Every way into San Marino.

The study stay permit (permesso di soggiorno per istruzione) covers non-resident students enrolled at the University of San Marino or other recognised institutions. Italian nationals and foreigners lawfully resident in Italy do not need it under reciprocity, while Schengen-area and other foreign students apply to the Gendarmeria's Ufficio Stranieri. The permit lasts up to twelve months and is renewable; renewal requires proof of academic progress (at least one exam passed for the first renewal and at least two for later ones). San Marino is outside Schengen but has an open border with Italy, so entry to reach San Marino follows Italian/Schengen rules.

• Study: Enrolment at the University of San Marino or a recognised institution.

Max stay

365 days

Validity

365 days

Administrators and shareholder-employees of companies certified as 'high technology content' enterprises or innovative startups by San Marino Innovation can obtain residence for themselves and their families through the Permanent Council Commission for Foreign Affairs and Immigration. The scheme, governed by Decree 73/2019 on high-tech startups and later amendments, pairs simplified hiring and fiscal incentives for the company with residence permits for shareholders and all employees. The residence permit runs for one year and is renewable annually. San Marino is outside Schengen but has an open border with Italy, so entry to reach San Marino follows Italian/Schengen rules.

• Work: Authorises work/management within the certified high-tech company.
• Study: Resident family members may enrol in local education.
• Residency: Annual permit; long-term residence depends on conversion to a stable residence category over time.
• Family: Residence can be obtained for the shareholder/administrator and their family.

Validity

365 days

The ordinary work stay permit (permesso di soggiorno per lavoro) regularises a foreign employee hired by a San Marino employer. It is issued by the Gendarmeria's Ufficio Stranieri for a period from three months up to a maximum of twelve months and is renewable on request. Hiring a non-resident is tightly controlled: the Labour Office accepts an employer's request only after a prior generic personnel request to the local placement lists has returned no suitable candidate, and the bulk of the private workforce holds annually renewed cross-border (frontaliere) permits rather than residence. San Marino is outside Schengen but open-bordered with Italy, so entry to reach San Marino follows Italian/Schengen rules.

• Work: Authorises employment with the sponsoring San Marino employer.
• Study: Lawful stay permits incidental study.
• Residency: Long, continuous lawful residence can lead to a stable residence category and eventually naturalisation after about 30 years.

Max stay

365 days

Validity

365 days

San Marino issues seasonal and temporary work stay permits for short-term or seasonal employment, including specific categories such as temporary work and care-assistance, tied to a defined employer and engagement. Like other stay permits it is issued by the Gendarmeria's Ufficio Stranieri for a period from three months up to a maximum of twelve months and renewable on request, and depends on the employer clearing the local labour-availability check. The permit does not on its own build toward stable residence. San Marino is outside Schengen but has an open border with Italy, so entry follows Italian/Schengen rules.

• Work: Limited to the seasonal/temporary engagement and employer named.

Max stay

365 days

Validity

365 days

The property variant of elective residence is granted to a foreigner who buys a home in San Marino for at least EUR 500,000 for personal or family use, or buys an unfinished property for at least EUR 350,000 with planned completion/renovation works not exceeding EUR 150,000. It shares the elective-residence regime: a limited annual quota (historically around 50 places per category), mandatory private health insurance, no public-sector employment or state benefits, and consolidation into registry residence (residenza anagrafica) after 10 years. As San Marino is outside Schengen but has an open border with Italy, physical entry to reach San Marino follows Italian/Schengen entry rules.

• Study: Resident family members may enrol in local education.
• Residency after 10 years
• Family: Spouse and dependent children can be included.

Min. investment

€500,000

Elective residence (residenza elettiva) lets a financially self-sufficient foreigner settle in San Marino without working locally, by placing an interest-free, restricted deposit of at least EUR 600,000 in securities issued by the San Marino State, locked for 10 years. The Republic grants only a limited annual quota for this and the property route combined (historically capped at around 50 places per category per year). Applicants must hold private health insurance and may not take public-sector employment or draw state benefits; after 10 years of continuous residence the permit consolidates into ordinary registry residence (residenza anagrafica). San Marino is outside Schengen but has an open border with Italy, so entry to reach San Marino is governed by Italian/Schengen rules.

• Study: Resident family members may enrol in local education.
• Residency after 10 years
• Family: Spouse and dependent children can be included in the family residence.

Min. investment

€600,000

Atypical favourable-tax residence is for a foreigner who establishes their home in San Marino, was never previously tax-resident there (or had not consolidated residence), and earns income abroad. Foreign-source income is taxed under a substitute personal-income tax of 7%, subject to a minimum of EUR 10,000 and a maximum of EUR 100,000 per year. The holder must carry private health insurance and cannot access public-sector employment or state benefits; the residence can consolidate into registry residence after 10 years. San Marino is outside Schengen but has an open border with Italy, so physical entry follows Italian/Schengen rules.

• Study: Resident family members may enrol in local education.
• Residency after 10 years
• Family: Spouse and dependent children can be included.

