Resident in Italy for tax purposes?

One or more of the following conditions makes you resident in Italy for tax purposes

According to the provisions of Article 2 (2) of the Italian tax code, Testo Unico delle Imposte sui Redditi (TUIR), if you spend more than 183 days per fiscal year in Italy, the Italian tax authorities will consider you resident in Italy for tax purposes.

If you meet one of the following conditions, you qualify as a resident for Italian tax purposes:

– you have registered at your local town hall’s (comune) registry office;

– you have your domicile in Italy, i.e. your principal centre of business, economic and social interests, e.g. your family, as defined by paragraph 1 of Art. 43 of the Civil Code;

– you have your residence in Italy, i.e. your habitual abode, as defined by the paragraph 2 of Art. 43 of the Civil Code.

The requirements indicated by TUIR are stand-alone: the occurrence of one of the above conditions is sufficient for the Italian tax authorities to consider you resident in Italy for tax purposes.

Registration at your local comune confirms your residence for tax purposes in Italy

If you spend more than 3 months in Italy you must register at your local comune.

Your registration with a comune presumes your residence in Italy for tax purposes.

At the end of your stay in Italy, you should de-register from your comune.

Double Taxation Agreements for residents of two countries

Double taxation agreements (DTA) protect a government’s rights to collect tax and protect against attempts to avoid or evade tax. DTA contain provisions for the exchange of information between national taxation authorities. There are more than 3,000 DTA world-wide.

If you can prove you are resident in two countries, you may have recourse to the application of Article 4 of the relevant DTA in order to resolve any conflict of dual residence for tax purposes. You can find more information about DTA here.

The onus is on the taxpayer to provide documented evidence of tax residence outside Italy

You will need to request a certificate of tax residence under the relevant DTA. It is also important to keep records such as travel documents and receipts. These help evidence how long you were physically present in Italy in any given fiscal year.

Finally …

For over 55 years, De Tullio Law Firm has been providing international clients with independent legal advice. If you need support with your Italian and cross border tax matters, we are here to help.

You may also be interested in Elective residence Visa Italy: general information