What Happens If You Move to Another Country After Becoming an Italian citizen?

Acquiring Italian citizenship opens global doors, but moving abroad requires specific bureaucratic steps. Learn about AIRE registration, tax implications, EU freedom of movement, and dual citizenship rules for 2026 to ensure you maintain your status legally.

Acquiring Italian citizenship is often seen as the ultimate goal, but for many, it is merely the beginning of a new chapter that involves international mobility. Whether you plan to relocate to another European Union member state or move to a non-EU country like the USA, Canada, or Australia, holding an Italian passport drastically changes your legal status. As we look toward 2026, the Italian government has digitized many consular services, making it easier to live abroad, but strict adherence to regulations regarding residency and taxation is required. The most important concept to understand is that Italy allows you to live anywhere in the world without losing your citizenship, provided you follow the correct administrative procedures, specifically the registration with the Registry of Italians Residing Abroad (AIRE).

1. Freedom of Movement Within the European Union

The most immediate benefit of your new Italian citizenship is the right to Freedom of Movement under EU law. As an Italian national, you are also a citizen of the European Union.

• No Visas Required: You can move to any of the 27 EU member states (plus Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, and Switzerland) without a visa.
• Right to Work and Reside: You have the same rights as nationals of that country regarding employment, salary, and working conditions. You do not need a work permit.
• Family Reunification: Your non-EU family members (spouse, children) generally acquire the right to join you in another EU country under EU Directive 2004/38/EC, often with easier requirements than if you were staying in Italy.

According to the official European Union website, you simply need to register your presence with the local authorities if you plan to stay longer than three months, usually proving you have employment or sufficient funds.

2. Moving to Non-EU Countries (USA, Canada, UK, etc.)

If you move to a non-EU country, your Italian passport remains a powerful tool. The Italian passport is consistently ranked among the strongest in the world for visa-free travel.

• Visa Waivers: You can travel to countries like the USA (under ESTA), Canada (eTA), and Australia (eVisitor) for tourism or business without a traditional visa.
• Consular Protection: Even outside the EU, if you are in a country where Italy does not have an embassy, you are entitled to consular protection from any other EU member state’s embassy (e.g., a French or German embassy) in emergencies.
• Working Holiday Visas: Italy has bilateral agreements with countries like Canada, Australia, New Zealand, and South Korea, allowing Italian citizens under a certain age (usually 30 or 35) to live and work there for a year.

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3. The Crucial Step: Registration with AIRE

If you move out of Italy for a period exceeding 12 months, you are legally required to register with the A.I.R.E. (Anagrafe degli Italiani Residenti all’Estero). This is not optional; it is a legal obligation for all Italian citizens (born or naturalized) living abroad.

According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation (MAECI), AIRE registration is essential for the following reasons:

• Voting Rights: It allows you to vote in Italian elections and referendums by correspondence from your new country of residence.
• Passport Renewal: You cannot renew your Italian passport at a consulate abroad if you are not registered in AIRE.
• Document Processing: It allows the consulate to issue certificates and process vital records (births, marriages) that occur while you are abroad.

4. Tax Implications: Fiscal Residence vs. Citizenship

A common fear is double taxation. Unlike the United States, which taxes based on citizenship, Italy generally taxes based on residence.

• Fiscal Residence: According to the Agenzia delle Entrate (Italian Revenue Agency), you are considered a fiscal resident of Italy if you reside there for more than 183 days a year or if your “center of vital interests” is in Italy.
• The Effect of AIRE: When you register with AIRE, you are officially declaring that you no longer live in Italy. Consequently, you generally stop paying taxes to Italy on your foreign income. You will only pay taxes to the country where you work and live.
• Exception: If you own property in Italy that generates income (like rent), you must still file an Italian tax return for that specific income.

Warning: If you move abroad but fail to register with AIRE, the Agenzia delle Entrate may presume you are still a resident of Italy and demand taxes on your global income.

5. Healthcare (Servizio Sanitario Nazionale)

It is important to note that Italian healthcare coverage is tied to residency, not citizenship.

• Losing Coverage: When you register with AIRE, you lose your right to the Tessera Sanitaria (Italian Health Card) and the family doctor in Italy.
• Emergency Coverage: As an Italian citizen visiting Italy occasionally, you are entitled to emergency care, but for routine care, you are expected to be covered by the health system of your new country of residence or private insurance.
• EU Transfers: If you move to another EU country, you will transfer your healthcare rights to that country’s system using forms like the S1, depending on your employment status.

6. Maintaining Dual Citizenship

Italy is very generous regarding dual or multiple citizenships. According to Law No. 91 of 5 February 1992, Italian citizens can acquire the citizenship of another country without losing their Italian citizenship, unless they formally renounce it.

• Example: If you move to Canada and eventually become a Canadian citizen, you can hold both Italian and Canadian passports.
• Restriction: You must check the laws of the destination country. While Italy allows dual citizenship, some countries (like China or Singapore) do not. If you naturalize in a country that strictly forbids dual citizenship, you might be forced to give up your Italian one by that country’s laws, not Italy’s.

