If you are planning to purchase a house in Italy, even if you are not intending to be a permanent resident, you will require a Codice Fiscale.
This tax code is the Italian equivalent to the British National Insurance number (NI) and the US Social Security number (SSN) and will be requested for identification purposes when carrying out large purchases or dealing with any paperwork of a bureaucratic/administrative nature.
The document can be obtained by dropping into your local Agenzia dell’Entrate with some form of photographic identification. Upon stating your purpose, you will be sent to the nearest Tabacchi to purchase the necessary marca da bollo (a stamp that corresponds to the cost of any administrative task undertaken for you by the Italian state) before waiting your turn with an administrator.
Your unique, 16 alphanumeric digit code can be calculated immediately, and you will then be provided with your Codice Fiscale document – it is not essential that you keep hold of this document at all times, but it is very important that you either memorise your Codice Fiscale or have it written down somewhere when heading out to tackle administrative procedure or to make large purchases.
Whereas previously a plastic Codice Fiscale card would then have been posted to you, this service is now obsolete. That card has now been combined with the Tessera Sanitaria (medical card), so will only be given to those eligible for healthcare in Italy. It is not a serious problem, as the only time a Codice Fiscale card came in really handy was when purchasing cigarette products from vending machines (it is used to check the age of the purchaser, and without the card, no sale can be processed).
It is worth bearing in mind that without your Codice Fiscale you will be severely limited in what you can do in Italy, so obtaining it must be top of your list of priorities upon arrival.
If you are moving to Italy permanently and you wish to make the most of the lower tax bracket on house purchases, the lower charges on bank accounts, the lower annual IMU charges and if you wish to purchase and/or insure a car in the country, then it will definitely be worthwhile becoming a resident.
It is worth noting that no longer being a British resident will severely restrict your possibilities for keeping investment funds in the country – many stocks, bonds and ISAs can only be purchased by British residents.
For most EU citizens, initial residency of five years is given, but permanent residency can be applied for if your situation requires and/or warrants it.
In order to apply for your Certificato di Residenza, you should first make your way to the Anagrafe office of the town hall (comune) that covers your catchment area.[…]
See on italyguidenews.com
via Tumblr http://italianentertainment.tumblr.com/post/59717286149