usa citizen wants to move PERMANENTLY to italy!

[julie1241]

I am a citizen of the USA. I want to relocate PERMANENTLY to Italy to live and find work there. Not being a citizen of an EU country, I know that I can stay in Italy only for 3 months as a tourist. However, within this initial 3-month period, can I leave Italy and travel to another EU country (for example, England) for a very short time, and then return to Italy and have a NEW 3-month period as a tourist? If not, can I leave Italy and travel to a NON-EU country for a very short time, and then return to Italy and have a NEW 3-month period as a tourist? Either way, if I can do this, how many times can I do this? Will the 3-month tourist allowance keep renewing forever?

Any other ideas or suggestions? Short of marrying an Italian citizen (which be delicious, but I'm not in love with any Italian citizen at this time), how does an educated citizen of the USA get to live and work in Italy on a PERMANENT basis?

Thank you!

[mym]

I am a citizen of the USA. I want to relocate PERMANENTLY to Italy to live and find work there. Not being a citizen of an EU country, I know that I can stay in Italy only for 3 months as a tourist. However, within this initial 3-month period, can I leave Italy and travel to another EU country (for example, England) for a very short time, and then return to Italy and have a NEW 3-month period as a tourist? If not, can I leave Italy and travel to a NON-EU country for a very short time, and then return to Italy and have a NEW 3-month period as a tourist? Either way, if I can do this, how many times can I do this? Will the 3-month tourist allowance keep renewing forever?

No.

how does an educated citizen of the USA get to live and work in Italy on a PERMANENT basis?

Well, one answer is that if that educated person cannot do their own research on the subject, they don't stand much chance of success anyway... There are 20 types of visa available according to http://www.esteri.it :adoption, business, medical treatment, diplomatic, accompanying dependent, sports competitions, invitation, self-employment, made employment, mission, religious grounds, re-entry, choice of residence, family reunion, study, airport transit, transit, transport, tourism, working holidays.

I suggest you call the italian embassy and ask for advice.

[sakura]

What experience and qualifications do you have? What education do you have? If you wanted to relocate permanently, where does the visa-waiver (tourist) fall into your plans? You obviously know you can't work as a tourist, unless you don't mind possibly being caught and deported...

[julie1241]

by profession i am an attorney, although i am not practicing law now. in italy i could not practice law, as we have two legal systems that differ.

in italy i would like to teach english -- and although there are TONS of jobs available, all of them require that you be an EU citizen, or have the necessary VISA. i would also be willing to take on a second job doing just about anything.

of course i will not do anything that would jeopardize my ability to enter italy...although i am told that the immigration authorities "won't care" about an american citizen staying in italy beyond the 3 months allowed. however, i am not willing to risk it. although i disagree emphatically with the laws, i will follow them.

[sakura]

For most English jobs, you would need the relevant qualifications and experience. I can't see anyone hiring a person from outside the EEA without these two things. Even then, obtaining a work permit could be a pain in Italy. They would probably only give visas to people at the higher end of the teaching market.

Do you speak any Italian? As obtaining a job without any proficiency would be difficult.

[chem1]

The best and safest way to enter an EU country (if you are are non EU) is to get a job offer. This is of course is much easier said than done but its the only realistic way insofar as I can see of actually picking up and moving to an EU country with the intention of being there permanently. You start trying other ways and they often seem to lead to legal dead ends. This third party employer is really the key it seems.

I was in a similar siutation with wanting to go to spain and looked at all the possiblities. The only realistic one was getting hired by a company based on my qualifications and background.

Pesonally, if I didnt go about it this way and REALLY wanted to go to Spain and stay there, I would have just said 'forget it' and got the 3 month visa and overstayed it and somehow made ends meet doing god knows what. Totally illegal and, as said above, deportation risks involved but without a job offer, what can you really do short of marrying someone....which is a possiblity I suppose but one I certainly wasnt going to pursue.

Often times too with these EU countries, you get there for the 3 months and find something permanent and more often than not, you have to return to your home country so that it can be sorted out. This is usually the case for work permits Ive found.

Another option is to try and go and study there for a period of time....see if you can find something longer than 3 months...you have to get something that can start you there so you can meet people. This was critical in my case in Spain. I spent 4 years in Spain (studying) and if I hadnt, I wouldnt have been able to get as 'connected' as I am.
Starting cold is tricky.

Not speaking Italian has you at a big disadvantage as well. After I finished my PhD in Spain, I examined the Italian job market. I was going out with an Italian girl at the time so had quite a lot of information regarding it. The conclusion I came to, based on what my then gf told me as well as her family, was that if you dont speak italian and dont have all your CVs in italian, they wont even get looked at....not even by international companies to which I was applying to. That was quite surprising but then again its Italy.

Good luck with it all.