Your dedicated route to building an innovative business in Italy
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The path to realize your innovative enterprise in Italy
Italia Startup Visa is the dedicated route for non-EU entrepreneurs applying from abroad to establish a qualifying innovative start-up in Italy. It is administered under the current Ministry of Enterprises and Made in Italy (MIMIT) programme. Italia Startup Hub is the related pathway for certain non-EU citizens already lawfully resident in Italy who hold a permit that is legally eligible for conversion; the two procedures are not interchangeable.
The project requires a credible innovative business plan and at least €50,000 in documented financial resources. Certified-incubator support is optional and can strengthen the project, but it does not replace the funding, innovation, corporate, or immigration requirements and never guarantees approval in a few days.
The first self-employment residence permit is generally valid for one year and may be renewed if the start-up is properly established and the legal requirements continue. Tax incentives, public grants, and long-term residence are separate opportunities: the company must satisfy innovative-start-up registration and programme-specific conditions, while the founder must meet the relevant residence rules.
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Review the requirements, documents and procedural steps below.
You can apply if:
You are a non-EU citizen
You have an innovative entrepreneurial idea and want to establish a start-up in Italy
The project is designed to establish an Italian company that can meet the legal requirements for an innovative start-up
You have at least €50,000 available to invest (personal funds, investors, crowdfunding or support from incubators)
If you are already in Italy, your current residence permit is one of the categories legally eligible for the Startup Hub conversion route
Optional support from a certified incubator can strengthen the project but does not replace programme requirements
Currently, by regulatory provision, the application is not accepted from Russian and Belarusian citizens.
Procedure for those applying from abroad:
The committee aims to evaluate complete projects within the programme timeline. Incubator support does not create automatic or guaranteed approval.
Procedure for permit conversion:
A valid permit is not automatically convertible. The existing status, filing timing and immigration route must be verified before relying on Startup Hub approval.
Here's what you need:
Test the project against ISV We review innovation eligibility, the business model, founder role, €50,000 resource evidence and incorporation plan against MIMIT committee criteria, then coordinate the Nulla Osta, consular filing and first residence-permit steps.
Foreign documents may require an Italian translation, apostille or consular legalization depending on the issuing country, document type and MIMIT, Consulate or immigration-office requirements.
With Future Italian we manage the start-up immigration process from business-plan strategy to committee, consular and residence-permit stages. We align the project with MIMIT criteria and keep every filing clear, credible and professionally coordinated.
Filing responsibilities, authority steps and expected sequence
We analyze your entrepreneurial idea, verify the innovation requirements and help you perfect the business plan according to the Ministry's criteria
How long does it take?
Complete start‑up visa process from project and business plan assessment to residence permit issuance.
The start-up visa requires accurate project preparation and deep knowledge of the Italian innovation system. With Future Italian every application is handled by experts who understand the Ministry's evaluation criteria and guide you towards approval, transforming your entrepreneurial idea into an Italian reality.
We analyze your idea and verify if it can work in the Italian context. We also help you find an incubator if necessary.
We prepare all documents with you, including the business plan and necessary translations.
We correctly compile and send the request, and assist you with the appointment at the Consulate or Police Headquarters.
We monitor the status of your application and intervene in case of delays or additional requests.
We help you concretely launch your enterprise: registration, VAT number, future permits, banking, incentives.
You have the revolutionary idea. We make it happen in Italy. With Future Italian, you're never alone
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Practical guidance on visas, residency, and Italian bureaucracy, written by our team.
