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Italy: Best Place to Live in Italy:
Hello FilipJinga, Liguria, Liguria!! True, you should do a month or so of traveling around to see what really appeals to you. Is it possible to put off the actual move to do some reconnoitering? Before we made our final decision my husband and I traveled north to south, east and west to find just the right spot. The south was too hot and the far north too cold so we settled on just inside the 5Terre between Genoa to the north and Pisa to the south. We can be at a major airport in 1+hrs. There are plenty of ancient hill towns and then there is the sea. We live in a lovely tiny village with grand views, hiking all around and the beaches are only 20 minutes away. Prices of homes vary but for instance there is a charming little house with land to expand in good condition for 60K E, We even have a thriving vineyard on the hills producing very good reds and whites. Hospitals are within 30 minutes and there is a helipad in town for major emergencies. So, lots of questions to answer before you pick an area. Renting is probably your best option for the first step and from what I've read on this forum you will need a firm rental agreement for your visa application, all the more reason to know the different areas. Best of luck. P.S. I understand your concern for the pooch. We brought ours over and the only suggestion here would be if it were possible to send for him after you settle. You will want to check out the airport that he flies in to for his safety. We actually had ours sent to Heathrow which is renowned for it's animal control center. Also, if possible have him sent with no stopovers (more chance of problems). You do not want to fly with him...he may not be put on the same flight and you want to be there when he arrives.
Italy: Italian Driver's license:
Iris, You should be able to find many posts on this..but quickly...you need to have an Italian license within 1 yr of gaining residence. If you are not fluent it is difficult but can be done. All tests and texts are in Italian. Go to the nearest driving school and pick up the text c E25...it's huge and you must read all 25 chapters and take all tests and then take many tests online at: http://www.rmastri.it/quiz-patente-b.php. You can not miss more than 4 questions. When you are confident (it may take many, many months) go to driving school and apply to take the online/computer test for your learner's permit. When you pass you will need to take c. 10(E.25) street lessons. Then finally the street exam. We are not at all fluent and we did it...so it can be done with a good dictionary and google translator. P.S. Once you have your learner's permit...the 1 yr. rule can be lengthened a bit. If you need more in depth info let me know, I'd be glad to help. Our driving instructor was wonderful (he spoke no english) but was game for the challenge.
Italy: Vacation in Italy?:
Well, one week is really not long enough! But, if that is all you have I would suggest you pick 1 city and what we used to call (before moving here) "spoke out" (get it? spokes of a wheel) In other words rent an apartment in one place and get to know that town for say 3 days and then do day trips to the surrounding areas.
Packing/unpacking and moving from town to town wastes an enormous amount of your valuable time. For instance there are wonderful apartments for rent in all towns, the first day you go to the grocery and get breakfast and snack/lunch foods and then treat yourself to dinner somewhere really
nice. Apartments are often cheaper than hotels and can be wonderful...in some cases the owners are there to help you with touristing info and can be invaluable. Planning will be your friend...do you want a big city experience (Rome/Venice/Florence), country experience (try Umbria over Tuscany), mountains or seaside (try Liguria...get both). Narrow you search and plan to return...Italy can be addictive. Good Luck!
Italy: Volunteering:
Dear Jabc, Farming is all well and good but for us "in pensione" over 60's just not too practical. In the town you will be staying there will be a ProLoco..it's the town group that organizes feste and summer (ferragosta 8/15ish) and winter activities. In our village they always need a bit of help and you don't have to be fluent, just willing. You might be decorating the town Christmas tree, setting up chairs for feste, putting out flyers and notices. Just find out who is the leader of the Pro Loco and give them your phone/contact info and show up at all activities. Soon they will realize you want to be involved. If you know the town you will be staying in beforehand: see if they have a FB page...usually Sei di (name of town). Good Luck and have a wonderful time!
Italy: Rental Agreement For ER Visa:
Dear OldPro...please stop attacking people...it's very unpleasant...you may have some knowledge but you come off as very unpleasant.
