Move to Italy with one bilingual counsel.
Four legal paths. One firm.
Whether you want a passport, a visa, the right to work, or to expand your business into Italy — Studio Legale Scatena handles all four under one roof. Italian Bar admitted (Foro di Massa Albo n. 2025000015) + California LL.M. Loyola Law School Los Angeles + 20 years cross-border practice between Italy, Spain (Abogado), and the United States.
- Path A · Italian Citizenship by Descent — judicial path post-Tajani Decree 2025 (L. 74/2025) for pre-1948 / minor exception cases denied by Consulates and USCIS-equivalent
- Path B · Elective Residence Visa — passive income €38k+/year, Flat Tax €100K (art. 24-bis TUIR), 5 years to permanent residency
- Path C · Self-Employment Visa — freelance / lavoro autonomo, P.IVA setup, regime forfettario, work and live in Italy without an Italian employer
- Path D · Italian Branch of Your Foreign Company — sede secondaria SRL/SRLS, AML/KYC compliance, cross-border tax structuring, your US/UK Inc. operating in Italy
Most clients arrive thinking they need one path. Often they qualify for two or three.
A US descendant of an Italian-born great-grandfather often qualifies for citizenship and wants Tuscany property and needs a US holding-Italian SRL structure. Strategy is choosing the right combination, in the right order — to minimize tax and maximize optionality.
Italian Citizenship by Descent
For applicants denied by Italian consulates due to the Tajani Decree (D.L. 36/2025 → L. 74/2025) limiting claims to two generations. We litigate before the Italian competent court (post-Cartabia D.Lgs. 149/2022) under the pre-1948 rule and the "exclusively Italian descent" doctrine recently affirmed by Cassazione SU (Mellone + Restanio, April 14, 2026).
- Genealogy verification & document procurement (Italy + abroad)
- Pre-1948 maternal-line cases (constitutional case law)
- "Minor issue" cases (art. 12 c.2 L. 555/1912)
- Court filing in Italian Tribunale (avo's birth comune)
- Apostille, sworn translations, vital records
- Outcome: full Italian + EU citizenship, hereditary
Elective Residence Visa
For HNW retirees, family-office principals, and remote investors with passive income (rental, dividends, pension, trust distributions). Live in Italy without working there. Combined with the €100K Flat Tax (art. 24-bis TUIR) for foreign income, the regime can save €200K-500K/year vs ordinary Italian taxation for HNW profiles.
- Income & assets dossier (€31K+/year single, €38K+/year couple minimum)
- Visa D filing at Italian Consulate in your country
- Permesso di Soggiorno (Questura) within 8 days of arrival
- Anagrafe registration (Comune)
- Flat Tax €100K evaluation (art. 24-bis TUIR)
- FBAR / FATCA / Quadro RW coordination with US counsel
- Annual renewals · 5-year permanent residency · 10-year naturalization
Self-Employment Visa
For US/UK freelancers, consultants, knowledge workers, and digital nomads who want to live in Italy with the legal right to invoice clients (Italian or international). Italy's Decreto Flussi annual quota allocates Self-Employment slots (~500-1,000/year for non-EU). Once approved, P.IVA + regime forfettario can yield 5-15% effective tax rate for first 5 years on revenues up to €85K.
- Decreto Flussi annual quota application (timing critical)
- Nulla Osta filing at Sportello Unico Immigrazione
- Visa D + Permesso di Soggiorno (lavoro autonomo)
- P.IVA registration + ATECO code selection
- Regime forfettario evaluation (5% startup / 15% standard)
- Cassa Forense / INPS gestione separata enrollment
- SDI fatturazione elettronica setup
- US tax interaction (FEIE, Foreign Tax Credit, totalization treaty)
Italian Branch of Your Foreign Company
For US Inc., UK Ltd., Australian Pty., Canadian Corp. expanding operations to Italy without dissolving the home entity. Choose: (1) registered branch (sede secondaria, easier, parent-company liable), (2) Italian SRL/SRLS subsidiary (separate liability, EU-passporting), or (3) representative office (no commercial activity, lowest cost). We structure the choice based on your activity, investor liability tolerance, and cross-border tax position.
