Published: 23/11/2020 By The Abode Team
Italy is set to clarify details of the new long-stay visa requirement for British nationals from January 2021 onwards after diplomats confirmed that discussions were held this week. While no details have yet been officially announced, a new long-stay visa is expected to be required for British nationals who move to Italy from next year. Italian authorities are set to announce details of the visa plan in the coming days. Time is running out for authorities to clarify rules for Brits moving to Europe ahead of the end of the Brexit transition period on December 31st, 2020.British nationals are widely expected to be treated as third-country nationals if moving to Italy after the end of the transition period, meaning they would be subject to the same rules and regulations as, for example, US or Australian citizens coming to live and work in Italy. It is possible that visa rules could be reciprocal, which means that any visa requirement for UK nationals in Italy would match requirements for Italians by the UK. The Italian meetings on visa rules came as the British government announced a new “points-based” visa system would apply to European nationals from January 1st.
British citizens who are moving to Italy before December 31st, or are already here but haven't yet registered as a resident, are strongly recommend to register before the end of the year. If you are lawfully living in Italy by the end of this year, your rights should be protected by the Withdrawal Agreement. This extends to your close family members but anyone moving after the end of the transition period is likely to be subject to different rules, which in Italy's case are yet to be confirmed.