{"id":9221,"date":"2026-11-02T19:06:34","date_gmt":"2026-11-02T18:06:34","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.shimmigrations.com\/provisional-nulla-osta-questura-shareholders\/"},"modified":"2026-11-02T19:06:34","modified_gmt":"2026-11-02T18:06:34","slug":"provisional-nulla-osta-questura-shareholders","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.shimmigrations.com\/en\/provisional-nulla-osta-questura-shareholders\/","title":{"rendered":"Provisional nulla osta: what foreign shareholders and directors need"},"content":{"rendered":"

In short.<\/strong> The provisional nulla osta is the document with which the Questura gives the go-ahead for someone to enter Italy to work for themselves, including as a shareholder or director of a company. You obtain it before the visa, and a representative can apply for you. For shareholders and directors the company\u2019s documents matter most: several consulate guides ask for a company that has been active for at least three years.<\/p>\n

Here you will find who needs the document, what changes for shareholders and directors, and what to bring to the consulate.<\/p>\n

Reviewed 2 November 2026.<\/strong> These are general rules, not personalised advice: each Questura and consulate may ask for different documents, so check the instructions of the office that will handle your file.<\/p>\n

What is the provisional nulla osta from the Questura?<\/h2>\n

\u201cNulla osta provvisorio\u201d (provisional clearance) is the term that Article 39 of Presidential Decree 394\/1999, the regulation implementing the Consolidated Immigration Act, uses for self-employment. In the original 1999 text, which we read in an unofficial copy, the application with its documents and the Chamber of Commerce attestation go to the Questura (the local police office that handles residence permits), also through a representative, to obtain the provisional nulla osta for entry. The Questura issues it within 20 days, after checking that nothing prevents entry. The consulate then issues the visa.<\/p>\n

Consulates usually call it simply the \u201cnulla osta of the Questura\u201d. The Frosinone-Latina Chamber of Commerce uses the full term: for people abroad, it explains, the application to the Chamber serves to obtain the provisional nulla osta from the Questura, which the consulate needs for the visa (Frosinone-Latina Chamber of Commerce, Italian text<\/a>). It is not the residence permit, which you request after entering Italy. For other visas, see Types of Italian visa<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Who has to apply, and who does not?<\/h2>\n

It is for people who live outside Italy and want to enter with a self-employment visa: consulates ask for it together with the other documents, so the procedure starts in Italy. If you are abroad, a representative can submit the application, as the regulation allows; ask the Questura which formalities it requires for the power of attorney.<\/p>\n

If you are already in Italy with a permit that allows self-employment, or a permit for family or humanitarian reasons, you can register directly with the Companies Register, without the Chamber\u2019s nulla osta and attestation (Verona Chamber of Commerce, Italian text<\/a>). For the list of permits, read Which Italian residence permits allow work<\/a>.<\/p>\n

What changes for shareholders and directors of a company?<\/h2>\n

A company has three kinds of people, and the sources treat them differently: the working partner (socio prestatore d\u2019opera<\/em>), who works in the company; the director or other office-holder; and the shareholder who only holds shares.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
Role<\/th>\nChamber of Commerce<\/th>\nConsulate (guides read)<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n
Working partner
Company at least 3 years old (Presidential Decree 334\/2004, Art. 36(4))<\/em><\/th>\n		May issue the nulla osta and attestation; the financial parameter is divided among the partners<\/td>\nCompany documents; company active for at least 3 years<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Director or other office
Chair, board member, managing director, auditor<\/em><\/th>\n		Verona does not issue the nulla osta<\/td>\nRegistration certificate, statements by the legal representative, accounts; company at least 3 years old<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Shareholder with shares only
Does not work in the company<\/em><\/th>\n		Verona does not issue the nulla osta<\/td>\nThe guides say \u201cpartners and directors\u201d: ask the consulate<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

Tbilisi, Tunis, Moscow and Lagos state that for partners, directors or holders of a self-employment contract the visa can be issued only if the Italian company, according to the company registry extract (visura camerale<\/em>), has been active in Italy for at least three years (Italian Embassy in Tbilisi, Italian text<\/a>). Cairo asks for documents proving at least three years of activity for joint-stock companies, limited liability companies and limited partnerships by shares, plus proof of the role held (Italian Embassy in Cairo, Italian text<\/a>).<\/p>\n

These guides refer to non-cooperative companies: check a cooperative separately. Chambers of Commerce do not all follow the same practice either.<\/p>\n

Which documents do you need?<\/h2>\n

There is no single list: the Questura and the consulate can ask for different documents.<\/p>\n

For the Questura<\/h3>\n

For self-employment in general, our guide Self-Employment Visa and Residence Permit in Italy<\/a> lists a copy of the passport, a translated and legalised power of attorney if one is used, the Chamber of Commerce documents and proof of accommodation. For partners and directors no official source we read lists different papers, so ask the Questura which company documents it wants. Cairo specifies the Questura responsible for the place of the activity.<\/p>\n

For the consulate<\/h3>\n

The Italian Embassy in Minsk\u2019s list for \u201ccompany persons\u201d (type D visa) is the fullest we read (Italian Embassy in Minsk, Italian text<\/a>). It asks for:<\/p>\n