Au Pair in Italy: Visa and procedures

The type of visa required to become an Au Pair in Italy depends on your nationality and the length of your stay.

In general, the required documentation is:

A statement of the health insurance
Proof of enrollment in a language course
Copy of a booked ticket to Italy
Valid passport
Letter of invitation from the Host Family
Proof of sufficient savings to stay in Italy

To be an Au Pair in Italy, there are different visas and procedures, depending on your country of origin and the length of your stay:

Au Pairs from an EU or EEA country (up to 3 months' stay)
Au Pairs from an EU or EEA country (over 3 months' stay)
Au Pairs from non-EU countries (up to 3 months' stay)
Au Pairs from non-EU countries (over 3 months' stay)
Au Pairs from Australia, Canada, or New Zealand

Au Pairs from EU and EEA countries

Candidates of EU or EEA countries only need an ID card to enter Italy. No visa is required.

If the Au Pair intends to stay in Italy for more than 3 months, there will be some additional steps:

1. Official registration at the town hall (anagrafe)

The Au Pair is required to register at the local town hall (anagrafe). They will be required to provide proof of valid health insurance and adequate financial resources to support themselves during their stay. We encourage Host Families to help the Au Pair with the registration.

2. Tax number application (codice fiscale)

Au Pairs need to apply for an Italian tax number (codice fiscale). The procedure is easy, but we encourage Host Families to accompany their Au Pairs to the local tax office (Agenzia delle Entrate). The Au Pair will need to bring: an ID card or a passport, a photocopy of the same, and the registration certificate (iscrizione anagrafica). After receiving a copy of the codice fiscale, they will also be given a health insurance card (tesserino sanitario).

3. National health service registration (Servizio Sanitario Nazionale)

After receiving the registration certificate (iscrizione anagrafica) and the tax ID number (codice fiscale), Au Pairs should go to the local health authority of their Host Family (ASL - Azienda Sanitaria Locale) and register with the national health service (SSN - Servizio Sanitario Nazionale).

Alternatively, it is possible to have private health insurance.

Au Pairs from non-EU countries

Depending on the length of their stay in Italy, Au Pairs from non-EU countries must apply for the right visa and follow the right procedure.

Au Pair in Italy for less than 3 months: Tourist Visa

Au Pairs can enter Italy on a tourist visa if their stay doesn’t exceed 90 days. You can use the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs' website to discover if you should apply for a tourist visa and which procedure to follow.

Participants of the following nationalities only need a passport for a 3-month-long stay:

Argentina	Australia	Bosnia-Herzegovina	Brazil	Canada
Chile	Colombia	Costa Rica	El Salvador	Guatemala
Honduras	Iceland	Israel	Japan	South Korea
Republic of Macedonia	Malaysia	Mexico	New Zealand	Nicaragua
Norway	Paraguay	Samoa	Singapore	Switzerland
Trinidad and Tobago	United Kingdom	Uruguay	USA	Venezuela

Regardless of the Au Pair’s country of origin and length of stay, Host Families must register the Au Pair’s arrival at the police station. The so-called “host declaration” (dichiarazione di ospitalità) must be submitted within 48 hours of the Au Pair’s arrival in Italy.

Au Pairs in Italy for more than 3 months: Student visa

If the Au Pair’s stay is longer than 90 days, all non-European Union citizens will need a visa. The participants need to apply for the visa at the Italian embassy or consulate in their home country. Before submitting the application for a student visa, the Au Pair has to enroll in a full-time Italian language course (at least 20 hours per week).

1. Language course registration

It is essential to agree on the weekly schedule before signing any contract. Host Families should keep in mind that attending a 20-hour language course is mandatory, and the Au Pair must be given enough time to participate.

2. Student visa application

The Au Pair will need to submit the following documents to the competent embassy or consulate:

Valid passport
Proof of enrollment in a language course
Letter of invitation from the Host Family
A statement of health insurance
Copy of a booked ticket to Italy
Proof of sufficient savings to stay in Italy

It is also possible to obtain a work permit with this visa. However, the Au Pair must meet different requirements. Detailed information and guidance depend on the Au Pair’s nationality and country of residence. Therefore, we suggest contacting the Italian embassy or consulate for more details.

3. Residence permit application (Permesso di Soggiorno)

Within 8 days after arrival, Au Pairs must apply for the “Permesso di Soggiorno”. We advise Host Families to go to the local municipality (comune) with their Au Pair to support them during the procedure. Alternatively, the application can be done at:

the Sportello Unico per l’Immigrazione
the Patronato
the Post Office (by completing the “Kit” form)

All information on costs and the specific steps Au Pairs must follow is available on the National Social Security Institute (INPS) website.

Citizens of Australia, Canada, and New Zealand: Working Holiday Visa

Italy has a bilateral agreement with Australia, Canada, and New Zealand. Therefore, Au Pairs coming from one of these countries can apply for a Working Holiday Visa. The procedure differs for each of these countries; however, there are a few shared points to keep in mind before applying:

The number of visas available each year is limited.
The visa has a duration of a maximum of 12 months
Au Pairs on a Working Holiday Visa are not allowed to work for more than 6 months (they are free to use the remaining 6 months traveling)
Au Pairs on a Working Holiday Visa are not allowed to stay with a family for more than 3 months. After 3 months, they can work for a different family. Shorter stays are allowed.
The Working Holiday Visa can be obtained only once in a lifetime.
Au Pairs must take out health insurance for the entire duration of their stay.

To find all information on the necessary documents and procedure, visit the Italian Government website:

Australian citizens can find more information here.
Detailed information for Canadian citizens can be found here.
Citizens of New Zealand can find all relevant information here.

Residence permit application (Permesso di soggiorno)

Au Pairs on a Working Holiday Visa should apply for the Permesso di Soggiorno. The application must be done within 8 days of the Au Pair’s arrival in Italy. We encourage Host Families to accompany their Au Pair to the Immigration Office of their prefecture.

What else?

The Au Pair in Italy should apply for a residence permit at the local migration office during the first 8 days after arrival. This permit is called “Permesso di Soggiorno” and is only needed for stays longer than 90 days.
Applicants from Australia, New Zealand, or Canada can obtain a Working Holiday visa and enter Italy this way.
The Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs provides you with detailed information about the right kind of visa and the visa application.
The arrival of the Au Pair must be declared within 48 hours by written communication to the local public security authority. Please see the information regarding art. 7 of the TUI (Testo Unico Immigrazione - D. Lgs. 286/1998) here.