Italy is famously entangled in red tape, and there’s even more of it for foreign residents than for Italians. While some processes are gradually being simplified and even moved online, it’s still true that Italian bureaucracy could test the patience of the many Catholic saints.

As Italy’s foreign residents tell us again and again, in the end it’s all worth it to be able to live and work or retire in one of the most fabulous countries in the world.

But that doesn’t make it simple.

There are just a few key documents that you’ll really need when you first arrive. To help you get started, here’s a look at the very first things that should be on your to-do list as you plan your move.

Visa

Getting into the country at all is a good place to start.

If you come from anywhere outside the European Union (which of course now includes the UK) you’ll need to apply for a visa if you’re planning to stay in Italy for more than three months. There are different types of visa according to the reason for your visit.

Bear in mind you’ll need to do this while still in your home country, and make sure you apply in good time. The Italian embassy in your country should be able to give you the details of the application process and requirements for the type of visa you need.

EXPLAINED: What type of visa will you need to move to Italy?

And not forgetting that the most important document you need for this is, of course, your passport. It sounds obvious, but make sure it is up to date and also that it’s valid for the duration of your stay in Italy, whether you’re staying six days or six months.

It’s also never a bad idea to make and keep printed and digital copies of your passport and visa in case they get lost or stolen. Getting these replaced in Italy would add significantly to your paperwork pile – not to mention the cost and stress.

Residency permit or certificate

If you’re planning to stay for more than three months and you’ve been granted a visa, once you get to Italy you’ll need to register with the questura (police headquarters) and apply for your permesso di soggiorno (residency permit). Find a full guide to doing that here.

The process varies by province, but it involves paying €100-200 in fees, giving your fingerprints and submitting numerous documents – and it usually takes around three to six months to complete, although there are reports of the process now taking nine months or more in some parts of the country.

READ ALSO: Italian residency: Who needs to apply for a permesso di soggiorno?

While you’re waiting for it to arrive, be sure to carry your assicurata, or receipt of application, with you since it’s your proof that you’re in Italy legally.

Once you have your permesso, it will give you full access to public healthcare, social assistance and education. So make sure you have a valid one: if it’s due to expire, prepare to renew it in advance. 

READ ALSO: A complete guide to getting Italy’s residency permit

After five years living legally in Italy you can apply for a permanent residency permit, which only needs to be renewed every ten years.

Although EU citizens can travel freely around European member states, anyone staying longer than three months in Italy is required to register at their local Anagrafe (registry office) and obtain a certificato di residenza (residency certificate). This serves as proof of residence and will help you access public healthcare and other services.

Visitors do not need a visa to stay in Italy for up to three months as a tourist. But technically they should also register as residents.

Even short-term visitors are supposed to register with the local Questura and apply for a permesso di soggiorno per turismo (permit to stay for the purposes of tourism) within eight days of arrival – though in practice, very few tourists actually do so.

ID card

After successfully applying for residency, you’re expected by the authorities to get an Italian identity card (or carta d’identità) from your local registry office, or Anagrafe

READ ALSO: How to get an Italian identity card

You may have seen Italians showing old-school paper booklets, which are a surprisingly flimsy record of your name, date and place of birth, nationality and address, as well as personal details such as eye colour, height and marital status.

You won’t get one of these, as they have been replaced by a plastic version with a chip that stores the information electronically. 

You should carry your ID card with you at all times in Italy, as the law requires you to show it to authorities if asked.

You can also use this card to access certain government services online.

While Italian citizens can use their ID cards for travel within the Schengen Zone and to certain other countries, those issued to foreign nationals are usually not valid for travel.

Tax code

A codice fiscale (fiscal code or tax code) is a personal identification number similar to a Social Security number in the US or National Insurance number in the UK.

The bad news is that you need it to do practically anything in Italy, from making purchases online to getting a job to signing a lease on a property.

The good news is that it’s relatively easy to get hold of. This will probably be the most straightforward item to check off your list.

In Italy, go to your local Agenzia delle Entrate (tax office) armed with a photocopy of your ID and fill out an application form. Some offices even have them available in English.

READ ALSO: Codice fiscale: How to get your Italian tax code

You should be assigned your code on the same day, while a plastic card carrying the information will be posted out to you a few weeks later.

You can also apply for the tax code while still in your home country, via your nearest Italian consulate.

Health card

Italy has a comprehensive state healthcare system which most foreign residents will be able to access, if they choose to, though you might have to pay an annual fee.

Residents of EU countries who are visiting Italy can also access urgent medical treatment with the European Health Insurance Card (EHIC), available via the healthcare system in your home country.

Wherever you’re from, if you are in Italy for more than three months you should look at registering with the Italian National Health Service (Servizio Sanitario Nazionale, or SSN).

Once signed up, you’ll be issued with a tessera sanitaria, or health insurance card. 

READ ALSO: Who can register for national healthcare in Italy?

Some people find they have to pay quite large contributions, or may in fact not be eligible to sign up. For these reasons, many non-Italian residents take out private health insurance instead.

And many people take out private coverage for their first year in Italy anyway. That’s because, to apply for the health card, you will need to already be a resident in Italy with the permesso di soggiorno to prove it (see above).

Until you have at least applied for this, your registration can’t go ahead.

Keep in mind that the tessera sanitaria can’t be applied for online. You need to go in person to the ASL, or Agenzia Sanitaria Locale (local health authority) office (find your closest ASL here).

For many foreigners in fact the process takes not just one but two trips to the ASL, as well as a stop at the post office. Find all the details of the sign-up and renewal process here.

Once registered with the SSN you’ll also be allowed to register with a local GP or family doctor. In fact, some ASL offices will just assign a doctor to you.

You’ll need to show the card when seeking medical treatment or buying prescription medicine to benefit from subsidies – and it also serves as an EHIC, entitling the bearer to urgent care in any EU country.

Newer versions of the card also feature a chip and PIN that allow you to access certain public services online.

What next?

Once you’ve got these pieces of paperwork under your belt, there will be plenty more to come. 

See The Local’s essential guides to living in Italy for details on the next things you may need to check off your list, from the paperwork involved in working as a freelancer to registering a foreign car in Italy.