Arriving in Italy from the United States

A US notarisation is not a substitute at any step: a notary attests a signature, not a translation's accuracy, and has no standing before Italian authorities. The apostille replaces consular legalisation; it does not replace the translation. Both the US and Italy have been party to the Hague Apostille Convention for decades, which is why the apostille route exists at all.

Do this before the visa appointment, not after: family applications already require an apostilled, translated marriage certificate and children's birth certificates at the visa stage. The same documents reappear later for anagrafe registration, citizenship applications and school enrolment, so order several certified copies while you are in the country that issues them.

Codice fiscale: plan for on arrival, not before

The Revenue Agency does say non-residents may apply through Italian consular authorities abroad, and that is true. The Chicago consulate, however, limits the route to two cases: where the code is needed for an online procedure, or where you are objectively unable to appoint a representative in Italy. It expressly excludes study, property purchase, "stay in Italy" and litigation.

The mainstream routes are a delegated representative filing at an Agenzia delle Entrate office, or — for most people actually relocating — assignment in Italy by the Sportello Unico or the Questura when your permit is issued. See the codice fiscale guide.

Your licence has a one-year shelf life

There is no reciprocity agreement between the US and Italy: on the transport ministry's list the United States appears only among states whose licences convert for diplomatic staff and their families. Everyone else must pass the Italian theory and practical exams plus a medical. For the first year from acquiring residence you may drive on your valid US licence provided you also carry an International Driving Permit (issued in the US by AAA) or an official Italian translation of it.

The detail that costs people a year: the US Embassy dates that clock from your registration with the anagrafe. The year you spend settling in is the year you should already be in a driving school. Full detail on driving on a foreign licence.

Shipping your household

EU law admits personal property free of import duty and VAT when you transfer your normal residence from outside the EU — and "personal property" expressly includes private motor vehicles. The relief is conditional, on all four of these:

• you owned and used the goods for at least 6 months before leaving;
• you lived outside the EU for at least 12 continuous months;
• you clear the goods within 12 months of establishing residence;
• you do not sell, lend or pledge them for 12 months afterwards without telling customs.

Alcohol, tobacco, commercial vehicles and trade equipment get no relief.

One distinction worth keeping separate: duty and VAT relief on importing a car is not permission to register it. Homologation and registration are a different regime, and we have not verified that a US-specification vehicle can be plated in Italy — treat those as two questions, and get the second answered before shipping a car.

Staying American from Italy

• Voting: file a Federal Post Card Application to get absentee ballots — and refile every January or whenever you move. Electronic delivery gets you a blank ballot 45 days before general elections.
• Selective Service: men aged 18 through 25 must register, including dual citizens and citizens living abroad.
• STEP: enrol with the embassy for security alerts.
• Federal Benefits Unit in Rome handles Social Security, VA, Medicare and Railroad Retirement matters. Money questions are on our US taxes page.
• Babies born in Italy to a US-citizen parent may acquire citizenship at birth — apply for a Consular Report of Birth Abroad.