Thrifty Tuscany Forum

[barry88]

I'm so tired where I live in Arizona and I want a change all because 'Under the Tuscan Sun' inspired me. I have some money saved up. I'm barely a sophomore in college and I'm so done with school. So I'm considering moving away. I want to do what Diane Lane's character did in the movie. Buy or rent a villa in Tuscany or just rent out an apartment in Rome or whatever. Anyone please tell me some advice. Thanks.

[mogens42]

I've been living in northern Italy for the last ten years. It isn't so simple as just picking up and moving to Tuscany when you're not from the EU to start with - particularly with the current economic conditions. You would need a visa to work here legally. The site for visas here in Italy is: http://www.esteri.it/visti/index_eng.asp . The site has links to the application, the additional information you need to supply in order to get the visa and where to apply. It also includes education visas which are somewhat easier to get than work visas. Living here without working requires that you be able to demonstrate that you have sufficient resources to support yourself.

The rules in much of the EU have been harmonized and will be similar. You cannot apply for the visa from Italy; you need to do that before you arrive. When you get here, you will have to apply for a Permesso di Soggiorno (Permission to Stay) from the authorities. This will have to be renewed annually.

A work permit is separate - you cannot apply for that yourself. The company has to apply and they have to be able to demonstrate that there is not a viable EU candidate for the job. As a result, jobs for foreigners including Canadian or US citizens are pretty much restricted to people with special education, knowledge, or experience. Right now, the best bet would probably be something in the healthcare field. When I moved here, it was through a transfer of the job I was already doing in the US to the Italian office. Even so, it took 8 months to put all the paperwork in place to apply for a visa.

With the economy now, jobs are scarce - a lot of companies have a hiring freeze in place. The unemployment rate in Spain is around 20% for example and almost 50% in the 16 to 24 year old age group. It's not quite so bad here, but still behind the US in terms of recovery. Many of the recent university graduates I know here are either unemployed or working jobs like cashier at groceries.

It's useful to check the expat sites for information about living and working in the places you might be interested in:

http://www.expatsinitaly.com/
http://www.escapeartist.com/
http://www.expatica.com/

You need to look carefully into the economics of the move. The cost of living is somewhat higher here than in Colorado where my US home is. In addition, you'll need to file tax returns in both the US and Italy every year as a US expat. There's an annual TV tax - 109 euro this year.

You need to finish school and hope the economic recovery is in place when you graduate before trying to move here.

[halton]

That movie was made several years ago and it was based on a book. You can't just move to Italy since you are not that I know of an italian citizen. That lady in the movie couldn't of moved to Italy and buy property on top of that she'd ben illegal alien.She'd be deported, maybe fined, and banned from italy for 10 years.However You can go to italy on an american passport for 90 days.
Also California is very similar climate to italy as well has vineyards and tuscan like enviroment. and just 2 hour plane away.

[gwilenhin]

Life is not a movie. :-) Tuscany is the most beautiful region of Italy, but nothing matches the film, apart from nature. Rome really is the most chaotic capital of Europe. Unfortunately in America stereotyping Europe so that many of you stay often disappointed by coming here, and you realize that the lifestyle and people are not as different as you make believe.

[ceolbeorht]

i have watched that silly movie, it's a concentration of false and stupid stereotypes about italy, where it's depicted an italy totally different from the reality,
i think it's very stupid decide to move to another country after that you have watched a trash comedy like that one!

that movie is awful and annoying,
it seemed that in USA u are enable to see italy developed anmd changed from the times of Dolce Vita and other comedies of 50's and 60's

[abhibhava80]

You should rent a villa in Tuscany and rent rooms to english and american people for a week holiday or more, good business.

[chadwyk]

...i wouldnt do it, finish college get your degree then do what you want