- Entity selection: branch vs. SRL vs. SRLS vs. rep office
- Camera di Commercio registration (sede secondaria or new SRL)
- Notarial deed (atto costitutivo) coordination
- P.IVA / Codice Fiscale acquisition for foreign entity
- AML/KYC compliance (D.Lgs. 231/2007, beneficial ownership register)
- Italian banking access (corporate accounts)
- Italian payroll (if hiring) + local employment law setup
- Cross-border tax: PE risk, transfer pricing, withholding, VAT/IVA
Which path fits your goal?
Many clients combine 2 or 3 paths. A common HNW combination: citizenship (long-term) + elective residence (immediate). A common entrepreneur combination: self-employment + Italian SRL. We help you sequence them.
| A · Citizenship | B · Elective Residence | C · Self-Employment | D · Italian Branch | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Right to live in Italy | Permanent + EU | Renewable Visa | Renewable Visa | No (entity only) |
| Right to work in Italy | Yes (any job) | No (passive only) | Self-employment only | Via the entity |
| EU passport / mobility | Yes | No | No | No |
| Hereditary | Yes (children) | No | No | No |
| Typical timeline | 2-4 years (judicial) | 3-9 months | 4-12 months | 2-4 months |
| Pricing (all-in EUR) | €20K-25K | €8.5K-18K | €6.5K-12K | €9.5K-22K |
| Best for | Italian heritage + long-term commitment | HNW retirees / family offices | Freelancers · digital nomads | US/UK companies expanding to Italy |
| Tax optimization | Standard or 24-bis if HNW | Flat Tax €100K | Forfettario 5-15% | Cross-border PE planning |
One bilingual counsel. One point of contact. Two EU jurisdictions.
Most boutique Italian firms are excellent at Italian law but cannot operate in your terms. Most US/UK firms understand your needs but cannot represent you in Italy. Studio Legale Scatena is built around exactly this gap.
Single Point of Contact
You speak directly to Avv. Stab. Scatena, not a junior associate. One inbox, one mobile WhatsApp, one Zoom. We coordinate with your US/UK counsel, with Italian notaries, with consulates, with INPS, with Camera di Commercio. You don't manage 5 vendors — we do.
Bilingual Bilateral Practice
Italian Bar (Foro di Massa Albo n. 2025000015) + California LL.M. (Loyola Law School Los Angeles) + Spanish Bar (Abogado, Madrid) + 20+ years bilingual practice. Documents drafted in English with Italian operational equivalence. Strategy sessions run in your language.
Cross-Border Native
FBAR. FATCA. Quadro RW. CBT. CRS. Form 8938. Italian tax treaty interaction. We don't outsource the cross-border layer to "tax consultants" — we sit at the intersection. Coordinated case-handling with US/UK CPAs and tax attorneys. No translation gap.
Three ways to start.
All pricing published. No "request a quote" black-box. €450 deductible from any subsequent package within 60 days.
International Strategy Session
- Pre-call questionnaire on your situation (10-30 min)
- 1:1 90-minute call with Avv. Stab. Scatena via Zoom (no junior)
- Written 3-5 page deliverable: situation map, top 3 risks, prioritized recommendations, action plan
- 1 follow-up Q&A email within 14 days
- €450 fully deductible from any subsequent package if engaged within 60 days
- Best for: scoping which path(s) fit your situation, assessing timeline & budget
Premium Strategy Session
- Pre-call questionnaire + dossier review (15-45 min reading by attorney)
- 1:1 120-minute call with Avv. Stab. Scatena via Zoom (90 min main + 30 min follow-up within 14 days)
- Extended written 5-7 page deliverable: situation map, multi-path comparison if relevant, US tax interaction (FBAR / FATCA / Quadro RW), prioritized action plan with timing
- Cross-jurisdictional checklist: what we handle in Italy, what stays with your home counsel, what gets coordinated
- 2 follow-up Q&A emails within 30 days
- $750 fully deductible from any subsequent Full Package if engaged within 90 days
- Best for: HNW situations, Path A judicial cases, Path D Italian branch
Read one of the 5 books first.
If you want to understand how the firm thinks before booking 90 minutes, start with one of the 5 books in the "Export Without Risk" series on Amazon KDP. Most of our Tier 2 clients first met us through these books.
