An Introduction to Moving to Italy

An Introduction to Moving to Italy Our Advice for Living in Italy ChaptersWhy Move to Italy?The Official Documents Necessary for Living in ItalyLearning Italian for Moving to ItalyHow Can You Budget for Living in Italy?Travelling to Italy is fun, but living there is even better!If you’ve planned on living it Italy, here’s some ardvice for you!Before you set off, you need to plan for your future in the country. It doesn’t matter which Italian town or city you’ve decided to move to, be it in the north or the south, you’ll need to be aware of the processes required to settle in your new country.In this article, Superprof is looking at how to get settled in Italy, why you should move there, administrative steps (such as visas and residency certificates), how to learn Italian, and how much it’ll cost you.After you’ve read all our articles on it, you’ll be ready. Let’s go! DanielaItalian Teacher 5.00 (9) £50/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors LuciaItalian Teacher 5.00 (4) £17/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors MarilùIta lian Teacher 5.00 (8) £22/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors MarcoItalian Teacher £15/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors AntonellaItalian Teacher 5.00 (2) £14/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors GiusyItalian Teacher 5.00 (3) £25/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors EnricoItalian Teacher 5.00 (2) £20/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors FedericaItalian Teacher 5.00 (2) £30/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutorsWhy Move to Italy?There are plenty of great reasons to move to Italy other than pizza and sunshine! Here are a few of the best reasons to take the leap.Italian food is a good enough reason on its own to move to Italy. (Source: falovelykids)Italian FoodWhether you’re travelling to Italy or moving there, one of the best things about the country is its famous cuisine!From Neapolitan pizzas, spaghetti Bolognese, Italian dishes are sure to whet your appetite. When made with fresh and local produce, these dishes are even better than anything yo u can get here in the UK.Italian food is famous all over the world and with good reason.“Unless you are a pizza, the answer is yes, I can live without you.” - Bill MurrayWith a good Abruzzo or a Chianti, you’ll quickly understand that the Italians aren’t messing around when it comes to food.Take some  Italian lessons  before you leave.The Climate and the CountrysideThanks to the Mediterranean Sea and the Adriatic Sea, the Italian peninsula has a pleasant climate where you can enjoy the sun without getting too burnt. There are nearly 250 fine sand beaches in Italy!This is a great reason to discover the great outdoors from the Gulf of Naples to Cinque Terre. A quick boat trip can take you to Palermo in Sicily or to the famous Mount Etna. Finally, there’s also the great Italian lakes like Lake Garda and Lake Maggiore.Don’t forget about the amazing Italian cities like Turin and Pisa. From top to bottom, Italy is a magnificent company.Italians: Friendly and ClassyIt’s widel y known that the Italians are usually well-dressed, happy, and friendly.From Verona to Syracuse and from Piedmont to Campania, Italian culture is alive and well in every part of the country. There are also plenty of cultural events like the Carnaval of Venice.Finally, fashion is an important part of Italian culture, especially during Milan Fashion Week.The Remains of a Glorious PastItaly is a country with a long history. As the former home of the Roman Empire, there are tonnes of historic heritage sites.The Italian capital, Rome, is a sanctuary for historic sites from the Roman period with the Colosseum and the Roman Forum. Of course, there were even more Roman buildings in the city in the past!Nevertheless, Italy is also home of Pompeii, the city that was ravaged by Vesuvius, yet another UNESCO World Heritage Site.A Good LifestyleIt’s not difficult to live in Italy.The cost of living is less than the UK, for one. Some of the cheapest things in Italy are fresh produce like fruit a nd vegetables.Furthermore, restaurants in Italy tend to be cheaper than in the UK, too. It’s easier to save money out there.The Official Documents Necessary for Living in ItalyLike with moving to any country, there’ll be a bit of paperwork. Find out what you’ll need.Once you get to Italy, you'll have all the administrative steps to take care of. (Source: Free-Photos)Do You Need a Visa?For short stays, you don’t need a VISA (currently). For spending less than 90 days in the country, a passport will suffice.On the other hand, if you want to live in Italy, you’ll need a long-term visa. This is known as the Visa D and is necessary for both members of the EU or otherwise.The same is true for students wanting to study in an Italian university with the exception that they’ll need a student visa, the Visto per Studio.How Do You Get a Work or Residency Visa?It’s quite simple to get a work visa, the Visto per Lavoro. All you need to do is find work in