Italian canal at sunset — the start of a new chapter

Living in Italy: a practical guide for newcomers

First formalities after you arrive: housing, residence registration, tax code, healthcare and work. Planning before you leave is in Moving to Italy.

May 1, 2026 · 5 min

After you arrive, the useful first steps are administrative: a codice fiscale, housing you can document, a bank account if your papers allow it, and, where you are entitled, access to the National Health Service. This guide covers the first formalities once you are in Italy. If you are still planning the move, start with moving to Italy.

Timelines vary widely from one Comune to another. People who allow several weeks or months for appointments, residence registration and utilities usually lose less time than those who expect to finish everything in a few days.

North and South, a large city and a small town do not share the same office hours, housing costs or availability of services in English. Check the Comune where you settle, not a national average.

The first formalities

In the first days it is worth setting time aside for three points: tax identity, proof of address (a registered lease, a hospitality declaration or a title deed) and basic healthcare cover, plus a phone and internet connection (you will need them for bookings and, later, for SPID).

Apply for or check your codice fiscale (often required for contracts, banking and healthcare)
Establish whether you need a residence permit or already hold EU citizenship
Activate a phone and internet connection
Open a bank account, if the documents you hold allow it
Note useful contacts: pharmacy, out-of-hours doctor, Comune, local health authority (ASL)

Keep a digital folder with PDFs of your passport, permit, codice fiscale, lease and appointment receipts. Offices often ask for original and copy; it is also useful to have the PDF on your phone.

Italian landscape at sunset — Service times and costs differ from one Comune to another: check them locally.

Finding a home: market and contracts

In the most sought-after cities the rental market is competitive, and fraudulent listings are not rare. Avoid prices well below the market, transfers paid before a viewing, and unreachable landlords. Visit in person, ask for a registered lease, and check what is included (condominium fees, heating).

Temporary housing and a registered lease

Many people start with a room, a short let or staying with relatives, and later sign a registered lease. Residence registration at the Comune usually requires matching proof of address (a registered tenancy, a hospitality declaration or ownership). The two steps are best planned together.

Differences between North, Centre and South

If you are not tied to a job, compare living costs, transport links, office waiting times and, if you need it at the start, services in other languages.

Keys and registered rental contract in Italy — A registered lease and residence registration are linked: the Comune usually asks for proof of address.

Documents: residence, SPID and translations

A residence permit, residence registration at the Comune and citizenship are three different things. Mixing them up is a common mistake: each has its own function and offices.

Residence registration at the Comune

Residence is declared at the Comune and enrols you in the municipal population register. It is needed for many local services, for school, in some cases for a GP, and to prove habitual residence. After the declaration, municipal police checks take different lengths of time depending on the city.

SPID, electronic ID and online services

SPID (digital identity) opens portals such as ANPR, the Revenue Agency and some public calls. Activate it as soon as you meet the requirements. For registry certificates, see the guide on ANPR certificates.

Laptop with digital forms for registry procedures — Many procedures start online, but source records are still often on paper or in an official PDF.

If your records are in another language, a sworn translation into Italian is often required for contracts, marriages and recognitions. You can request a quote for sworn translation and check which registry certificates you need before going to the counter.

Before each visit to the Comune: read the document list on the official website and bring original and copy. If the office publishes a list, use that as the reference, not a summary found elsewhere.

Italian after you arrive

In some cities and some jobs you can work in English. For doctors, schools, neighbours and municipal counters, Italian is still generally required. A course on arrival, plus daily practice, reduces the obstacles in the first months. Vocabulary to prepare before you leave is in moving to Italy.

Intensive course on arrival, then daily practice
Listening and reading in Italian (news, series with Italian subtitles)
Language exchange or local volunteering, where available

Learning Italian to integrate — For counters, the doctor and school, Italian is generally still required.

Healthcare: health card and the National Health Service

The Servizio Sanitario Nazionale covers people enrolled under the current rules (EU citizens, permit holders where enrolment applies, employees, and so on). The tessera sanitaria and choosing a general practitioner are completed once you have a codice fiscale and a clear right to care.

Health card and access to the National Health Service — With a codice fiscale and a right to care, you can activate the tessera sanitaria.

In an emergency call 118 — it is free. For non-urgent needs there are out-of-hours doctors and urgent-care centres. Carry your regular medication and, if useful, a short medical history in Italian.

Work and income

An employment contract, a partita IVA or other forms of work have different obligations. Check that the employer’s registration and contributions are in order. If you work remotely for a foreign company while living in Italy, tax and social-security rules should be checked with an accountant.

A CV in Italian, with a photo only if that is usual in your sector
LinkedIn, sector sites and, often, local word of mouth
Regulated professions require recognition of the qualification

Counter hours and waiting times at the Comune

Many counters and shops keep different hours from those in other European countries: lunchtime closing, August holidays, compulsory appointments. Put that in the calendar after you arrive, like waiting times at the Comune or the Questura. For planning before you leave, see moving to Italy.

If, besides the first formalities, you also need to prepare citizenship, family reunification or transcriptions, go back to moving to Italy and, for descent, to citizenship iure sanguinis.

In short: after arrival you need a codice fiscale, proof of address, residence at the Comune and, where you are entitled, SSN enrolment and a bank account. Planning before you leave is in moving to Italy.