In order to get the self-employed work visa, you will need to go to Camera di commercio in your city and get 2 documents from them:
- Nulla osta all’esercizio di attività economica
This document says that they don’t want anything from you. If your profession is a ‘free profession’ (libero professionista) they will give it to you.
If your profession is regulated, they will probably ask you to go somewhere else and get something from them. (If you went through this process, please send us the information in our contact us page). - Attestazione dei parametri economico-finanziari
This document specifies how much money you should have in your bank account in euros in order to start your business. It is currently set to 17,667 euros for developers but I believe it’s the same for every freelancer. They may or may not request proof beyond your verbal assurances.
You’ll need to fill-in a form. This is the form in Milano and near-by cities. If you’re not relocating here, you’ll need to find the equivilent form in your Camera di commercio, or just ask it from them when you get there.
https://www.milomb.camcom.it/documents/10157/35106048/mo-da68.pdf/296c62c8-772e-49b1-b1b8-965b44ff4d00
There is also a possibility (which I have not tried), to make this request using a proxy – an Italian resident that will make the request for you.
In this case you’ll need these 2 forms (again in Milano and the area):
https://www.milomb.camcom.it/documents/10157/35106048/mo-da69.pdf/5a468c50-6f56-4b86-8d18-500a6cc322d7
https://www.milomb.camcom.it/documents/10157/158545/mo-da70-procura-cittadini-extracomunitari.pdf/92413cd0-00dd-4dd1-ab9e-b470075e0794
This one you’ll need to stamp in the Italian embassy or consulate in your country.
Before going, you need to go to a Tabaccheria (like a kiosk) and get a ‘Marca da bollo’ for 16 euro.
They call it a ‘hologram’ but it’s basically a stamp. I called those things holograms when I was 8.
What is it for?
If you go to a public office, and you want someone to handle your request, you must pay them. Without it they won’t do it. Obviously paying your taxes and getting a salary is not enough for Italian officials. So that’s how you pay them extra. You stick a 16 euro stamp on the form that you fill out.
Where does that money go exactly? Probably to the Mafia.
Also, don’t forget to bring your passport.
You go in, you take a number according to the sportello (service window) that handles what you need.
No, they do not speak English. No, they won’t write in Italian in your google translate app on your phone.
If you’re lucky, they won’t verify anything about your funds or where you’re staying at the moment.
In fact, on the document they gave me it says that they are not required to verify anything because my profession is ‘free’.
All that money spent on translating professional courses certificates to Italian and nobody cares…
They told me to come back in 5 days to get the certificates.
Don’t bother calling them on the phone for information.
The first thing that the automated machine will ask for is your Codice fiscale.
Then an Italian speaking representative that doesn’t even work there, (they outsource their support) will only be able to send you links to their website according to the information that you need.
They don’t know anything themselves and they won’t transfer your call to someone who works in Camera di commercio.
Also, after you get your permesso di soggiorno, you may need to go back to Camera di commercio and register there (it says so on one of the documents you get from them). This is unnecessary for freelancers such as myself.
Link to the relevant part in the Camera di commercio of Milano’s website: https://www.milomb.camcom.it/richiesta-di-nulla-osta-e-parametri-economici
And here you can search about the registration requirements of your profession:
http://ateco.infocamere.it/ateq20/#!/home
Just input your occupation (in Italian) and choose the city you’ll be staying in. Then click ‘cerca’, and then click the blue headline that described your occupation, and then click on the specific type of activity that belongs to your profession in the white section with the small arrow next to it.
You will see details like the bodies that you will be required to register with like tax agencies that everyone need to go through and stuff like that (not necessarily to get this certificate, but later on).
Make sure there is no special body that is listed there as someone that regulates your profession instead of Camera di commercio, and then you’ll probably won’t have other steps to get these certificates.
INPS is a must for depositing part of your income for your pension. This is not something you need to deal with for getting the visa.
If your profession should be regulated in most countries, you should find out with the Italian embassy / consulate in your country if you need to go to Camera di commercio or another place according to your profession. If they don’t help, pay an Italian accountant to help you out.