Italy-USA Export Guide
Bilingual manual (IT/EN) for Italian companies exporting to the United States. UCC, FDA, FCPA, product liability, Incoterms.
Amazon Kindle · $29.99 →Global Export Contracts
International trade agreements, Incoterms 2020, CISG, risk allocation, dispute resolution — for managers and legal counsel.
Amazon Kindle · $39.99 →Export Contract Templates
42 ready-to-use international trade agreements with expert commentary: sales, distribution, agency, JV, NDA, licensing.
Amazon Kindle · $19.99 →Esportare Senza Rischi
The flagship Italian-language manual. Contracts, Incoterms, secure payments, customs, SACE/SIMEST financing — for Italian SMEs.
Amazon Kindle · $22.99 →Esportare in Pratica
Mini-guide for first-time exporters (Italian). 10 chapters · zero legal jargon · ready-to-use templates. Entry tier.
Amazon Kindle · €9.99 →Book your International Strategy Session.
90 minutes with Avv. Scatena to map your specific situation across the 4 paths. Written deliverable in 72 hours. €450 deductible from any subsequent package within 60 days.
Frequently asked questions
I already have a US/UK lawyer. Why also need an Italian one?
Your home-jurisdiction lawyer cannot practice Italian law and cannot represent you in Italian filings, contracts, or before Italian authorities. We work as your Italian-side counsel, coordinating directly with your home-jurisdiction attorney. Often we supplement, not replace, your existing counsel.
What changed with the Tajani Decree (2025) for Italian citizenship by descent?
D.L. 36/2025, converted into L. 74/2025 art. 3-bis (March 2025), limited automatic citizenship recognition by Italian consulates to two generations. Pre-1948 cases, minor exception cases (art. 12 c.2 L. 555/1912), and "exclusively Italian descent" cases now require judicial filing in Italian courts. Cassazione SU April 14, 2026 (Mellone + Restanio) clarified key points; written decision expected May-June 2026.
How is the Flat Tax €100K (art. 24-bis TUIR) different from the Forfettario regime?
Flat Tax (24-bis) is a HNW regime: €100K/year flat on all foreign-source income, regardless of amount, for up to 15 years. Best when foreign income exceeds ~€450-500K/year. Forfettario is a small-business regime: 5% (startup) or 15% (standard) on revenues up to €85K, applied to a coefficient (78% for legal services). Different tools, different profiles — we model both in the Strategy Session.
Can I do citizenship judicial path AND Elective Residence simultaneously?
Yes — and often we recommend it. ER Visa + Permesso di Soggiorno gives you immediate residency while the citizenship case (2-4 years judicial timeline) progresses. Once citizenship is recognized, you no longer need the visa. We sequence both in parallel.
What's the difference between an Italian branch (sede secondaria) and an Italian SRL subsidiary?
A branch is an extension of your foreign company (US Inc., UK Ltd.) — easier to set up but parent is fully liable. An SRL is a separate Italian entity — protects parent from Italian liabilities, opens EU-passporting, but more incorporation cost. Tax position differs significantly. We model both in the Premium Strategy Session.
Why €450 for the Strategy Session and not free?
Because 90 minutes of attorney time + 4-6 hours producing a written deliverable have real cost. "Free consultations" are usually a sales call to upsell you on a much larger fee. Our Strategy Session is a complete service in itself, with usable written output regardless of what you decide next. Plus — €450 is fully deductible from any subsequent package within 60 days.
Do you handle the US side too (CPA, FBAR, FATCA, IRS)?
No — we are not US-licensed CPAs or attorneys. We handle the Italian side and coordinate directly with your US CPA / tax attorney for cross-border filings. If you don't have one, we can refer to vetted partners in NY, CA, FL, MA, TX with whom we've worked cross-border before.
I'm an Italian citizen abroad (AIRE) — do you also handle reverse cases (returning to Italy)?
Yes. AIRE de-registration, fiscal residency repatriation (often combined with art. 16 TUIR Lavoratori Impatriati 50% tax cut), property purchase, healthcare enrollment (SSN), Italian banking re-activation. We work with several reverse-relocation profiles per year.