Planning on moving to Italy from the Portsmouth and Hampshire area?
There is a particular kind of daydream that grips many Hampshire homeowners, particularly on a grey, wet February morning: the one that involves olive groves, a slower pace of life, and a glass of something local on a sun-warmed terrace.
For a growing number of people across Portsmouth, Fareham, Chichester, and the wider Hampshire area, that daydream is becoming a genuine plan.
Moving to Italy from the UK is still entirely possible in 2026, but the process has changed since Brexit, and getting it right takes more than packing a suitcase and booking a flight.
This guide covers what UK expats need to know before relocating.
We cover all the important points, from visas and residency to the practicalities of removals to Italy from Hampshire, drawing on the experience of Curtiss Moving & Storage, Portsmouth’s removals company since 1871, alongside the latest official guidance available at the time of writing.
Here we go.
A Short Overview of This Blog
Moving to Italy from the UK in 2026 involves more planning than it once did. Here is a short summary of what this guide covers.
- Why Hampshire Residents Are Drawn to Italy: Lifestyle, climate, and cost of living behind the move.
- Visas and Residency After Brexit: What has changed and which visa route may suit you.
- Choosing Your New Italian Home: Popular regions and what to consider when house hunting.
- Healthcare, Tax and Everyday Life: Registering locally and accessing services.
- Planning Your Removal to Italy: How an international move is organised.
- Moving With Pets: Current rules for taking a dog or cat to Italy.
- Choosing the Right Removals Company: What to Check Before Booking Your Move.
Read on for the full detail behind each point, with links to official sources throughout.
Why Hampshire Residents Are Drawn to Italy
Italy has long held an appeal for British expats, and Brexit has not changed that.
The country offers a noticeably different pace of life to the South Coast, with long warm summers, a culture built around food and family, and a cost of living that, outside the major cities, remains lower than in the UK.
Portsmouth and Southampton both provide easily connected routes into Italy by air, usually through hubs such as Amsterdam, Dublin, or Paris. While common Italian destinations are also available with one stop, including Rome, Milan, Bologna, Venice, and Naples, which helps explain the steady interest from Hampshire residents.
Retirees are often drawn by the climate, while remote workers increasingly see Italy’s digital nomad visa as a route to combining a UK income with an Italian postcode.
Whatever the motivation, the level of planning required to make the move work smoothly is much the same.
Visas and Residency After Brexit, What Has Changed
Before Brexit, UK citizens could live and work anywhere in the EU without a visa. That right ended on 1 January 2021, and Britons are now treated as third country nationals under Italian immigration law, the same as visitors from outside the EU.
UK nationals can still visit Italy visa-free for tourism or business for up to 90 days within any rolling 180-day period, in line with the wider Schengen rules. Anyone planning to live in Italy, whether to work, retire, study, or join family, needs the correct long stay visa, known as a Type D visa, before travelling, then a residence permit, the permesso di soggiorno, within eight days of arrival.
The route that fits you depends largely on your circumstances:
- Elective Residence Visa: Suited to retirees and others who can support themselves from pensions, savings, or investment income rather than employment.
- Work or Self Employment Visa: For a confirmed Italian job offer, or freelancers and entrepreneurs running a business there.
- Digital Nomad Visa: For remote workers and highly skilled professionals employed outside Italy.
- Family Visa: For joining a family member who already holds Italian citizenship or residency.
From late 2026, UK travellers will also need ETIAS, a simple online travel authorisation, for short stays of up to 90 days. This sits alongside the visa system and does not affect anyone moving to Italy long term, who will still need a proper long-stay visa regardless.
Because the right route depends heavily on personal circumstances, the GOV.UK living in Italy guide is the best starting point, and many people also take advice from an immigration specialist or the Italian Embassy in London before applying.
Choosing Your New Italian Home
Choosing where to live is one of the most important decisions you will make when moving to Italy from the UK.
While the idea of sunshine, beautiful scenery, and a relaxed lifestyle may be appealing, Italy is a diverse country, and life can vary considerably from one region to another.
Factors such as climate, cost of living, employment opportunities, healthcare access, transport links, how connected you want to feel to other British expats, and local culture can all significantly impact your day-to-day experience.
Taking the time to research different areas carefully will help ensure that your new Italian home matches your lifestyle, budget, and long-term expectations.
Here are some of the most popular locations in the country for UK expats:
Tuscany and Umbria
The classic choice for British buyers, known for rolling countryside and an established expat community, though property here tends to command a premium, particularly around Florence and Siena.
Puglia and Calabria
Southern Italy continues to attract attention for lower property prices and a less touristy feel. Several towns here have run well-publicised one euro house schemes, though it is worth treating headline prices with caution and budgeting properly for renovation.
Le Marche, Abruzzo, Lakes, and Cities
Le Marche and Abruzzo are often described as the quieter alternative to Tuscany, with countryside, access to the sea, and a lower cost of living. For city or lake life, Lake Como, Lake Garda, and Bologna all have established international communities, generally at a higher price point than rural regions further south.
Whichever region appeals, visit more than once and through different seasons before committing, since the quiet hill town you fall in love with during the month of May or June can feel very different in January.
Budget is going to be a factor when choosing your perfect location. Portals such as Idealista and Rightmove Overseas are useful for getting a feel for prices across different regions.
Healthcare, Tax and Everyday Life
Once your visa and residence permit are sorted, register your residency with your local commune.
The process is known iscrizione anagrafica, which confirms where you live and unlocks access to local services, including registering with the Italian national health service, the Servizio Sanitario Nazionale, although exact entitlement depends on your visa type and employment status.
