Living in Italy

Italy is a country of beauty, art and history. Italians are warm, expressive and passionate. Most of the time, the country has a sunny climate which has made it a favorite place for tourists to go during the summer.

Even in winter, Italy is alive with life. The activities simply shift from the coast to the cities and no matter what the season art is everywhere. It is in their architecture, in their clothes, in their jewelery, in their paintings. It is even in their food. Anyone who loves beauty, art, romance and life will definitely enjoy living in Italy.

If you decide to live in Italy, learning the language would be a good idea. It is easier to get around if you can understand what people are saying to you. It also makes it a lot easier for you to carry conversations.

The people are very patient. They do not mind that you may not be fluent in their language, as long as you keep trying. Soon, you will get the hang of it and will be able to communicate well with your neighbours.

Since you would be staying more than 30 days, you would also need to have a permesso di soggiorno (permit to stay). Full citizens of the EU need only to renew their permesso di soggiomo at the police station. They would need the carta ballota (special document paper) which can be purchased from tabaccherie (tabaconists).

Generally, other foreigners would need to have an entry visa from the Italian embassy before entering the country since they are staying more than 3 months. They would also need to go to the police station and get a peremesso di soggiomo or permit to stay. Once they receive the permit, they have twenty days to report to the local Vital Statistics Bureau or Anagrafe of the commune to apply for residency. A Certificate di Residenza (residence certificate) is usually issued after a month or two.

Even while waiting for your residence certificate you can already begin to look around for your new home. In fact it makes sense for you to have prepared the necessary paperwork like applying for an Italian tax number from the Italian consulate in your country of origin before you even left the country. It would help speed up the process for you.

You may prefer to stay in an apartment (appartamento) until you can find a house (casa) of your own. It will cost you less than staying in an inn or hotel in the long run.

It makes sense to look for a place to live that is near where you will work. You may or may not have a car in your first few months so it is best to have a place that is commutable to where you work.