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The rule in writing
“The elective residence visa is widely handled to the €30,000 Schengen insurance standard — hospitalisation and repatriation cover for the full visa year — though published consulate checklists vary: some ask for cover of 100% of medical expenses, and requirements differ by consulate.”
Based on: Official esteri.it consulate checklists (Chicago, Boston et al., which vary) & widely-applied Schengen standard — Last verified:
The rule in writing
“A health policy structured for residence is the safe submission for the elective residence visa: consulate checklists vary, and applicants report refusals over travel-grade policies. Cover should be valid in Italy and the Schengen area for the full year.”
Based on: Official esteri.it consulate checklists (varying) & documented ERV applicant reports — Last verified:
Will your certificate pass?
What a consulate officer actually looks for on the page.
Passes when it shows
- Private health cover — not travel or Schengen
- Valid in Italy and the Schengen area (widely-applied €30,000 standard)
- Covers your full visa period (up to a year)
- No disqualifying deductible on the core cover
Refused when it’s
- A travel or Schengen “trip” policy
- A deductible / excess on core cover
- Cover that ends before your visa does
The digital nomad visa needs health cover, not travel insurance
The single most common mistake is buying travel insurance. For Italy's digital nomad visa, travel and short-stay Schengen policies are not accepted. You need a health policy valid in Italy and the Schengen area.
Some consulates also ask for a letter confirming the policy is valid in Italy. The certificate wording is what gets read at the desk.
What the cover has to include
Consulates look for the same core shape used across Italy's long-stay visas:
- a health policy, not travel insurance;
- the widely-applied €30,000 standard of cover;
- hospitalisation and repatriation included;
- valid across the Schengen area for your stay.
Requirements can vary by consulate and change over time. Confirm the exact list on your consulate's page before you apply.
Where it differs from the elective residence visa
The two visas are easy to confuse. The elective residence visa is for people living on passive income who will not work. The digital nomad visa is for remote workers and freelancers earning an income.
The insurance rule is close to identical, so cover that passes one generally passes the other. The income and work rules are what differ.
Honest limits: Cover is worldwide but excludes treatment in the United States. Pre-existing conditions are excluded, including conditions you did not know about. We disclose this before you request a quote. Consulates keep discretion, and requirements can change. We show the published rule and its source; the final decision is the consulate’s.