Retire in Europe with Claire

Sources: The Italy Visa Checklist

2026–27 Edition · Facts checked 10/17/2026 · Next check by 12/31/2026

Each number below matches the small number in brackets in the PDF. Under it: every source with its link, the date the source shows, the date we last checked it and, where we quote it, the source's own words. “Our calculation” marks math we did with the source's own numbers. The document numbers (D1, D2, …) match the list of documents in the PDF.

What each number comes from

  1. 1. We read what ten Italian offices in the U.S. publish about this visa: the elective residence pages or checklists of the nine consulates (Boston, Chicago, Detroit, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New York, Philadelphia, San Francisco) and the checklist of the consular office of the Embassy in Washington, D.C. (our calculation)

    Source date: Forms page modified 08/10/2026; checklist PDF 01/20/2025 · Checked: 10/17/2026

    In the sources' own words, quoted exactly:

    “ELECTIVE RESIDENCY VISA CHECKLIST”

  2. 2. Pay from a job doesn't count on any of the ten pages or checklists; New York and the Embassy also want the money in the applicant's own name.

    Source date: pages undated; oldest checklist 08/05/2021, newest 07/13/2026 · Checked: 10/17/2026

    In the sources' own words, quoted exactly:

    “must be directly in the applicant's name and cannot be derived from ANY FORM OF EMPLOYMENT”

  3. 3. Most of the pages add that even a complete file doesn't guarantee a visa.

    Source date: pages undated; oldest checklist 08/05/2021, newest 04/28/2025 · Checked: 10/17/2026

    In the sources' own words, quoted exactly:

    “submitting all required documentation does NOT guarantee the issuance of any particular visa”
    “This consular administration has full authority to evaluate and request additional documentation, if deemed necessary, in addition to what is submitted.”
    “Consular Officers have full authority to evaluate and request additional documentation, if deemed necessary, in addition to what is submitted.”

  4. 4. The Embassy of Italy lists which states each office serves: Boston (Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, Vermont); Chicago (Colorado, Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, South Dakota, Wisconsin, Wyoming); Detroit (Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, Ohio, Tennessee); Houston (Arkansas, Louisiana, Oklahoma, Texas); Los Angeles (Arizona, Nevada, New Mexico and ten Southern California counties); Miami (Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Mississippi, South Carolina, Puerto Rico, U.S. Virgin Islands); New York (New York, Connecticut, 13 northern New Jersey counties); Philadelphia (Pennsylvania, Delaware, North Carolina, West Virginia, 8 southern New Jersey counties, most of Maryland and Virginia); San Francisco (Alaska, the rest of California, Hawaii, Idaho, Montana, Oregon, Utah, Washington); and the Embassy's consular office (the District of Columbia, Montgomery and Prince George's counties in Maryland, Arlington and Fairfax counties and the cities of Alexandria, Falls Church and Fairfax in Virginia).

    The page shows no date (last modified 08/27/2026) · Checked: 10/17/2026

    In the source's own words, quoted exactly:

    “List of first category consulates and their jurisdictions”
    “Jurisdiction: Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, Vermont”
    “Jurisdiction: Colorado, Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, South Dakota, Wisconsin, Wyoming”
    “Jurisdiction: Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, Ohio, Tennessee”
    “Jurisdiction: Pennsylvania, Delaware, North Carolina, West Virginia, New Jersey (only the following counties: Atlantic, Burlington, Camden, Cape May, Cumberland, Gloucester, Ocean, Salem. The remaining counties are under the jurisdiction of the Consulate General in New York), Maryland (except for Montgomery and Prince George's counties which fall under the jurisdiction of the consular section of the Embassy) and Virginia (except for the counties of Arlington and Fairfax which are also under the jurisdiction of the Embassy).”
    “Jurisdiction: Arkansas, Louisiana, Oklahoma, Texas”
    “Jurisdiction: Arizona, California (the following counties: Imperial, Kern, Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside, Santa Barbara, San Bernardino, San Diego, San Luis Obispo, Ventura), New Mexico, Nevada”
    “Jurisdiction: Alabama, British Virgin Islands, Cayman Islands, Florida, Georgia, Island of Saba, Mississippi, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, St. Maarten, St. Eustatius, South Carolina, Turks and Caicos, U.S. Virgin Islands, Jamaica and the Commonwealth of The Bahamas”
    “Jurisdiction: New York, Connecticut, New Jersey (the following counties: Bergen, Essex, Hudson, Hunterdon, Mercer, Middlesex, Monmouth, Morris, Passaic, Somerset, Sussex, Union, Warren) and Bermuda”
    “Jurisdiction: Alaska, California (except the following counties: Imperial, Kern, Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside, San Diego, Santa Barbara, San Bernardino, San Luis Obispo, and Ventura, which fall within the jurisdiction of the Consulate General in Los Angeles), Idaho, Montana, Oregon, Utah, the State of Washington, Hawaii. Also, the following U.S. territories: Guam, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, American Samoa, Wake Island, Midway Atoll, Johnston Atoll.”
    “Consular Jurisdiction: District of Columbia, Maryland (only Montgomery and Prince George's counties), Virginia (only Arlington and Fairfax counties and the Cities of Alexandria, Falls Church, and Fairfax). All other counties in Maryland and Virginia fall under the jurisdiction of the Consulate General of Italy in Philadelphia.”

