Health insurance for the Italian work visa

Yes — Italian consulates require proof of valid health insurance for your visa application, with minimum €30,000 coverage including hospitalisation and repatriation.

The Decreto Flussi is Italy's annual work permit quota system. Each year, the government sets a fixed number of permits by nationality and sector, and applications are accepted only on specific click days. If your category's quota fills up, you have to wait until the next round.

Two visas are open year-round and don't depend on the quota: the Digital Nomad Visa (for remote workers and freelancers earning €28,000+ from non-Italian sources) and the Elective Residence Visa (for people with €31,000+ in passive income who won't be working in Italy).

Usually 4 to 8 months end to end: 30–60 days for the Nulla Osta, 15–90 days for the visa, plus the time between click day and your consulate appointment.

Yes. From day one of employment, your employer enrols you in the SSN and your coverage starts immediately. The physical Tessera Sanitaria takes 2–8 weeks to arrive, but you're covered before it gets there.

Yes, you can cancel on a monthly basis in a couple of clicks, with no cancellation fee.

If your visa is denied, this will happen before your planned arrival in Italy, and therefore before your policy start date.

You can simply cancel the policy in one click from your Feather account, and you’ll be fully refunded automatically.

Refunds usually arrive within 2-10 working days, depending on your bank.

Yes — it's signed and stamped, available in English and Italian, and shows €30,000+ coverage with hospitalisation and repatriation included.

Just before your consulate appointment is usually best. You can set the coverage start date for any future date, so it lines up with your planned arrival in Italy.

Yes — the same certificate works for both your consulate visa application and your permesso di soggiorno application at the Questura.

No — you can sign up before you arrive in Italy. No codice fiscale or Italian address required.

If you are already in Italy at the moment when you purchase the policy, a 31-day waiting period applies.

During this period emergencies are covered and the insurance is still valid for visa/residence applications. After 31 days, the full coverage kicks in.

The waiting period can be waived if you can show proof of an insurance that has equivalent or broader coverage before without any gap in coverage.

In a medical emergency:

1. Call 112 for immediate assistance in Italy
2. Seek treatment at the nearest emergency facility
3. Keep your medical documents and receipts

You can later submit your claim digitally through your Feather account.

For non-urgent questions, our English-speaking support team can guide you on next steps.