7. Can You Ever Lose Italian Citizenship?

Once you have Italian citizenship, it is very difficult to lose it. It is a permanent status. However, according to the Ministry of the Interior, there are rare scenarios where revocation is possible:

1. Renunciation: You voluntarily visit a consulate and formally renounce it (usually to acquire a citizenship that forbids dual status).
2. Public Office in Hostile States: If you accept a public office or serve in the military of a foreign state and refuse to quit when ordered by the Italian government (this typically applies only during times of war or severe diplomatic conflict).
3. Fraud: If your citizenship was acquired through fraud (e.g., fake documents during the application), it can be revoked at any time.

8. 2026 Outlook: Digital Consulates

Looking ahead to 2026, the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs is implementing the “Consulate 4.0” initiative. This aims to reduce the need for physical appointments.

• SPID/CIE: You will need a SPID (Public Digital Identity System) or CIE (Electronic Identity Card) to access almost all consular services online.
• Passports: While you still need to go in person for fingerprints, appointment booking and preliminary paperwork are increasingly handled via the digital identity platforms.

How to register with AIRE

Here is the step-by-step guide to registering with AIRE (Registry of Italians Residing Abroad) using the official Fast It portal.

As of 2026, the Italian government strongly encourages using digital identity tools like SPID, but if you are a newly recognized citizen and don’t have that yet, you can still register using the standard method below.

Prerequisites: What You Need Before Starting

You cannot save a draft on the portal, so have these three documents scanned and ready before you begin. They must be in PDF format.

1. Italian ID: A scan of your Italian passport (pages 2–5).
   • If you don’t have a passport yet: Use a scan of your citizenship recognition certificate or your Italian birth certificate (atto di nascita).
   • Dual Citizens: Also include a scan of your foreign passport (e.g., US, UK, Canadian).
2. Proof of Residence: A document showing your name and your current address abroad.
   • Accepted: Utility bill (electricity, gas), driver’s license, bank statement (first page only), or lease agreement.
   • Note: It must be recent (usually within the last 3 months).
3. Registration Form: You will generate this during the process (see Step 3 below), but you will need a printer and scanner (or a tablet to sign digitally) to finalize it.

Phase 1: Create Your Account

If you do not have a SPID (Public Digital Identity System), you must create a standard account.

1. Go to the official Fast It Portal.
2. Click on “Registration” (or Registrazione).
3. Enter your email address and create a password.
   • Tip: Use an email you check permanently.
4. Fill in your personal data exactly as it appears on your Italian documents.
5. Activate: You will receive an activation email. Click the link to verify your account.

Phase 2: Submit the AIRE Request

Once logged in, follow these specific steps to submit your application.

Step 1: Start the Request

• Click on “Consular Register and AIRE” (Anagrafe Consolare e AIRE) at the top of the page.
• Select the first option: “Request the registration in the Registry of Italians Residing Abroad” (Richiedere l’iscrizione all’Anagrafe degli Italiani Residenti all’Estero).
• Note: Even if you were born abroad, if you have never registered your address yourself, you must choose this option.

Step 2: Enter Your Data

• Locality: Enter your current city of residence. The system will automatically link you to the competent Consulate (e.g., if you live in New York, it will link you to the Consulate General in NY).
• Personal Info: Confirm your name, place of birth, and marital status.
• Italian Municipality (Comune): You must specify your Comune of reference.
  • If you were born in Italy: The city where you last lived.
  • If you were born abroad: The city where your citizenship was recognized/registered (your ancestor’s town).

Step 3: Family Members

• List all family members living with you (spouse, children) even if they are not Italian. This ensures your household is registered correctly.

Step 4: Generate and Sign the Form

• At the end of the data entry, the portal will generate a PDF form (Modulo di richiesta).
• Download and Print this form.
• Sign it: You must sign it by hand (pen on paper).
  • 2026 Update: If you logged in via SPID, you often do not need to print/sign; you can just click “Forward”. If you used email login, a physical signature is mandatory.
• Scan the signed form into a PDF.

Step 5: Upload Documents You will see three upload slots. Upload your PDFs in this order:

1. Signed Application Form.
2. ID Documents (Your Italian ID/Citizenship proof + Foreign Passport).
3. Proof of Residence (Utility bill/Driver’s license).

Step 6: Submit

• Click “Send Request” (Inviare la richiesta).

Phase 3: Tracking Your Status

After submitting, do not panic if you don’t hear back immediately. You can log in to check the “Status” of your application:

• Presentata (Submitted): You sent it, but no human has looked at it yet.
• In Lavorazione (Processing): A consular officer is currently reviewing your documents.
• Trasmessa al Comune (Transmitted to Municipality): Success! The consulate has approved your application and sent it to your town hall in Italy. You are now technically “safe” regarding consular duties.
• Iscritto (Registered): The town hall in Italy has confirmed the registration.

Common Pitfalls to Avoid

• Bad Scans: Ensure your PDFs are clear. If the officer cannot read the date on your utility bill, they will reject it.
• Middle Names: Italians are strict about names. If your birth certificate says “John Albert Smith”, do not just write “John Smith”. Write exactly what is on your documents.
• Missing Signature: If you forget to sign the printed form before scanning it back in, it will be rejected instantly.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)