Italy before you go. The em ployer should take care of your work visa and deal with the embassy and local government.In order to get the Certificato di Residenza for over 90 days, you’ll need to make a demand within 20 days of arriving at the questura locale.The necessary documents include:Your passport and the passport of any other family member seeking residency.Completed and signed residency applicationThe form to convert driving licenses.You’ll also need to fill in a declaration confirming your change in residency for being able to pay Italian taxes.Student VisasIf you’re a student wanting to study in Italy while eating delicious pasta, you’re in luck. Whether you’re going on your own or as part of the Erasmus programme or another exchange programme, there are a few steps you’ll need to take.Firstly, you need to prove that you’re enrolled on an  Italian course online  at an Italian university or educational establishment. The visa will be as long as your course.This visa will allow you to wor k up to 20 hours per week. Of course, you’ll also need a work visa, which can take up to 2 months to get. Make sure you plan ahead!Learning Italian for Moving to ItalyIf you’re heading to Italy on holiday, you probably won’t need to be fluent in Italian. However, if you want to live permanently in the country, you should probably learn the language.If you're going to Italy, you'll also need to learn how to speak the language and integrate into the culture. (Source: Free-Photos)Going to Italy without Speaking the LanguageGiven that Italian originated from the Latin language, its vocabulary came from the same place as over half of English. Thus, Italian should be a little easier to learn than dissimilar languages like Chinese or Arabic, for example.However, you’ll still need to learn the odd greeting before you move to Italy. If you don’t know a single Italian word, you’re going to find things difficult, especially when it comes to finding accommodation or work!Taking lang uage courses might be a good idea. Take a look at the best  Italian courses London.Improving Your Italian by Studying in ItalyEach year, thousands of students decide to head to Italy in order to learn the country’s language. This is arguably the best way to learn.Whether you know a few words in Italian already or are starting from scratch, being surrounded by the language every day will help you learn it much more quickly.It’d be a good idea to consider getting the Certification of Italian as a Foreign Language.Being Bilingual and Working in ItalyIf you’re planning on spending any time in Italy, you’ve probably considered learning to speak Italian fluently. It’s definitely the best way to get the most out of your time there, even if the Italians do have a very good level of English.By living in the country and taking lessons, you’ll be able to become very good at the language.This will open doors when it comes to finding work or a career in Italy. With most employers wan ting proof of your level in the language, passing Italian exams are pretty essential.So don’t hesitate!How Can You Budget for Living in Italy?Are you wondering how much it’ll cost moving to Italy?Don’t worry! Superprof is here to help.Make sure you budget for your time in Italy. (Source: martaposemuckel)The Cost of Moving to ItalyIf you’re good at geography, you should be aware that Italy isn’t that far awayb in the grand scheme of things.There are plenty of low-cost airlines offering flights to Italy from a number of major UK airports. In fact, it might cost very little moving to your new home.If you really want to enjoy the sights, though, you could opt for the train. This would take you across the channel, through the French countryside and into the Italian Riviera.  That said, this is much more costly than just taking a flight.The Cost of Accommodation in ItalyThe cost of accommodation is one of the most important things to consider before you head off to Italy.Obvious ly, the price isn’t the same in every city and neither are prices the same in the city centres of Rome, Bologna, Naples as they are in the surrounding suburbs. Renting can vary from €700 in Modena to €1400 in Florence, for example. You’ll have to work things out according to your budget.You’ll also need to factor in agency fees (around 10% of the annual rent) or maybe even a deposit of two or three months of rent (depending on the landlord). This can be a lot of money when you first arrive. Living near the Sistine Chapel comes at a cost.The Cost of Living in ItalyIf you’re comfortable in the UK, you’re going to have no worries in Italy.  Here are some example prices of everyday items:Bottle of water: €0.42Cappuccino: €1.30Cinema ticket: €8Pizza in a restaurant: €8-€12Packet of cigarettes: €5.30Bus ticket: €1.50.Generally, everything’s a little cheaper in Italy, especially food and eating in restaurants. You can get a lot more for your money in Italy. In certain cases, however, transport might cost a little bit more depending on where you are and where you’re going.So do you fancy living in Italy?If yes, Superprof can help you learn the language!