I'm hoping to visit Italy for an extended period, 3 months to a year and hope to find a (1) furnished apartment with (2) utilties such as gas, electric, etc.
Thank you for the considered replies, particularly that of Catlama inserting doses of reality into this. As to me I have made extended stays as a vacationer in Italy before; three months one time and several trips of two weeks. I am aware of the visa requirements, hence three months or a year, the difference being the permesso. You're right about not speaking Italian. A "one per week" class hasn't done it for me. I thought an extended stay in Italy, say three months or a year, would help me to learn. I am confused about the "what you are getting yourself into" thing re renting. Unless this is somehow wildly different than the U.S. you sign a contract, pay your rent, and turn on the utlities. The latter seems like a pain for a non-Italian speaker hence the hope of finding "utenze incluse". Am I missing something? The flying back and forth (around 1500 USD a pop) is daunting as is signing a rental contract for something I may not be permitted to live in; I tend to take these things seriously. However as this happens every day it must be do-able.
Thanks for all the above, particularly the phrases. I'm lookng in Venice at the moment and have been using "immobiliare dot it". Quite a few rental listings there, even on the core islands, seem quite affordable. (Suspiciously so?) I was aware of the length of stay and visa requirements, also the "chicken and egg" problem with the rental such that I have to have a rental contract for an apartment before I know if I will be permitted to stay in it. I was hoping to avoid flying to Italy to secure a rental, flying back to secure a permesso, and then returning to Italy. Is it possible to secure the permesso in Italy? Does the permesso have to be renewed annually or is there such a thing as a "permanent permesso"?
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Thank you for the considered replies, particularly that of Catlama inserting doses of reality into this. As to me I have made extended stays as a vacationer in Italy before; three months one time and several trips of two weeks. I am aware of the visa requirements, hence three months or a year, the difference being the permesso. You're right about not speaking Italian. A "one per week" class hasn't done it for me. I thought an extended stay in Italy, say three months or a year, would help me to learn. I am confused about the "what you are getting yourself into" thing re renting. Unless this is somehow wildly different than the U.S. you sign a contract, pay your rent, and turn on the utlities. The latter seems like a pain for a non-Italian speaker hence the hope of finding "utenze incluse". Am I missing something? The flying back and forth (around 1500 USD a pop) is daunting as is signing a rental contract for something I may not be permitted to live in; I tend to take these things seriously. However as this happens every day it must be do-able.
Thanks for all the above, particularly the phrases. I'm lookng in Venice at the moment and have been using "immobiliare dot it". Quite a few rental listings there, even on the core islands, seem quite affordable. (Suspiciously so?) I was aware of the length of stay and visa requirements, also the "chicken and egg" problem with the rental such that I have to have a rental contract for an apartment before I know if I will be permitted to stay in it. I was hoping to avoid flying to Italy to secure a rental, flying back to secure a permesso, and then returning to Italy. Is it possible to secure the permesso in Italy? Does the permesso have to be renewed annually or is there such a thing as a "permanent permesso"?