- country
- Italy
- eligibility
- Non-EU innovators wishing to establish (or join, via aggregation pathway) an innovative startup in Italy under the Italian Startup Act (L. 221/2012). Applicants must present a high-innovation business project and a formal statement declaring financial availability of no less than EUR 50,000 to be invested in the creation and day-to-day running of the new innovative startup (EUR 100,000 cited by advisory sources to join an existing one). Applicant must relocate to Italy to manage the company directly.
- processing notes
- Simplified, digitised fast-track variant of the self-employment visa. Applications sent to italiastartupvisa@mise.gov.it. The Startup Visa Committee at the Ministry of Enterprise and Made in Italy (MIMIT/MISE) reviews and issues a Nulla Osta ISV within about 30 days; applicant then applies for the visa at the competent Italian Consulate (Nulla Osta has a limited validity window, typically must be used within three months).
- quota
- Falls under the self-employment (lavoro autonomo) entry flows. Under DPCM 2 October 2025 (flows 2026-2028), the autonomous-work quota is 650 entries/year, within which 500 annual units are reserved for a group that explicitly includes foreign citizens intending to establish innovative startups.