Case: Colette is a Canadian professional photographer, she has always been fascinated by Italian ancient art and architecture, as well as by its iconic landscapes, and intends to obtain a valid residence permit in order to reside in the Italian territory and be able to work as a photographer and improve her skills and expertise.
Question: what are the options for Colette to obtain a work visa and a residence permit for Italy that would allow her to live in the country and carry out her professional activities?
Solution: Considering that Colette is a professional photographer, has been working in the industry for many years and has stable economic resources, she might find the Italian autonomous work visa and residence permit particularly interesting and appealing.
Third country nationals who intend to carry out autonomous work activities in the Italian territory, without either being sponsored by or appointed as directors of an Italian company, can pursue the obtainment of an autnomous work visa and residence permit in two alternative ways:
- by starting a brand new company in Italy (in the case of Colette, a photography studio); or
- by applying for the autonomous work visa as freelancers.
In either case, the process Colette has to go throught for the obtainment of the autonomous work visa entails several steps and involves many different authorities.
First of all, Colette will have to obtain, from the Chamber of Commerce of the Italian city where she intends to reside, a no-impediment certificate (the so called nulla osta) and the economic and financial parameters certification (the so called attestazione parametri finanziari). The latter provides for the economic resources that are usually required to carry out a specific autonomous work activity in Italy and that Colette must prove to possess.
Once the above mentioned documents have been issued by the Chamber of Commerce, Colette will have to apply for the nulla osta in front of the competent Police Station (Questura). This nulla osta will be issued only on the condition that Colette is able to prove the satisfaction of the requirements set forth by the law, among which the most crucial are:
- in case she decides to start a photography studio, proof of the fact that the company has been duly incorporated according to Italian trade law;
- possession of the no impediment document and the economic and financial parameters certification issued by the competent Chamber of Commerce;
- proof of the fact that she possesses the exact amount of economic resources to carry out her activities in Italy as provided for in the economic and financial parameters certification; and
- proof of the availability of an accommodation in Italy.
Upon the issuance of the nulla osta by Questura Office, she will be entitled to apply for an entry visa for autonomous work purposes at the Italian Embassy or Consulate in her country of residence.
When preparing to submit the application for the visa, Colette shall keep in mind that, even with the nulla osta duly issued by Questura Office, Italian Embassies and Consulates are sometimes very strict when it comes to approve entry visas for autonomous work purposes, especially if the applicant chooses to apply as a freelancer, and that, therefore, the obtainment of the visa shall never be taken for granted.
With the entry visa duly stamped on her passport, Colette will be able to travel to Italy and apply, within 8 days from her arrival in the Italian territory, for the residence permit for autonomous work.
Her residence permit will have an initial one-year duration and she will be able to renew it for further periods of one year, provided that the initial conditions (i.e. sufficient economic resources and accomodation in Italy) persist.