Foreign Desk
NF is now offering a new range of services to help foreigners invest in property in Sicily confidently and safely.
An increasing number of people from all over the world are buying property in Sicily, whether as a permanent residence or as a holiday home.
Newcomers often need legal assistance in buying real estate or, in general, in managing their investments, but assistance is hardly ever available in languages other than Italian.
For this reason our firm has made all necessary arrangements to provide legal services in English and other languages, to help speakers of foreign languages feel more at home in Sicily.
Contracts and documents
For those of our clients who wish to familiarize in advance with the text of a deed or with basic Italian regulations, we have made English versions of a set of different forms and contracts that typically recur in the context of a purchase or investment transaction.
Find two sample contracts below .
Deposit
As in many other countries, in Italy notaries can hold their clients’ money in special deposits for the whole time of the transaction and unlock them only when the entire sale process has been completed and fully registered.
This procedure has been introduced in Italy through an amendment to Law number 147 of 2013 which provided special rules for the bank accounts where the sums are deposited.
NF can offer a safe deposit under Italian laws, to facilitate the international transfer of your money.
Reciprocity
Almost all foreigners can freely buy property in Italy, but there are some exceptions, regulated by international conventions and treaties.
The condition of Reciprocity in real estate purchases allows only foreign citizens coming from countries where reciprocity is guaranteed to purchase real estate properties within their territory. In fact, if in your country of origin an Italian citizen could not purchase real estate, the so-called condition of reciprocity would be lacking, thus making your possibility of purchasing real estate in Italy conditional on possession of a residence permit.
The Principle of Reciprocity is often used to ensure that real estate transactions are bilateral and that there is fair and equal treatment between citizens of the involved states.
on the official website of the Italian
Ministry of Foreign Affairs
and International Cooperation
Conditions of reciprocity in property purchases may change over time based on bilateral agreements and policies between the nations involved.
Please note that the right to purchase property under the condition of reciprocity often does NOT depend on a formal international treaty.
If no specific treaty exists between Italy and your home country, the notary must strictly apply Article 16 of the Provisions on the Law in General (Preleggi to the Italian Civil Code, approved by Royal Decree No. 262 of March 16, 1942). In this scenario, the notary will first verify whether you qualify for any legal exemptions provided by the Italian Immigration Act (Legislative Decree No. 286 of July 25, 1998, also known as Testo Unico Immigrazione), which may grant you the right to buy regardless of general reciprocity rules. To do this, the notary will practically examine your legal status: they will first check the Italian Immigration Act to see if you hold a valid Italian residence permit (permesso di soggiorno) or an EU long-term permit, both of which automatically grant the right to purchase. If you do not hold these, the notary will then apply Article 16 by directly consulting the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs database—or contacting the relevant embassies—to verify whether an Italian citizen is legally allowed to buy a similar property in your home country.
If you encounter any difficulties in interpreting the documentation on reciprocity between your country and Italy, we will be glad to help you. Write to us at contact@nfnotaries.it
Meetings
Our notaries or lawyers will be glad to organize a meeting on any leading platform (Meet, Zoom, etc.) and introduce anyone interested in buying or investing in Sicily to Italian real estate rules.
At present, we can hold meetings in English, Spanish, French and German.
1
Compilazione form
e acquisizione info iniziali
2
Contatto telefonico
e fornitura indicazioni
3
Emissione Firma elettronica
Just in time, in videoconferenza
4
Iscrizione al Registro delle Imprese
a cura del notaio
5
Costituzione SRL
Sessione in videoconferenza
con soci e notaio
6
Versamento Capitale sociale
sul conto corrente dedicato del notaio
7
Completamento
Il notaio versa il capitale sociale all’organo amministrativo