Economic (entrepreneurial) residence is for a foreigner who holds at least 51% of the capital of a company incorporated in San Marino and actively develops it. Before registration the applicant must post a real guarantee (bank deposit, bank guarantee or insurance bond) of at least EUR 75,000, to be raised to EUR 150,000 within two years or replaced by purchasing property of equal value, and must hire between 1 and 3 resident workers depending on the activity. An alternative track requires a property purchase of roughly EUR 200,000-300,000 together with hiring several permanent employees. The Republic grants these places under a limited annual quota; private health insurance is required and the permit can consolidate into registry residence after 10 years. San Marino is outside Schengen but open-bordered with Italy, so entry to reach it follows Italian/Schengen rules.

• Work: Authorises running and managing the applicant's own San Marino company.
• Study: Resident family members may enrol in local education.
• Residency after 10 years
• Family: Spouse and dependent children can be included in the residence.

Min. investment

€75,000

Atypical residence for pensioners is a favourable-tax residence for private-sector retirees who are nationals of EU states, Switzerland or other countries identified by regulation, and who were not previously tax-resident in San Marino. Applicants must show gross annual income of at least EUR 120,000 (about EUR 10,000 per month) and movable assets of at least EUR 300,000 held in the San Marino banking system for the whole residence period; foreign pension income is taxed at a flat 6%. Private health insurance is required and holders cannot access public-sector employment or state benefits; the residence can consolidate into registry residence after 10 years. San Marino is outside Schengen but open-bordered with Italy, so entry to reach it follows Italian/Schengen rules.

• Study: Resident family members may enrol in local education.
• Residency after 10 years
• Family: Spouse and dependent children (typically up to age 25, plus disabled children) can be included.

Min. income / month

€10,000

San Marino provides a working-holiday (vacanza-lavoro) stay permit among the categories its Ufficio Stranieri can issue, allowing young people from partner arrangements to combine a temporary stay with incidental work. Like other stay permits it covers a period from three months up to a maximum of twelve months and is renewable on request. Detailed eligibility, age limits and partner nationalities are administered case by case by the Gendarmeria's Ufficio Stranieri. San Marino is outside Schengen but open-bordered with Italy, so entry to reach San Marino follows Italian/Schengen rules.

• Work: Incidental work permitted alongside the holiday stay, subject to the permit's terms.

Max stay

365 days

Validity

365 days

Family reunification lets the spouse and minor children (and certain other dependants) of a San Marino resident or citizen join and stay in the Republic. Where it is reunification with a San Marino citizen or stable resident, it can be granted as registry residence (residenza anagrafica) rather than only a temporary permit. The sponsor must show adequate housing and means of support, and the permit follows the sponsor's status. San Marino is outside Schengen but has an open border with Italy, so entry to reach San Marino follows Italian/Schengen rules.

• Work: A joining spouse may generally work subject to the labour rules applicable to their status.
• Study: Joining children and family members may enrol in local education.
• Residency: Where granted as registry residence, contributes to the long residence period that can lead to naturalisation.
• Family: Covers the spouse and minor children, with certain other dependants admissible.

San Marino grants a cohabitation stay permit (convivenza more uxorio) to the unmarried partner of a resident or citizen who shares a stable de-facto union, alongside a separate permit for ordinary shared-living arrangements (convivenza per coabitazione). The partner must document the stable relationship and shared household; the permit follows the sponsoring partner's status and means. San Marino is outside Schengen but has an open border with Italy, so entry to reach San Marino follows Italian/Schengen rules.

• Work: Work may be permitted subject to the labour rules for the partner's status.
• Study: Lawful stay permits incidental study.
• Residency: Lawful continuous residence contributes to the long period required for naturalisation.
• Family: Covers the unmarried partner of the sponsor.

San Marino naturalisation is exceptionally long and parliamentary. The general route requires continuous residence and a residence permit for at least 30 years, reduced to 15 years for a foreigner married to and still living with a San Marino citizen. Applicants must have a clean criminal record (no qualifying disqualifying convictions), renounce any other citizenship, and swear an oath of loyalty before the Captains Regent; each grant is approved by an extraordinary law passed by a qualified (two-thirds) majority of the Grand and General Council. There is no fast citizenship-by-investment route. San Marino is outside Schengen but open-bordered with Italy.

• Work: On naturalisation the person becomes a citizen with full, unrestricted rights.
• Study: Full access to education as a citizen.
• Residency after 30 years

The ordinary stay permit (permesso di soggiorno ordinario) is the general residence authorisation for foreigners staying in San Marino more than 30 days for a recognised purpose that does not fall under a more specific category. It is issued by the Gendarmeria's Ufficio Stranieri for a period from three months up to a maximum of twelve months and is renewable on request. After a sustained period of regular continuous presence the holder may move toward registry residence (residenza anagrafica), and there is a long-stay channel for foreigners resident at least 15 years (art. 19-bis). San Marino is outside Schengen but open-bordered with Italy, so entry to reach it follows Italian/Schengen rules.

• Study: Lawful stay permits incidental study.
• Residency: Sustained regular presence can lead to registry residence; a dedicated channel exists for 15+ year residents (art. 19-bis).

Max stay

365 days

Validity

365 days