UK Visas from Italy: How to Move to the UK

Moving to the UK from Italy

The UK’s strong economy, high-standard healthcare and education systems, low crime rate, a stable government and a multicultural environment attract a large number of immigrants every year, many of whom eventually settle there. Per the 2021 census, Italy is one of the top five EU countries whose citizens have settled in the UK long term.

Since the Covid pandemic and the post-Brexit immigration system changes, migration from the EU countries to the UK has declined noticeably. In the year ending June 2024, EU nationals constituted only 10% of the 1.2 million long-term immigrants coming to live in the UK, although in terms of actual numbers it was a considerable total of 116,000.

Post Brexit, Italians are no longer free to live, work and study in the UK for longer terms without a visa, but you may still be eligible to apply to the EU Settlement Scheme to continue living in the UK. Although the deadline for most eligible people was 30 June 2021, it will not apply in your case if you already have pre-settled status in the UK and are now applying for settled status.

Additionally, you can still apply under this scheme if you or a family member were living in the UK by 31 December 2020, and you meet one of the criteria for a later deadline to apply or you have ‘reasonable grounds’ for why you are applying late.

Can Italians Still Apply for the EU Settlement Scheme?

The EU Settlement Scheme allows citizens of the European Union to continue living in the UK after Brexit and the end of free movement.

The deadline to apply for most people was 31 June 2021. However, you should still be able to apply for the scheme if one of the following apply:

• You have an Italian (or EU) family member who was living in the UK by 31 December 2020, and you join them in the UK on or after 1 April 2021
• You’re exempt from immigration control, or you stopped being exempt from immigration control after 30 June 2021
• You’re already in the UK with limited leave to enter or remain in the UK (such as if you’re here on a work or study visa) which expires after 30 June 2021
• You’re a family member of a British citizen who you lived with in the EU
  • You must have lived with them in that country by 30 December 2020, and returned to the UK with them

You may also still be eligible to apply if you have ‘reasonable grounds’ for not applying before the main deadline. ‘Reasonable grounds’ may cover many different things, but some acceptable cases include,  but are not limited to, if:

• You have, or had, a medical condition which prevented you from applying
• You lacked the physical or mental capacity to apply
• You’ve been the victim of modern slavery
• You’ve been in an abusive or controlling relationship

For more information about applying for the EU Settlement Scheme, see our dedicated page regarding it or reach out to one of our expert legal advisers on +44 (0)333 414 9244, or contact us online.

Type of UK Visas From Italy

Italians may apply under any of the following visa categories to move to the UK from Italy on a longer term:

• Family visa
• Work visa
• Study visa
• Business visa

Most long-term UK visas allow the main applicant to bring their eligible family members (usually spouse/partner and children) as their dependants to the UK. Some of these visas also lead to settlement in the UK, officially known as ‘indefinite leave to remain’ (ILR), provided you (and your dependants, if any) fulfil the eligibility conditions.

UK Family Visas from Italy

Italian citizens, who wish to come and reside for more than six months with their UK resident relative, must apply for a family visa.

Eligible family members who can take this route to move to the UK are:

• Spouse or civil partner
• Fiancé, fiancée or proposed civil partner
• Child
• Parent
• A relative who must be in the long-term care of their UK resident relative

You may also be able to get an EU Settlement Scheme family permit to come to the UK provided all the conditions pertaining to the said scheme are met.

UK Spouse or Partner Visa from Italy

Italians married to (or in partnership with) people settled in the UK who belong to any of the categories mentioned below, may be eligible to apply for a spouse visa:

• A British or Irish citizen
• A foreign citizen settled in the UK
• A EEA/Swiss national with pre-settled status under the EU Settlement Scheme, provided they started living in the UK before 1 January 2021
• A foreign national on a Turkish Businessperson visa or Turkish Worker visa
• A foreign national with protection status in the UK
• A foreign national who has permission to stay in the UK as a stateless person

Spouses/partners of eligible UK work, business and study visa holders are not eligible for a spouse or partner visa under the Family visa category. Instead, they will have to apply as the main applicants’ dependent family members to come and live in the UK.

