Dreaming of living la dolce vita? Non-EU nationals have the chance to make it a reality thanks to Italy's new digital nomad visa - which allows them to live in the country for a YEAR

• Remote workers can fire up their laptops from Italy’s most beautiful locations
• The visa allows remote workers from non-EU countries to live and work in Italy
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That dream of living la dolce vita is now much easier for non-EU nationals to turn into a reality – because Italy has launched a digital nomad visa.

Ordinarily, residents of a non-EU country are limited to a 90-day stay in Italy, or any other EU country, in a 180-day period. The digital nomad visa bypasses this rule and allows them to stay for up to a year.

And it’s already proving popular. According to language learning platform Promova, Google searches for ‘Italy digital nomad visa’ are up 660 per cent.

If successful, applicants could open their laptops and fire up the Wi-Fi in dreamy destinations from the Amalfi Coast to the stunning Tuscan countryside. But as with any visa application, there are certain conditions that candidates must meet.

Remote workers must earn at least €28,000 (£23,955/$29,833) per year – which is triple the minimum level required for exemption from Italian healthcare costs.

Remote workers could open their laptops in the picturesque Tuscan countryside every morning – thanks to Italy’s new digital nomad visa

They’ll also have to prove they have ‘suitable accommodation’ for the length of their stay and that they have been a digital nomad or remote worker for at least six months previously.

The one-year visa can be renewed annually if the conditions and requirements that allowed it to be issued remain the same.

The visa is being managed under Article 27 of Italy’s immigration code, which is specifically aimed at attracting ‘highly skilled workers’.

To apply, you’ll need to book an appointment at an Italian Consulate – before you arrive in Italy – and take your passport, proof of employment, proof of income, proof of accommodation, health insurance and a criminal record certificate (if you have one).

To take advantage of Italy’s new digital nomad visa, remote workers must earn at least €28,000 (£23,955/$29,833)

If you’re self-employed, you’ll need to apply for an Italian tax VAT number and seek advice on the best way to pay local taxes.

Once your visa is approved, you’ll have eight days from your arrival in Italy to apply for a residence permit, known in Italian as permesso di soggiorno.

However, not everyone will be able to apply for the visa. Anyone who has been convicted of a crime within the past five years will be automatically rejected from the process.

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