Who is eligible to benefit from Italian Healthcare?

All non-EU nationals legally residing in Italy holding a residence permit with a duration of more than 3 months can register with Italian Healthcare and benefit from public health services.
There are two main types of registration: voluntary and mandatory. Depending on the type of Italian residence permit held by the foreign national, one of the two types is applicable.

Mandatory Registration

Mandatory registration is free of charge, and it is applicable to the following categories of people and to their dependent family members (as long as the latter are also legally residing in Italy):

A – foreign nationals legally residing in Italy who perform employment or self-employment activities or have applied for inclusion in the registers of jobseekers;

B – foreign nationals legally residing in Italy based on one of the following types of residence permit (even if they are under renewal process):

  1. for self-employment or employment;
  2. for expected employment;
  3. for expected citizenship;
  4. for family reasons;
  5. for international protection (asylum, subsidiary protection);
  6. for adoption;
  7. for health reasons;
  8. for statelessness;
  9. for humanitarian reasons or other special cases regarding vulnerable individuals;

C – foreign minors (even if they do not hold any residence permit);

Voluntary Registration

Voluntary registration requires the payment of a fee that is calculated based on the applicant’s income. The minimum fee is around EUR 400,00 per year.
Voluntary registration is applicable to non-EU nationals holding a residence permit lasting more than 3 months who are not eligible for mandatory registration (e.g., people holding a student residence permit and people holding an elective residency permit)

Italian Healthcare based on a bilateral agreement

Citizens of Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Serbia, Tunisia, Montenegro, Bosnia Herzegovina can benefit from Italian healthcare under the conditions and with possible limitations established in specific bilateral agreements.

Duration of the Registration

Mandatory registration with Italian healthcare has an indefinite duration: it lasts until the foreign national has a residence permit that entitles him/her to mandatory registration.
The voluntary registration with Italian healthcare, on the contrary, must be renewed every calendar year.

Italian Visa

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