CODICE FISCALE
The Codice Fiscale is an alphanumerical code issued by the Italian Revenue Authority, similar to the U.S. Social Security Number.
The Codice Fiscale can always be issued to Italian citizens.
The Codice Fiscale can also be issued to NON-Italian citizens, but only for some specific purpose, such as paying Italian taxes, or fulfill a specific administrative or legal procedure in Italy, and cannot be issued for unspecified or future needs.
Moreover, the Italian Government requires NON-Italian citizens to disclose precisely why they need a Codice Fiscale.
If you are requesting a Codice Fiscale in order to apply for a study visa, please add your school acceptance letter to your Codice Fiscale application.
If you are NOT an Italian citizen, and you need a Codice Fiscale to rent or purchase a real estate property in Italy, the Italian Consulate needs to verify and confirm your request.
Once you have found the property that you wish to rent or purchase, real estate firms in Italy require you to sign a pre-agreement or purchase agreement BEFORE you wire the money to the seller, and BEFORE you sign the deed in front of the Italian notary. Please add a signed copy of that agreement to the other items required for the application (see info and forms attached), and we will issue the Codice Fiscale to you, which you will use to open an Italian bank account, and/or to sign the property deed with the Italian notary.
Please keep in mind that processing time might be over 30 business days. The only way to get it faster is to ask your Italian lawyer or real estate agent to request the Codice Fiscale on your behalf at a local Office of the Agenzia delle Entrate; you might need to send them a specific Power of Attorney (Delega) for this task, but an agent in Italy should be able to get a Codice Fiscale for you a lot faster than requesting it through the Italian Consulate in the U.S.
Please see here the forms to apply for a Codice Fiscale:
1.Download the application form for the fiscal code – click here
2.Fill out the form per the instructions provided by the Agenzia delle Entrate – click here
3.Download and fill out the CONTACT FORM – click here
If you only need the Codice Fiscale, and you do NOT wish to receive the plastic card, you can apply by email to sanfrancisco.cf@esteri.it for faster processing. In this scenario, you must fill out, scan (no phone pictures) and send the forms as PDF files by email, along with a photocopy of your passport picture and signature page (scanned in PDF).
If you DO want the plastic card, you must apply by regular mail and attach to the application a 9.5’x4.5” pre-paid return envelope, along with the forms filled out. In this scenario the processing time for the request is substantially longer (averaging three months’ wait time). However, if you know that you will need the plastic card in the future, you must request it right away applying by regular mail.