Immigration Information

To obtain a residence permit, you must practically buy an apartment or house. Usual police clearance from the Italian authorities as well as approval of your application by the local authorities is also required. While residence permits are issued by Italian authorities, access to the territory of Campione is governed by Swiss visa regulations. This means that the passport you hold should allow you to enter Switzerland without a visa, or you will have to apply for a Swiss visa beforehand. There is a small and rather expensive real estate market served by a few local real estate agents. As there is virtually no property available for rent, you have to practically buy an apartment or house before you can establish residence in Campione.

Residents of Campione do not pay the full Italian income tax. Based on a special provision in the Italian law, the first CHF 200,000 incomes are exchanged into Euro, the official currency, at a reduced exchange rate. This results in a lower effective income and consequently a lower tax rate is applied. As in Italy proper, income from interest is taxed at a special, reduced rate of 12.5% only. With proper tax planning from the outset, one can enjoy considerable advantages as a resident of Campione.

There is no inheritance or gift taxes, which makes Campione d'Italia a very attractive place of residence in view of estate planning.

Note that Campione is only interesting for establishing personal residence, as the tax advantages do not extend to companies or other legal entities based there.

Thanks to Campione’s advantageous geographic and political position, residents enjoy many of the benefits of living in Switzerland - they spend Swiss francs in their spotlessly clean bars and restaurants, their telephone service and Internet access is through the efficient Swiss telephone network, and their mail is delivered by equally efficient Swiss postman.  Even car number plates are Swiss.

Those are some of the practicalities, but think of the location -of opening your shutters to the splendor of lake and mountains. The joys of living here include easy access to some of Europe’s best snow skiing, summer hiking in alpine pastures, boating on mirrored lakes. And for connections to elsewhere, Campione is probably one of the best locations in Europe: within 90 minutes you could be shopping in Milan, where there is also an international airport with excellent connections. In a little more than two and a half hours the Cisalpino fast train takes you to Zurich, and if you need to be in Switzerland's financial capital even faster, take the plane from the Lugano-Agno airport.

Some of the many advantages of being resident in Campione d'Italia:

• Political, social and economic stability
• First-class Swiss infrastructure
• Swiss Franc is the official currency
• Banking through Swiss banks with Swiss banking secrecy
• Attractive lifestyle in a quiet, clean environment
• Efficient and reliable public services
• Swiss postal services, telephone numbers and car registration plates
• Effectively resident in Switzerland - with E.U. residence permit
• No value added tax (VAT)
• Moderate income tax, no inheritance or gift tax