  5. 5. Five of the ten offices print an income figure: Boston (more than €31,000 a year per applicant), Detroit (a minimum yearly income of €31,000), Houston (€31,000 a year for one person, €62,000 for a married couple), and New York and the Embassy (typically around €31,000 per person on family applications); the other five (Chicago, Los Angeles, Miami, Philadelphia, San Francisco) print no amount and ask for substantial and steady (or stable) private income.

    Source date: pages undated; oldest checklist 08/05/2021, newest 07/13/2026 · Checked: 10/17/2026

    In the sources' own words, quoted exactly:

    “totaling more than 31,000 euros yearly per applicant”
    “(minimum yearly income of 31,000 euro)”
    “The minimum yearly income for one person is €31.000, for a married couple €62.000.”
    “For family applications, each applicant must demonstrate sufficient financial resources, typically around €31,000 per person.”
    “substantial and steady economic resources”
    “substantial and stable private income”
    “substantial and steady private income”
    “substantial and stable private income”
    “substantial and steady passive private income”

  6. 6. For a couple on one income, the ten offices read differently: Boston and Houston put a number on it, about double the amount for one person; New York and the Embassy leave it unclear; the other six (Chicago, Detroit, Los Angeles, Miami, Philadelphia, San Francisco) don't say how much a couple needs. (our calculation)

    Source date: pages undated; oldest checklist 08/05/2021, newest 07/13/2026 · Checked: 10/17/2026

    In the sources' own words, quoted exactly:

    “totaling more than 31,000 euros yearly per applicant”
    “For family applications, each applicant must demonstrate sufficient financial resources, typically around €31,000 per person.”

  7. 7. San Francisco's checklist lists Social Security as passive income, right next to pensions; at six other offices (New York, Boston, Detroit, Los Angeles, Philadelphia and the Embassy) it appears as a letter from U.S. Social Security among the proof of income. None of the ten says whether Social Security by itself can reach €31,000.

    Source date: pages undated; oldest checklist 08/05/2021, newest 04/28/2025 · Checked: 10/17/2026

    In the sources' own words, quoted exactly:

    “Proof of substantial and steady passive private income (including Social Security, pensions, or annuities)”
    “official letters from banks, financial consultants, financial institutions, U.S. Social Security institutes, etc.”

  8. 8. Proof of income usually means bank letters and the last two years of tax returns (seven of the ten offices, Detroit among them); in San Francisco a Form 1040 by itself is usually not enough, and the returns go in complete with every schedule.

    Source date: pages undated; oldest checklist 08/05/2021, newest 04/28/2025 · Checked: 10/17/2026

    In the sources' own words, quoted exactly:

    “Tax returns must be complete with all Schedules and attachments; the Form 1040 by itself is usually insufficient.”
    “official letters from banks, financial consultants, financial institutions, US Social Security offices, etc. attesting to the exact amount of monthly/yearly income and a copy of the last 2 years of your income Tax Return.”
    “official letters from banks, financial consultants, financial institutions, U.S. Social Security institutes, etc.”