Tax residency is the area most worth taking seriously. Spend more than 183 days a year in Italy, and you are likely to be considered tax resident there, with implications for how pensions, savings and any UK rental income are taxed.
The UK and Italy have a double taxation agreement to prevent the same income being taxed twice, but the timing of your move can make a real difference and speaking to an accountant who understands both systems before you relocate is consistently the advice given by those who have done it.
It is also worth checking your UK State Pension entitlement through the GOV.UK pensions guidance, and notifying HMRC of your change in residency as part of your departure from the UK.
Planning Your Removal to Italy
Once the legal groundwork is in place, the physical move requires just as much planning, particularly for a full household relocation rather than a few suitcases.
An international move begins with a proper survey of your Hampshire property, in person or by video call, so an accurate, written quotation can be prepared.
From there, your move is usually organised as either a dedicated, exclusive-use vehicle for a faster delivery, or a part-load service, where your belongings travel alongside another customer’s consignment, which tends to suit smaller moves and tighter budgets.
Export paperwork is handled by your removal company as part of the service, and a good provider will also advise on practicalities specific to Italy, such as delivery access in older town centres, where narrow streets are common, particularly in historic hill towns.
If your sale completes before your new Italian home is ready, secure storage can bridge the gap.
Curtiss Moving & Storage offers containerised storage at our BS EN 14873-accredited Portsmouth warehouse, and our professional packing service is also worth considering, as longer journeys and continental road travel mean fragile items benefit from robust, professional packing.
Moving With Pets, What the Current Rules Require
For many Hampshire households, the family pet is as much a part of the move as the furniture, and the rules here have tightened recently.
Since 22 April 2026, EU pet passports issued to GB residents are no longer valid for travel from Great Britain into the EU, even if issued before that date.
Instead, anyone bringing a dog, cat or ferret to Italy now needs an Animal Health Certificate, issued by a registered vet no more than ten days before travel, and valid for a single entry into the EU.
Before applying, your pet needs to be microchipped and have a current rabies vaccination given at least 21 days before travel, and dogs need a tapeworm treatment within a set window before arrival.
Once issued, the certificate remains valid for onward EU travel and re-entry to the UK for up to four months.
Book your vet appointment as soon as your travel date is confirmed, since the ten-day certificate window leaves very little margin for delay.
The GOV.UK guidance on taking pets abroad has the current details.
Choosing the Right Removals Company for Removals to Italy
An international move is not the moment to take a chance on an unfamiliar or unverified removal company.
Membership of the British Association of Removers is the clearest indicator of a trustworthy mover. BAR members are independently audited against rigorous standards and must offer access to an approved alternative dispute resolution scheme, giving you genuine recourse if anything goes wrong.
Curtiss Moving & Storage has held BAR membership for many years, alongside almost 155 years of trading history serving Portsmouth and Hampshire.
Ask any prospective mover about their specific experience with Italy, rather than European removals in general, and confirm which goods-in-transit insurance is included and excluded, since standard policies often exclude high-value items such as antiques or specialist electronics.
Curtiss offers MoveProtect cover for overseas moves, and it is worth checking your home insurance too, as some providers extend limited cover to goods in transit.
Finally, ask for a written, itemised quotation based on a proper survey rather than a loose verbal estimate, with an honest estimate of transit time, which for Italy typically runs from a few days for northern regions to one to two weeks for the south, depending on the service chosen and time of year.
Ready to Start Planning Your Move to Italy?
Moving to Italy from Portsmouth or anywhere else in Hampshire is a significant undertaking, but with the right preparation, it is entirely achievable.
At Curtiss Moving & Storage, our team can talk you through exactly how an Italy move is organised from survey to delivery.
Visit our European Removals page to find out more, call us on 023 9298 5830, or email enquiries@curtissremovals.co.uk to request your free, no-obligation quote.
Frequently Asked Questions about Moving to Italy from Portsmouth
Do I need a visa to move to Italy from the UK in 2026?
Yes, if staying longer than 90 days. Short visits remain visa-free under the Schengen 90 in 180-day rule, but anyone moving long-term needs a long-stay Type D visa before travelling, followed by a residence permit within eight days of arrival.
How long does it take to get Italian residency as a UK citizen?
Processing times vary by region and visa type, but the initial permesso di soggiorno typically takes around 60 days. Permanent residence can generally be applied for after five years of continuous, legal residence.
Can I bring my dog or cat with me when moving to Italy?
Yes, but the documentation changed in April 2026. GB resident pet owners now need an Animal Health Certificate from a UK vet for each trip, rather than an EU pet passport, and your pet will need to be microchipped with an up-to-date rabies vaccination.
How much does it cost to move to Italy with a removals company?
Costs vary depending on the volume of belongings, distance, and whether you choose a dedicated vehicle or a part load service. The only way to get an accurate figure is through a proper survey, which Curtiss offers free of charge with no obligation.
Will I lose access to the NHS if I move to Italy permanently?
Once officially resident in Italy, day-to-day healthcare is generally accessed through the Italian national health service rather than the NHS, though exact arrangements depend on your visa category and employment status.
How far in advance should I book my removal to Italy?
We recommend booking your survey as soon as your moving date is realistic, ideally six to eight weeks ahead, to allow time for export paperwork, vehicle scheduling, and any storage arrangements.
Can Curtiss Moving & Storage help with storage if my move to Italy is delayed?
Yes. Our secure, accredited storage facility in Portsmouth is ideal for bridging any gap between selling your UK property and being ready to receive your belongings in Italy, whether that gap is a few weeks or considerably longer.