Italy: Residence Permit:
Help, Help...I am in the process of renewing my PdiS (elective resident), have all the paperwork in, fingerprints taken now I just wait for it to arrive. My problem is I'm driving to UK and will need to fly home (Italy) and do not have my actual permit yet...will there be a problem when I arrive at the Italian airport customs? Anyone have experience with this? Anyone know how to find out? Thank you
Italy: health insurance in italy:
Health Ins. in Italy is not hard but quite a process. First you have to establish residency...that can take 3+months. Before you leave the US you have to request a Visa that will be good for one year from the Italian consulate...there will be lots of paperwork/photos/International health ins./bank statements both US & Italian/a proof of place to live/and c. $150+/- to send in with your Passport. Go to your consulate and they will give you the forms....this should be done c. 3+months before you leave. You will then return to the consulate to pick up your Passport with the visa inserted. You can have the international health insurance start on or before your expected leave date. When you arrive in Italy you should register at your local questura with in 8 days to say you are in the country. You then start the resident process. This starts with a large folder obtained at a larger post office. These are the documents for the Permesso di Soggiorno...there are different types...have someone help you fill this out (in Italian). Submit with more photos/bank info/copies of passport etc and c. E.135. Once submitted (mailed to Rome for E.30) you will then (at the P.O.) be given an appt. to have your fingerprints taken at the questura. After your visit you wait..c. 2+ months. You may have to take a short course in civics. You can check on line when to pick up your new Resident Permesso di Soggiorno. You pick it up at the Questura. Now, you can apply for Health Ins. Go to a local doctor and ask where to apply for the Tessera Sanitaria for your town. It's usually a larger hospital in the area. You will receive a form and a formula on how to pay and how much. Once you have paid, again at a P.O. (It's based on your income...usually less than E.2K and your partner/spouse only pays a fraction of that) you return to the hospital with the paid receipt for your card. You are now able to go to the town doctor at no charge and Rx will be a fraction of US prices. One caveat...do not apply for Italian health Insurance in the middle or end of the year...you will have to pay for a full year even if most of the year is gone...it only goes from Jan-Dec. I hope this helps a bit...just wait until you start going for your driving license. Unless you speak very good Italian expect it to take at least 1 full year. Daunting I know, but certainly can be done. Just go step by step, don't be in a rush, don't be discouraged and ask for help from kindly neighbors. Most Italians we have met seem to be more than willing to help. Good Luck!
Italy: Maintaining Florida residency:
Hello Lisa, Just a note about US addresses. We are residents/expats in Liguria but we keep a Massachusetts address (our son) for bank/US credit card/ and also Social Security reasons. If you will want to access your S.S. info on line you have to have a US address. We have our S.S. checks deposited to a US bank and then transfer what we need monthly. Also, we are keeping our US driver's license...if we let it lapse and return permanently to the US it may not be that easy to re-instate. We do have the Italian license....not easy and only in Italian..do not expect to learn in english...the written test is only in Italian and you need to be prepared. We are not fluent by any means but translated as we went thru the book and took literally 100's of practice tests on-line.
Italy: currently on medicare but moving to italy:
Dear Ray...What we did (just before leaving for our retirement in Italy) was buy a 6 month policy for International health insurance that could be renewed. That way we only had to pay for 6 months which was time enough to establish our residency and apply/pay for Italian Health ins. The Italian plan is based on your yearly income...but is only a fraction of the cost of US/Boston insurance. We were able to continue getting all our Rx here and again: a fraction of the price. We did keep our medicare for about a year until we were sure we would stay. Important Fact: Are you selling a business when you retire? Your medicare payment can skyrocket! It takes almost 3 months to drop medicare and we had to pay the new triple premium until it ended. We should have dropped it as soon as we received our Italian Health card. Good Luck....we love it here!
Italy: Payment for short-term rental:
Dear Alisonspare, I can't answer about rentals but as for Paypal it's been a wonderful and fast way to transfer Euros/GBP/$. You need to set up a bank in the US that not only handles transfers but also gives you a very good exchange rate...I use Everbank, an online bank with always a human to speak with for questions or problems (just try to get a human with Bank of America!) Every month I transfer from Everbank...thru Paypal...to my Italian bank...fast, easy, online and good rates. When I need to send money to someone else or my daughter in the UK..same thing...Everbank..thru Paypal..to her bank. Good luck!
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