The Italian Passport: Why Its Real Value Is Where You Can Live
Fourth in the world for travel, but its real power is European: the right to live, work, study and retire in 31 countries. What it gives, what it does not, and how to get it.
An Italian passport is one of the most useful documents in the world. According to the Henley Passport Index of July 2026, it ranks fourth, alongside Germany, France and Spain, with visa-free or visa-on-arrival access to 186 destinations. But counting countries understates its value. What makes it exceptional is not where you can visit, but where you can live.
An Italian passport is, in practice, a European passport: the right to settle, work and retire in 31 countries without asking anyone's permission. For families from outside Europe, that is often worth more than any visa programme.
Free Movement: The Real Value
As an EU citizen, an Italian can move to any EU member state, and to Norway, Iceland, Liechtenstein and Switzerland under separate agreements. For the first three months there are no formalities beyond a valid ID. After three months, you register locally, showing that you work, study or have sufficient resources and health insurance. After five years of legal residence you acquire permanent residence in that country.
No visa, no quota, no sponsor, no labour market test. A dual Italian-American can accept a job in Amsterdam on Monday and start on Friday; an Italian-Brazilian graduate can enrol at a German university at EU fees; an Italian-Canadian couple can retire to Portugal. Family members who are not EU citizens benefit too, with simplified residence cards.
Healthcare: What the Passport Does and Does Not Do
This is where expectations most often go wrong. Italian citizenship does not by itself give access to the national health service. Healthcare in Italy follows residence: Italian citizens who live in Italy and register as a resident are enrolled in the national health service, as are foreign residents who work here. An Italian citizen living abroad and registered with AIRE has only limited cover when visiting, mainly urgent care.
Across the EU, Italian residents receive the European Health Insurance Card on the back of their health card, which covers necessary treatment during temporary stays in other EU countries on the same terms as locals. If you move to another EU country, you join its system as a resident. The passport opens the door; residence decides the healthcare.
Schengen and Travel Within Europe
Within the Schengen area, Italians travel with an ID card alone, and from late 2025 the EU's new Entry/Exit System for non-EU travellers does not apply to them. The European Travel Information and Authorisation System, planned for non-EU visitors, will not apply to them either. For non-EU dual citizens who have been counting days under the 90/180-day Schengen rule, an Italian passport removes the count entirely.
Consular Protection and Voting
Where Italy has no embassy or consulate, an Italian citizen can ask for help from the embassy of any other EU country, on the same terms as its own citizens: lost passports, arrest, serious illness, evacuation in a crisis. Italian citizens can vote in Italian national elections, including from abroad through AIRE, and in European Parliament and municipal elections in the EU country where they live.
There is one limit for dual citizens: consular protection does not usually work against the other country whose citizenship you hold. In that country, you are simply its citizen.
How to Become Italian
There are several routes, each with its own requirements and timelines. The table below gives an overview; our page on the routes to Italian citizenship covers them in detail, including documents and processing times.
Applications by marriage and naturalisation are decided within 24 months, which can be extended to 36. Citizenship by descent is handled by consulates abroad, municipalities in Italy or the courts, depending on the case. Whatever the route, you can keep your original citizenship if your other country allows it.
Getting the Passport
Once citizenship is recognised and recorded by the municipality, the passport is issued by the police headquarters (Questura) in Italy, or by the consulate abroad for citizens registered with AIRE. It is valid for ten years for adults, with shorter validity for children, and costs about €116 in fees. Many Italians also use the electronic ID card, which is enough for travel within Schengen and to several other countries.
Three Cases
An Argentine engineer recognised as Italian by descent before the 2025 reform accepts a job in Munich. He moves with his Italian passport, registers locally and starts work without a visa. His Argentine wife receives an EU family residence card.
A Canadian couple married to and descended from Italians wants to retire in Europe but has not decided where. With Italian passports they can try Portugal for a winter, then settle in Italy and register as a resident in Lucca. Their healthcare follows their residence each time.
A Hong Kong family living in Milan for ten years naturalises. Italy lets them keep their original citizenship, but they must check whether their other country of nationality does. Their children can study anywhere in the EU at local fees.
Our View
The Italian passport is valuable for its travel rankings, but its real power is European: the right to live, work, study and retire across 31 countries, and to pass that right to your children. It is not a tax document and not a health card. Treat it as what it is, the most flexible residence right in Europe, and plan the move, the tax residence and the healthcare around it. If you do not yet qualify, a visa can bring you to Italy and start the clock on naturalisation.
Frequently Asked Questions
How strong is the Italian passport?
It ranks fourth in the Henley Passport Index of July 2026, with visa-free or visa-on-arrival access to 186 destinations.
Can Italian citizens live and work anywhere in the EU?
Yes, in all 27 EU countries and in Norway, Iceland, Liechtenstein and Switzerland, without a visa or work permit. After three months they register locally.
Does Italian citizenship give free healthcare?
Not by itself. Healthcare in Italy follows residence: Italian citizens living in Italy are enrolled in the national health service. Those living abroad have limited cover when visiting.
Do I pay Italian tax if I become Italian?
Not because of citizenship. Italy taxes based on tax residence, not nationality.
Can I keep my original citizenship if I get an Italian passport?
Italy allows dual citizenship. Whether you keep your original one depends on your other country's law.
How long does Italian citizenship by marriage or naturalisation take?
Applications must be decided within 24 months, extendable to 36. The required residence period varies by route.
How much does an Italian passport cost?
About 116 euro in fees, and it is valid for ten years for adults.
Avv. Marco Mesina
Founder, Move to Dolce Vita · Avvocato, Milan Bar (Ordine degli Avvocati di Milano)
Marco is an Italian tax lawyer who advises individuals and families relocating to Italy on tax regimes, residency, citizenship, real estate and succession planning. Before founding Move to Dolce Vita he worked at Watson Farley & Williams, Withers and Deloitte in Milan.
- Milan Bar
- Citywealth Top 50 Italian Advisors 2025 & 2026
- Profiled by Forbes (2024)
- English · Italian · Spanish