UK Work Visas from Italy

The UK work visa options can be categorised like the following:

• Sponsored work visas such as Skilled Worker visa and Health and Care Worker visa, for people with an eligible job offer from a UK employer
• Global Business Mobility visas, Overseas Domestic Worker visa or Representative of an Overseas Business visa for people working in the UK for their overseas employers
• Highly talented people can apply for a Graduate visa, Global Talent visa, UK Ancestry visa, High Potential Individual (HPI) visa. These visas do not require an existing job offer in the UK 
• Temporary work visas such as Seasonal Worker visa, Government Authorised Exchange visa, Creative Worker visa, Religious Worker visa, Charity Worker visa, International Agreement visa
• Other work visas, such as International Sportsperson visa, Minister of Religion visa (T2), Scale-up Worker visa, Frontier Worker permit

Italians with pre-settled or settled status from the EU Settlement Scheme don’t require a visa or permit to work in the UK.

Skilled Worker Visa UK

Italians may apply for a Skilled Worker visa to come and work for an employer holding a valid sponsorship licence in the UK. The offered job type must be on the eligible occupations list and meet the minimum salary threshold for the said occupation.

In addition, you must:

• Meet the skill level as applicable for your role
• Have a valid certificate of sponsorship (CoS) as assigned to you by your UK employer
• Be paid at least the specified minimum salary, depending on the occupation code
• Have sufficient knowledge of the English language (i.e. B1 level or higher on the CEFR scale)
• Have access to sufficient personal savings when you arrive in the UK
• Have no general grounds for visa refusal, such as a previous visa refusal or deportation

Health and Care Worker visa

Similar to the Skilled Worker visa, the Health and Care Worker visa is meant for qualified foreign doctors, nurses and other health and care professionals who must be sponsored by a licensed health and care sector employer to come and work in the UK, in roles that are listed as eligible occupations and meet the specified salary levels.

You must:

• Be a qualified doctor, nurse, health professional or adult social care professional, whose qualification is recognised in the UK
• Have a confirmed, eligible health or social care job offer from a registered employer in the UK
• Have a salary that meets the minimum threshold, depending on the occupation code
• Have been issued a CoS from their sponsoring employer, which includes information about the job role
• Be able to speak, read, write and understand English at least at CEFR B1 level

Temporary Worker Visa UK From Italy

There are also six Temporary Work visas that will permit you to work in the UK for six months to two years, such as the:

• Seasonal Worker visa
• Government Authorised Exchange visa
• Creative Worker visa
• Religious Worker visa
• Charity Worker visa
• International Agreement visa

All of the above visas require a legitimate sponsoring body in the UK that will issue you a CoS in order to apply.

Global Business Mobility Visa UK From Italy

If your current employer in Italy wishes to send you to work in their UK branch or subsidiary, or to set up and run their business operations, your option will be the Global Business Mobility route, which includes:

• Senior or Specialist Worker visa
• Graduate Trainee visa
• Secondment Worker visa
• Service Supplier visa
• UK Expansion Worker visa

You will be able to live and work in the UK from six months to five years under this route. However, none of the above options will allow you to settle in the UK.

Innovator Founder Visa UK From Italy

Italian citizens must obtain an Innovator Founder visa to conduct business activities in the UK for over six months (unless they are still eligible to apply under the EU Settlement Scheme, in which case they can run a business in the UK for any duration without a visa).

To apply, you must have an original and innovative business idea, which will have to be endorsed by an approved body in the UK. Your business idea must have a potential for growth, and there should be a clear plan to create jobs in the UK and expand the business footprint to national and international markets, to be successfully endorsed.

UK Student Visas for Italians

The UK Student visa is a good way for Italians and other EU citizens to stay in the UK and eventually apply for other visas that will allow for permanent settlement.

In order to be eligible for the UK Student visa, you should have a genuine offer of a place from a licensed student sponsor, such as a qualifying university or college.

You should also have enough money to support yourself during your time in the UK, as well as meet the minimum language requirements.

Alongside being able to live and study in the UK for the duration of your course, you will also be able to work, though how much will depend on what you’re studying and if you will be working in or outside of term time.

You won’t be able to claim public funds such as benefits, be self-employed or study at academies or local authority-funded schools with a Student Visa.

After your student visa expires, you may be eligible for a Graduate visa, which will allow you to stay and work in the UK for another 2 years. After this, you may then switch to another visa in order to meet the minimum 5 year residency requirement for indefinite leave to remain.

