Spain Non-lucrative visa vs Italy Elective residence

The initial authorization lasts one year; renewals last two years and must be requested in the two months before expiry.

Boletín Oficial del EstadoMinistry of Inclusion, Social Security and Migration

Request renewal at least 90 days before the permit expires; the Questura checks that the original conditions still apply.

Normattiva

No work or professional activity in Spain; the authorization is for living on your own means.

No work activity is allowed.

• €90 ≈ $100

  National long-stay visa (type D) processing fee, collected in euros or local currency; some nationalities pay a different amount under reciprocity.

• $13

  Residence permit fee (form 790-052) paid with the visa application at the Spanish consulate in Washington; the consulate revises it quarterly.

• €116 ≈ $130

  National long-stay visa (type D) fee for work and family reasons, payable in local currency at the consular exchange rate.

• €30.46 ≈ $34

  Cost of the electronic residence permit card for a permit longer than 90 days; a contribution of EUR 40, (≈ $45) 50 or 100 depending on permit duration or type and a EUR 16 (≈ $18) tax stamp are also payable.

Long-term residence needs five years of continuous legal residence; absences of up to 6 consecutive months (10 in total, or 18 for work) do not break continuity.

Boletín Oficial del Estado

The EU long-term residence permit needs five years on a valid residence permit, income at least the annual social allowance, and an Italian language test; it is issued within 90 days.

Normattiva

Nationality needs 10 years of legal, continuous residence immediately before applying (2 years for nationals of Ibero-American countries, Andorra, the Philippines, Equatorial Guinea and Portugal), plus good conduct and integration.

Agencia Estatal Boletín Oficial del Estado

Naturalisation needs 10 years of legal residence (4 years for EU citizens) and Italian at level B1 or above.

Ministero dell'InternoNormattiva

The authority must decide within one month of receiving the consulate's communication (silence means refusal); renewals within three months (silence means approval).

Boletín Oficial del EstadoMinistry of Inclusion, Social Security and Migration

A residence permit must be issued, renewed or converted within 90 days of the application when requirements are met (Art. 5(9)).

Normattiva

Apply at the Spanish consulate; the visa request includes the residence authorization request.

Ministry of Inclusion, Social Security and MigrationBoletín Oficial del Estado

Apply in person at the Italian consulate for the national long-stay visa, then request the permit at the Questura.

Consulate General of Italy in BostonConsulate General of Italy in New York

Optional annual lump sum replacing Italian tax on foreign-source income: EUR300,000 (≈ $335,000) for people transferring residence from 1 January 2026 (Law 199/2025), EUR200,000 (≈ $223,000) for transfers between 11 August 2024 and 31 December 2025, EUR100,000 (≈ $112,000) for earlier transfers; the effect ends after fifteen years.