Italy Company Formation FAQs

In Italy, the director of a company must have the right to residency. Should you not meet any of the requirements to be a director or lack residency, you may appoint a nominee director. As for nominee shareholders, there is no such thing in Italy but you can appoint an attorney to represent you.  

You can apply for an investor visa if you buy at least €2 million or more of government bonds, invest €1 million in a corporation or make a donation of that amount to a philanthropic cause benefitting the Italian people. After an initial two-year period and a renewal for three more years, you can then obtain permanent residency after five years with temporary status. There is also a self-employment visa available but the number is limited through a quota system. The final option is the StartUp visa scheme which entitles you to residency by either investing €50,000 in a new company or making a €100,000 in an already-established corporation providing innovation. 

Foreigners can own the entirety of shares in a company registered in Italy. 

If you choose to set up your company in designated areas of Italy, the government will grant you tax incentives.

It is possible for non-residents to open bank accounts in Italy. The process is relatively straightforward compared to other countries in the EU.