residence
The Italian passport ranks second in the world, even higher than the UK, Canada, and the United States. Usually, after 10 years of residence and stay in Italy, one can apply for it. The conditions for obtaining an Italian passport and citizenship include: having a B1 level Italian language certificate, residing in Italy, having no criminal record in Italy or Iran, and maintaining annual income resources according to the required standards to cover living expenses in Italy.
Important questions and useful information
Can I get this visa without registering my profile and membership in an Italian company
Answer: well, you should be registered in an italian company on your official side.
What types of companies in Italy are suitable for this type of residence?
Answer: Limited liability company (S.r.l.) and private joint-stock company (S.p.A.) with a minimum of 3 years of business history and strong financial balance sheet.
Does Italy have a requirement for presence and residence to extend the residence of a business partner?
Answer: No, for renewing this type of residency, there is no mandatory minimum presence requirement in Italy, but for obtaining permanent residency as well as citizenship and Italian passport, you must continuously maintain your place of residence.
Is it necessary to know Italian to obtain business partner residency?
Answer: No, for obtaining Business Partner residency, having a language certificate or knowing Italian and English is not mandatory, but knowing one or both Italian and English is considered a great advantage. Especially the Italian language is very useful and essential for living and effectively managing a business.
Do I need to have a specific educational qualification to obtain business partner residency?
Answer: No, although having a degree is not mandatory, having a university degree—especially if it is related to your work experience—facilitates the process of obtaining residency. If your activity in an Italian company is in fields that require a professional license, such as medicine, the relevant documents and permits must also be provided.
Can I take the Italian passport with a business partner residency?
Yes, you can obtain citizenship and a passport if you reside continuously in Italy for 10 years.
Can I get work permission later?
Answer: , you are not allowed to work with this residence. to work, you have to take a separate path.
Can I get residency for my children and spouse?
Answer: Yes, your family cannot obtain residency at the same time as you, but after you receive your residency, you can apply for residency for your spouse and children under 18 years old.