1. Self employment visa are subject to yearly quotas which are set by the Government. These quotas are usually very limited;
2. yearly quotas are given not only to freelancers but are to be shared between startuppers, officers of Italian Srl and Spa companies, internationally renowned artists;
3. there is not a Government database where an applicant can check whether quotas are still available;
4. Applicants are lured by the fact that general eligibility requirements are relatively simple: (i) a suitable accommodation; (ii) have financial resources exceeding € 8.500 Euro; (iii) obtain a Police Clearance; and (iv) obtain a certificates from a Gov.t offices confirming the requirements for carrying out the intended activity;
5. The final decision on the visa issuance is on the Italian Consulates which have a wide discretion in approving/denying it;
6. According to our experience, most Consulates have a very restrictive policy and are very cautious before issuing a visa to an applicant who cannot guarantee to have a stable occupation and substantial remuneration in the country;
7. Despite obtaining the necessary clearances in Italy, we see that many applications are rejected by Consulates on various grounds.
8. in most Consulates it is very difficult to book an appointment for filing the visa application and when available appointments can be given after some months. To book an appointment, aplicant must register with the online portal and choose the Consulate that has jurisdiction on its domicile;
9. the processing time for the visa is by law up to 120 days (and the Consulate will keep the passport) and if the Consulates request more documents the time can be extended. Consulates recommends that applicants do not purchase airplane tickets until they have received their visas. Processing time cannot be accelerated.
Once the self employment visa is issued, the applicant shall proceed with the in-country process to apply for the residence permit (permesso di soggiorno).
For the in-country process, please see the following article.
What to do after arrival in Italy with a long term (type D) visa ? | by Marco Mazzeschi | Medium
Attorney at law.
One of the leading corporate immigration lawyers in Italy. Admitted to the Milan Bar Association (1988) and to the Taipei Bar Association (2016), a member of the American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA) and an accredited partner of Invest in Tuscany.
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