Prior to arriving in Italy, how does

To obtain the Codice Fiscale, you need to contact your nearest Italian Consulate. Look for it in the Web, you can download the form under "modules tics", but this is what it looks like http://www.consnewyork.esteri.it/NR/rdonlyres/C573DB0B-1880-4E02-A65A-87FD4997675A/8272/MODULARIOcodicefiscale.pdfBank fees are not particularly low in Italy, but besides charges you will also have to check convenience and location before deciding. Also, some Italian banks are reluctant to open bank accounts for US Citizens because of what they consider excessive reporting demands from the IRS. So you may have to shop around. There is a recent thread on this topic.hotels are generally paid using credit cards as a guarantee, not by bank transfers, hence the reluctance.

Gala Placidia , sorry, but why scare all those who ask to open a bank account in Italy. Over the years (18) of activities in this area, I saw open, and I worked to collaborate in to open, bank accounts to non-residents, on several Italian banks, with no major problems. It’s  just need a tax code and do not even need an immediate payment, which, however,  can safely do, by means of a bank transfer, ordered by a foreign bank account.For the tax code, it can be obtained either through the Italian consulate, which usually take 7 to 10 days, both, directly, to an office of the Revenue in Italy – ufficio dell’agenzia delle Entrate  - (in this case you will have to give a address and reference and shall carry  a photocopy of your passport with date and signature)The bank account in Italy, may have fixed costs or not, but surely, until the alien does not have a residence in Italy (also Elective, and also in a home rented), it will be a foreign account. This means that the account holder will not be given a checkbook, but only an ATM, for each name associated with the account , and also that the sums of money in currencies other than the euro, incoming Italian bank account, will be subject to fees for exchange and transfer.There are also some banks operating in Italy, which provide the account holder is not Italian, a credit card and the management of the free checking account.Not being able to name names of banks here, I remain available to provide free of charge, to anyone who will ask me in private - leaving me your email address to get an answer - the coordinates of an agent bank, Inglese speachking - that It can open a bank account in Italy, to persons not of Italian nationality, and also non-residents, without fee and management. Ugo , by www.lifeinitaly.it 

Ugo, I am not trying to scare anyone. This topic about the reluctance of some Italian banks to open bank accounts for American citizens has ready been raised and discussed in this Forum in recent times https://www.italymagazine.com/post/while-not-question-it-will 

Gala Placidia , If you strongly want, you canI, too, the first time I landed at Dover with the car, I found along a road where all were against me, but then I realized, and I arrived in London unscathed. This means that sometimes people would not have to act as natural habit, but adapt to the environment in which you are located.If all non-Italians, like rats, followed the same flute, the river Weser, will fill quickly.Ugo  

Colby . to my website address , not to this - but in any case to > http://www.lifeinitaly.it./Form/Modulo_ugo.htm

Colby, a PO Box does not constitute a residential address. In any case, to get your Codice Fiscale you only need to complete the section "Residenza Estera" on the form I sent you the link for, by inserting your current address in the USA. You are not going to find an Italian Consulate while you are in Italy. What I meant was your nearest Italian Consulate in the USA, as you mentioned that you wanted to do as much as possible prior to your arrival.to be honest, I do not understand why do you want to open a bank account in Italy unless you have already decided to purchase a property. If I were you, I would check with my bank in the USA to see which bank represents them in Italy and withdraw monies using their branches. Bank accounts for non residents in Italy attract heavy charges, most of them taxes. If you think at it, banks are there to make money and the type of account you wish to have is not a good commercial proposition for them, unless you wish to get a mortgage, or have investment funds, etc. yes, in the USA, there is a big variety of bank accounts and services available... For people who reside in the USA. If you are a foreigner without legal residence it would be almost impossible to open a bank account in the USA.

Colby, further to my previous post, there is a bank account that can be opened at the Post Office in Italy http://www.posteitaliane.post/english/retail/financial-products/bancoposta-click-account.shtmli cannot give an opinion as we use another bank, but I know that some members have accounts with the Bancoposta. Perhaps they could give you their views.in any case, good luck!

Colby why don't you simply use a pre-paid Euro card which you can top-up as and when you need to. Not too sure how or if they are used much in the USA, but they are widely used in the UK. Certainly those offered in the UK are very flexible and seem to fit in with what you intend to do. Although it is slowly changing Italy is still mainly a cash based place. ATM where you can use these cards are available in even the smallest places. We’ve used one from the UK for 2-3 years now and found it invaluable. It can also be used as an everyday credit card for VISA or Mastercard payments (depending on which you get). This LINK for travelex seems to be USA based, I'm sure there are others. Paypal may be another option for hotels as many here accept it for payment. 

Gaia is aboslutely right.  The new US laws mean that many Italian banks are reluctant to open or run accounts for US citizens.  Currency exchange companies can only move money from a named account to the named account in Italy.  The Op wants to have money available while here for 4 months - there is no point opening a non resident account for a brief period - much better using cashpoints and atms, or even Western Union if push comes to shove.   If the OP is planning to purchase - then arrange with your American bank a transfer that can be wired when confirmation comes through.  Open a bank account where you decide to buy and have your American bank wire funds through at that point.  You can get a CF when you are in Italy in 10 minutes at the local tax office.  

Then choose your times.   Or book an appointment online.  Sometimes other peoples inefficiency is directly correlated to your own. 

I think the answer to the above debate lies somewhere in the middle. But I have to say tht in the last few years things in Italy have indeed become better....

but as you all become susceptible here ...I was only joking a bit But I must also say that You complain of the south, because you live your daily in that specific area of ​​Italy, and think you have service arrears. I, for my work, I am to work, either, in all areas of Italy, I can assure you, that the south, as it was defined as a time, especially from the bureaucratic point of view, in Italy, it is mainly in the provinces of Liguria and Piedmont. So you might be surprised that to do a title search or just have a planimetria  catastale, in any municipality in the south (that is, from Frosinone Messina) is sufficient to connect to the electronic land registry. While if the same document, you need maybe to Alexandria (in Piedmont ! .. Not in Egypt... ), you will need to go in person to the office, and use a human person (visurista) , because the online service will not work ... yet. Or I could tell you, that 90 percent of Italian banks, uses a system of pre-analysis of the mortgage, which is operated by a firm placed in    Cagliari ,  Sardinia. Ugo by www.lifeinitaly.it