  9. 9. Every application needs a home in Italy: a registered lease or the deed to a property; five of the ten offices (New York, Miami, San Francisco, Houston and the Embassy) add that it must be in the applicant's name. In San Francisco the lease has to run at least a year, and a hotel or an offer to stay with someone won't do. In Houston and San Francisco, an application without a lease or deed in the applicant's name is denied.

    Source date: pages undated; oldest checklist 08/05/2021, newest 07/13/2026 · Checked: 10/17/2026

    In the sources' own words, quoted exactly:

    “A lease or rental contract must be for a minimum of one year (365 days).”
    “A third party's offer of hospitality or a hotel stay is unacceptable. If the applicant does not have a lease, rental contract, or deed in their name, the visa application will be denied.”
    “The lease, rental contract, or deed must be in the applicant's name and must cover the entire duration of the visa.”
    “If the applicant does not have a lease, rental contract, or deed in their name, the visa application will be denied.”
    “the lease, rental contract, or deed must be in the applicant's name, must be REGISTERED before the local authorities”
    “Proof of lodging: contract of purchase/lease of a house or an apartment in Italy for the entire period requested.”
    “must be in the applicant's name”
    “A registered lease or deed for property in Italy”
    “in the applicant's name”

  10. 10. The visa fee on Detroit's sheet is €116 a person (October to December 2026), children included, and none of it is refunded ($134 at the consulate's own rate). The sheet is updated every quarter, and each consulate posts its own.

    Source date: 10/01/2026 to 12/31/2026 · Checked: 10/17/2026

    In the source's own words, quoted exactly:

    “NATIONAL VISA (Type D more than 90 days) 116 EURO 134 USD for every applicant (adult and minors)”
    “Fees are updated at the end of each quarter due to fluctuations in the exchange rates”
    “Visa fees are NOT REFUNDABLE”
    “Personal checks are NOT ACCEPTED.”

  11. 11. Couples apply separately: Houston wants a booking and a complete set of documents for each applicant, Boston one application packet per applicant, and San Francisco one adult per appointment.

    The page shows no date (last modified 04/28/2025) · Checked: 10/17/2026

    In the sources' own words, quoted exactly:

    “Each application is independent, therefore each Applicant is required to book an appointment and to bring a complete set of documents (ex. a family of 4 people = 4 sets of documents). Multiple Applications with only one set of documents will not be accepted.”
    “One application packet per applicant.”
    “Each appointment is for one adult and any minor children they may have.”

  12. 12. The visa itself lasts exactly 365 days (San Francisco's checklist).

    Source date: 04/28/2025 (PDF) · Checked: 10/17/2026

    In the source's own words, quoted exactly:

    “The elective residency visa is for exactly 365 days: no more, no less.”

  13. 13. Once in Italy, there are eight working days to ask for a residence permit, the document that makes the stay legal (Italian law: the request goes to the provincial police headquarters).

    Source date: law text in force since 06/04/2026, retrieved 10/11/2026 · Checked: 10/17/2026

    In the sources' own words, quoted exactly:

    “entro otto giorni lavorativi dal suo ingresso nel territorio dello Stato”
    “the only legal document that legitimizes your stay in the country”

  14. 14. From then on, the police check every year that the requirements are still met before they renew the permit (San Francisco and Miami checklists).

    Source date: 04/28/2025 (San Francisco PDF); 03/21/2022 (Miami PDF) · Checked: 10/17/2026

    In the sources' own words, quoted exactly:

    “The Questura will verify annually that the applicant still meets all the requirements for the elective residency visa and re-issue the permesso di soggiorno.”

The documents

Embassy of Italy in Washington, D.C. · ambwashingtondc.esteri.it

Consulate General of Italy in New York · consnewyork.esteri.it

Consulate General of Italy in Boston · consboston.esteri.it

Consulate General of Italy in Chicago · conschicago.esteri.it

Consulate General of Italy in Los Angeles · conslosangeles.esteri.it

Consulate General of Italy in Philadelphia · consfiladelfia.esteri.it

Consulate General of Italy in San Francisco · conssanfrancisco.esteri.it

Consulate General of Italy in Miami · consmiami.esteri.it

Consulate of Italy in Detroit · consdetroit.esteri.it

Consulate General of Italy in Houston · conshouston.esteri.it

Italy · normattiva.it

Found an error? Email [email protected] and tell us the source number.