Not EU, nor Schengen
Submitted by Fillide on Mon, 08/20/2012 - 04:39In reply to A newbie all over again! by Annec
What a peculiar situation the channel islands seem to be in. My guess would be that you need a Schengen visa (which would allow you to stay for three months as a tourist), but whether you would also need to 'register'yourself with the Questura on your arrival in Italy I don't know. You shouldn't need a 'permesso di soggiorno'if you have a visa as far as I can see. I don't see any difficulties in purchasing a house - although it would be wise to make sure the notaio doing the act has done their research on the status of the channel islands ahead of time. This chap should be able to help
Italian Consul
01534 853167 Fondafau House St Martin, Jersey, Channel Islands JE3 6DR
Islander Status
Submitted by Flip on Mon, 08/20/2012 - 05:07In reply to A newbie all over again! by Annec
You will be a British Passport holder I assume, but you may or may not have Islander Status which means that you do not have the right to Live and Work in the EU (UK exempt) it will say this in your passport. Have a look and if so you will be treated as any other non EU citizen.
not eu citizens -purchasing house in Italy
Submitted by Ugo on Mon, 08/20/2012 - 07:45In reply to A newbie all over again! by Annec
Hi , you are similar to all others not-eu citizens , Usa , Russian, Hong Kong - i do not see problems - You need a visa to visit italy for turism , police visit (questura) is needed only if you remain in italy more than 30 days , hotel pass your's stay in italy ,day by day - As for healt insurance , more documents to stay is needed ONLY if you ask residence in Italy .
Thank you all for your
Submitted by channelislander1 on Mon, 08/20/2012 - 15:06In reply to A newbie all over again! by Annec
Thank you all for your helpful advice and Fillide, for the contact (although Jersey is 'the other island' and our rival!). I think we have a representative here in Guernsey. I think a few phone calls are needed. The Islands here are very confusing for all concerned. We are given British passports with British islands on them but are not part of the EU except for trade. We are able to visit without a visa and have done many times but maybe for a longer stay we will need to get one. We tend to hold up the queue at passport control as customs officials try to work out what are rights are!
house purchase
Submitted by Ram on Tue, 08/21/2012 - 03:53In reply to A newbie all over again! by Annec
Technically there is no problem about house purchase, but it does depend on where your money comes from. If you bank in the CI you will have problems bringing money into ITaly, for the purchase, you need to ask your accountant. If the CI has a law (liek Switzerland) that does or does not allow foreigners to buy property without being a resident, then it is probably that there is reciprocity in this law in Italy.
reciprocity
Submitted by Ugo on Tue, 08/21/2012 - 04:08In reply to house purchase by Ram
Italian reciprocity country list http://www.esteri.it/MAE/IT/Ministero/Servizi/Stranieri/Elenco_Paesi?mobile=Y
Thank you for the additional
Submitted by channelislander1 on Tue, 08/21/2012 - 09:39In reply to A newbie all over again! by Annec
Thank you for the additional info. The problem is that we don't appear on anbody's list!! It's a sthough the Channel islands don't exist. I think it has to do with the fact that most poeple think we are part of the UK but we aren't. We have British Islands passports (I am not an islander by birth) but come searching a web-site (like the Italian Consulate) we are not listed. I have heard about needing to have our funds checked Ram. The world seems to think that we are a rock inhabited by shady money-launderers. The majority of us are just very ordinary people with an average income! Our local consulate never seems to be at home so I think i will give Jersey a ring. Again, thanks for your help. I'll let you know the outcome!
Le Isole Normanne o del Canale
Submitted by Fillide on Tue, 08/21/2012 - 09:50In reply to Thank you for the additional by channelislander1
You do exist on Ugo's link about reciprocity on house purchase - you are okay from this point of view. Ram's caution is good. I think, recently, the Channel Islands did sign an accord about satisfying other countries of their tax collectors' transparency dealing with other countries taxmen, but this may not have yet been implemented, and Italy just might consider you as living in a fiscal paradise. (That's a very literal and quite amusing translation of the Italian for tax haven!) It's something (I'm sure not insuperable) to sort out before contracting to buy a house.
Thanks for pointing that out
Submitted by channelislander1 on Tue, 08/21/2012 - 11:13In reply to A newbie all over again! by Annec
Thanks for pointing that out to me Fillide (and thanks Ugo) I hadn't put my italian hat on and was searching for the English names. Silly me! I have spent the day going round in circles trying to contact Consulates. No-one wants to let you speak to a real person. Both of the island consulates have dreadful answerphones one I cannot understand and the other an Americanised computerised voice. London wants to charge me 75p a minute. It was so nice when you used to be able to talk to real people!
reciprocity-2
Submitted by Ugo on Wed, 08/22/2012 - 05:30In reply to A newbie all over again! by Annec
Many thanks Ugo. You're a
Submitted by channelislander1 on Wed, 08/22/2012 - 14:36In reply to reciprocity-2 by Ugo