Direct answer: You can get Italy's investor permit by putting at least €250,000 into the capital of an innovative startup registered in the special section of the Italian companies register, and keeping it for at least two years. It is the joint lowest amount in our three countries (Greece's converted building route also starts at €250,000), but you still have to show €1,000,000 of your own funds, available and transferable to Italy.

This is the route for people who want a stake in an Italian business rather than a house or a bond. It is also the one with the most real risk: a startup can fail, and the law ties your permit to keeping the investment.

What counts as an innovative startup

A company registered in the special section for innovative startups of the companies register, under Article 25 of Decree-Law 179/2012. Being young or small is not enough; it has to be on that register.

The 2021 guide says the official list of innovative startups is updated weekly and is free to consult on the Chambers of Commerce site, startup.registroimprese.it. You invest in shares or quotas of the startup's capital. A loan to the company is not listed as a qualifying investment.

What you apply with

  • Proof that you own at least €1,000,000, available and transferable to Italy, and a certificate that the funds have a lawful origin (Article 26-bis).
  • The startup's name and tax code. The guide calls the target company a structural part of the application, so you choose it before you apply.
  • A short statement of how and why you are investing, and a declaration of consent signed by the startup's legal representative or a delegate.
  • A written commitment to invest within three months of entering Italy, signed digitally on the platform.
  • A passport copy, a short CV and proof of no final criminal convictions or pending charges, as for every route.

The guide says the clearance application itself is free.

After you arrive: making the investment

You have three months from entry to invest, and the shares must be deposited with a bank or financial intermediary domiciled in Italy.

To prove it, the guide asks for a bank statement covering at least the last three months showing the transfer to the company, a validation letter from the bank, the share deposit certificate, and, for an unlisted company, a letter from its legal representative confirming receipt plus a copy of the transfer deed if it is an s.r.l. (limited liability company).

Keeping it: two years, or the life of the permit

The law allows the permit to be revoked if you sell the investment within two years. The 2021 guide goes further: you keep the original investment for the whole life of the permit, and you cannot switch to a different company; a new investment means a new visa application. At renewal, the guide asks for a letter from the startup's legal representative confirming you still hold the investment, a copy of the shareholder register, and the deposit certificate.

Holding it from abroad

For five years from the first permit, investor permit holders are exempt from Italy's residence continuity obligations (Article 26-bis, paragraph 5-bis). The permit lasts two years and renews for three years at a time. Renewal starts with a new clearance from the Committee, which checks the investment is still in place, and the 2021 guide says the renewal application at the Questura is due at least 60 days before the permit expires. More in renewals and minimum stay.

About the sources: the procedure here comes from the Ministry's applicant guide dated 19 July 2021, hosted on an Italian embassy site. It names the application platform as investorvisa.mise.gov.it. The Ministry has since been renamed (Enterprises and Made in Italy), and the platform did not load when we checked, so details may have changed.

Other Italy routes

Compare with the €500,000 company or venture capital fund route, the €2 million bond route and the €1 million donation route, or go back to the Italy golden visa guide.

Questions we hear most

Can I split €250,000 across two startups?
No. The 2021 guide says the visa is granted for a single investment in one type, and investments in different recipients cannot be combined to reach the minimum.
Do I really need €1 million for a €250,000 investment?
Yes. Article 26-bis requires you to show you own at least €1,000,000, available and transferable to Italy, for every route except bonds, which need €2,000,000.
Can I invest before I apply?
No. The 2021 guide says investments made in whole or in part before the clearance request are not admissible.
Can I invest in a startup I founded or control?
The law and guide we read do not address this.

Sources

  1. Decreto Legislativo 286/1998, Article 26-bis (entry and residence for investors), text in force, Normattiva, Istituto Poligrafico e Zecca dello Stato. Official source. Last checked 28 October 2026.
  2. Legge 193/2024, Article 35 (venture capital funds added to the investor visa), Normattiva. Official source. Last checked 28 October 2026.
  3. Investor Visa for Italy, applicant guide (2021 edition, Ministry of Economic Development), hosted by the Embassy of Italy in Abuja, Ministero degli Affari Esteri e della Cooperazione Internazionale. Official source. Last checked 28 October 2026.

This page is general information, not legal, tax, immigration or investment advice. Rules and fees change, so check the sources above and the date we last checked them. No approval, permit or timeline is guaranteed. We are paid for introductions; here is how.