UK Visa Application Process in Italy

Here’s a step-by-step UK work visa application process from Italy:

• Create an account on the Home Office website with a valid email ID, to fill in your applicable online visa form
• Have all your supporting documents and other relevant information ready to answer the questions on the application form completely and accurately
• Submit the completed application form along with scanned copies of your supporting documents online, and pay the visa fees
• Book an appointment with a UK visa application centre in Italy to submit your biometric information, your original passport and physical copies of supporting documents. You may also be required to attend a visa interview on your appointment date

VFS Global is the official third-party UK visa services provider in Italy. They have only one visa application centre in Italy, which is located in Rome at the following address:

VFS Global Italy S.R.L

Via Properzio 5, 5th Floor 00193 Rome

(Opening hours: Mon-Fri, 9 AM – 5 PM local time)

Required Documents for a UK Visa From Italy

Here’s a general list of supporting documents (the Home Office may ask you for other relevant documents depending on your circumstances):

• A valid passport, with at least one blank page
• Proof of financial means
• If you are coming to work, then your:
  • Job offer or employment contract
  • Certificate of Sponsorship reference number, and the name and sponsor licence number of your employer
  • Criminal record certificate in case of certain job categories etc.
• If you coming to study in the UK, then:
  • Acceptance letter from a UK educational institution
  • Parental consent to study in the UK if you are under 18
• For family visas, proof of relationship with your UK resident family member
• Business plan and endorsement from an approved body in the UK for foreign entrepreneurs applying for an Innovator Founder visa

UK Visa Fees From Italy

You must pay a processing fee as part of your UK visa/immigration application process. This is a non-refundable fee, so even if the Home Office refuses your visa application, you will not get a refund. UK visa application fees vary depending on your visa/permission type.

The following table lists the processing fees for some of the most popular UK visa options for Italians:

Settlement in the UK for Italians

If your UK visa type allows you to eventually settle in the UK, you can apply for ILR when you have met the eligibility conditions. ILR allows you to live, work and study in the country for an indefinite period as the name suggests. You will also be able to use your ILR status to apply for British citizenship by naturalisation.

There are different ways to apply for ILR based on your circumstances. For example, if you have lived and worked in the UK on a work visa for five years, you may apply for ILR if you meet all relevant conditions. For tier 1 visa holders, the mandatory stay duration can be two or three years.

Expert Relocation Services for Your UK Move From Italy

We at IAS offer expert relocation services to immigrants moving to the UK from Italy. Our suite of bespoke services includes:

• Pre-departure planning
• Visa and residency applications
• Legal departure assistance
• Tax consultation and compliance
• Logistics and shipping assistance
• Home finding assistance
• Property sales management
• School/education assistance
• Settling-in services
• Orientation and integration
• Travel planning
• Pet relocation services
• Corporate and business relocation (including assistance with setting up you business in the UK)

Call us today on +44 (0)333 414 9244 to speak with a member of our dedicated team of experienced and friendly relocation professionals. We offer thorough planning as well as hands-on assistance to ensure a smooth relocation experience.

Moving to UK From Italy Checklist

Migrating from one country to another on a long-term basis requires careful planning and thorough execution. Although how you must prepare will vary depending on your personal and immigration circumstances, here’s a checklist that may come in handy while preparing to move to the UK from Italy :

• Go through the various UK visa options to decide on the most suitable immigration route for yourself and your eligible family (if any). Call us on +44 (0)333 414 9244 if you want to consult an immigration lawyer regarding your best option
• Consider whether you will be able to maintain your living standards in the UK, by calculating your living costs and checking the same against your prospective UK income
• Carefully review your supporting documentation requirements and arrange for the same
• Budget for your travel and settling-in costs
• Open a bank account in the UK and arrange for your National Insurance (NI) number
• Go through housing options and ideally finalise a suitable accommodation for your family before moving to the UK, considering the housing shortage in the country
• Check for schools in your chosen area of residence if your children are accompanying you
• Plan thoroughly for shipping and transporting your belongings (as well as pet relocation requirements if you have any)

How Can IAS Help?

The UK’s departure from Europe signalled the end of free movement and residency in the UK for EU citizens. This means that Italians and other EU citizens will now be subject to the same immigration and visa restrictions as the rest of the world if they wish to settle in the UK.

If you are an Italian looking to settle in the UK and travel there for work, study, join a partner or spouse or any other reason, IAS can help.

We are expert immigration lawyers who are experienced in the field of UK and EU immigration. We are committed to ensuring the highest quality of service possible for our clients, offering a wide range of services.

If you need to seek help in regards to your UK visa application, determining your eligibility for them, or simply figuring out which visa type would be the best for you, we can help. We also offer concierge and relocation services to Italy and other countries to ensure that your move to the UK is as smooth and stress-free as possible.

For more expert guidance, news about the latest in UK immigration, or to hear more about the services we offer, reach out to us today or request a meeting with our advisers. Call us on +44 (0)333 414 9244, or contact us online.