Questions to ask before moving to Italy

Has the idea of packing it all away and grabbing a one-way ticket to Italy been sounding really good these days? Everyone at some point or another gets this urge, and many of us do take action and make Italy our new home. But it definitely isn’t as simple as that, even if movies and influencers may have you believe so. The truth is if you’ve got plans to officially make Italy your long-term home, you’re going to have to do a little planning. So here are some of the questions to ask yourself before moving to Italy.

Why do I want to move to Italy?

Does it just sound romantic? Did you just recently watch Under the Tuscan Sun or Letters from Juliet and think that definitely looks like the place you want to be? Maybe you’ve visited Italy once before and fell in love with it on your one-week vacation, but why?

This is the number one question you need to ask yourself because honestly when it comes down to it, loving the wine and food; thinking they all seem so happy there; loving the weather or the beaches; this is not going to be enough to keep you strong when the going gets tough.

You’re going to want to make sure you have a real connection with Italy, and that for you it is worth the processes you might have to go through to make it a reality.

This brings us to question number two….

How much do you know about Italy?

And add another layer, do your values align with Italy? You might have a puzzled look right now,  let me explain. You don’t need to know every detail about Italy, you don’t need to know the ins and outs and be a total expert. But you should know, at least a little of what life in Italy is really like. Especially if you are anything other than a middle-class+ cis white male.

Italy can be welcoming, it can be accepting, it can be a beautiful place for everyone, but it depends where you are headed and the community you find. If this is an important part of your identity, and values, it is good to do a little research and see if Italy would be the right fit for you.

I don’t want to scare anyone off, but I would hate for example a young same-sex couple to try to settle in a small town in the middle of Puglia that still holds tight to religion, and find they have a horrible experience. It’s all about scoping it out and seeing where might be the right fit for you.

What am I going to do in Italy?

Study, work, kick back and enjoy retirement? Knowing these not only helps you sort out a visa, but also help you figure out where in Italy you should go. Retirees get certain tax bonuses in Southern regions, for work you may have better luck in the North and students have the whole peninsula to explore!

What visa am I eligible for?

You can’t move to Italy without one, so figure out early what visa you can get.

How am I going to move to Italy, and live there long term?

After you know what you are going to do in Italy, you might need to check your finances. You’ll need to first check out how much money you will need to move there, then how much you may need in your first year of living in Italy. Visa applications will have the necessary financial info, and as for cost of living in Italy, check out this article.

Set yourself up a budget and start a savings box to get ready for the move. Then make sure you plan out future long-term plans like jobs or balancing finances with Italian taxes.

When am I going to Italy?

Once you have settled your answers to all these questions,  you can get started planning. But it is super important to et yourself some dates! Make sure you know how long you have to apply for the Visa, to get your appointment, to find housing in Italy.

Start writing down a list and plan to get ready!