Italian bank account for a non-resident

The minimum that, in the community's experience, makes it worth walking into an Italian bank is four documents: a valid Permesso di Soggiorno (or a long-term D visa), a Carta d'Identita, a codice fiscale (identical across all papers) and a tessera sanitaria. The second rule matters more than the choice of brand: the branch decides, not the bank - one branch opens an account for a permit holder calmly, the next one refuses without a reason, so people apply in several places and online. This is not legal advice but an overview of the general mechanics based on members' experience; banks' conditions and fees change, verify the final details at the bank itself. A comparison of specific banks is in which bank will open an account, the sanctions angle for citizens of Russia and Belarus in the account under sanctions.

When to open an account

According to the community it is easiest to go to a bank when you already have a Permesso di Soggiorno (or a valid long-term D visa) and a Carta d'Identita in hand. By this point you are, as a rule, already in Italy for several months, with your codice fiscale and tessera sanitaria in hand. Many note that some branches open an account calmly while others refuse without giving a reason - and this within the same bank in different cities. A reserve of patience matters more here than the choice of the "ideal" bank.

First sort out the basics - codice fiscale and residenza: without a correct tax code you cannot open an account, and a discrepancy in the code between documents really breaks the application.

Opening an account at an Italian bank comes down above all to the specific employee and the branch director. The same bank behaves differently in different branches: somewhere they open it in one visit, somewhere they drag it out. So the advice is simple - do not get stuck on one branch and apply online, where the human factor is weaker.

My husband had one codice fiscale on his carta d'identita and a different one on the permesso, the digits diverged. At one bank because of this the account was never opened: the system would not let it through. First we brought the documents into line with one code, and only then did the application go through.

What to prepare in advance

Based on community experience, for the visit or online application it is worth having:

• quality scans of the Carta d'Identita, Permesso and tessera sanitaria (both sides);
• the codice fiscale (check that it is the same on all documents);
• for some online applications - active CIE or SPID;
• sometimes - last year's tax return (the bank may ask for it as confirmation of the source of money);
• a readiness to pass video identification (they may ask you to turn your head, smile) - keep a translator at hand if you are unsure of your Italian.

If you have already lived in Italy for more than six months, the form usually indicates only Italian tax residency. Check this point, it affects how the form is filled out. It is convenient to check and, if necessary, calculate your codice fiscale in the built-in tool:

If you do not know Italian, do not go to talk at the branch, apply online. A live conversation sometimes only spoils the manager's impression, while an online form assesses the documents, not your accent. That is what they advised me in the chat, and it worked.

Which bank opens an account for Russian citizens

There are essentially two types: online banks with an Italian IBAN (a simpler application, often free maintenance) and classic network banks with branches (cash through an ATM, credit products, the option to take out a mortgage). Which banks actually open accounts in the community's experience, with a table by brand and maintenance costs, - see which bank will open an account. Many end up keeping two or three accounts - one online for everyday payments and one network one for cash and credit products; verify the tariffs on the bank's own website, they are updated regularly.

I submitted applications to three banks at once. At one online bank the account was opened in a couple of days, the card arrived in the mailbox a few days later, and at a large network one I had to come into the office four times before the application was finally processed. In the end I stayed with the small bank - the manager opened it without problems, and a transfer from Dubai arrives there calmly too. Do not give up and remind them about yourself.

For Russians and Belarusians a basic account (conto di base) with a residence permit is realistic to open, and some banks open it even with temporary documents - for example, at the asylum-request stage. But this is not a general rule of the network: approval depends on the branch, so I usually take a client to where we have already managed to open one.

Which Russian citizens do banks refuse

Honestly: refusals are a frequent story, and they are not always logical. According to the community:

• large banks often cite internal rules and refuse "red passports";
• the system can throw an error because of Russian citizenship even where the manager is not opposed;
• made-up conditions are encountered (for example, a requirement for a residence permit "with a long record"), behind which lies an unwillingness to open an account;
• some European online banks respond with a refusal to an Italian codice fiscale obtained via a residence permit.

At one large bank they refused, although my husband had an account there into which a pension arrived. They explained directly: a new internal directive came out - do not open accounts for "red passports". Arguing is pointless, I went to another bank.

A separate technical snag (according to the community): at the postal bank the online form often automatically blocks already at the entry of Russian citizenship or even the place of birth "USSR/Russia" - the manager has nothing to do with it, it comes down to the system. Persistence helps: some had an account opened only on the fifth-to-seventh attempt, sometimes after complaints the ability to apply online was simply silently unblocked.

At the postal bank the form crashed with an error every time it reached citizenship. I did not give up and applied again and again, complaining in parallel - and somewhere around the seventh time they silently unblocked the ability to request a card online for me. So "the system does not let it through" does not always mean "never".

One bank does not help - try another branch of the same bank or straight away another bank, better online. According to the community this is a working tactic, not a sign that "no one will open one for you anywhere".

According to the community there are also workarounds with digital documents: if you already have a Carta d'Identita in hand (and sometimes residenza, tessera sanitaria or patente), the account at a neobank is opened fully online, without a branch visit - but almost always they will ask you to confirm the source of money, for example with last year's return.

How to open an account before the permesso: a D visa and a ricevuta

While the permesso is not yet in hand, a physical Italian bank, according to the community, is very hard to open, and with the new sanctions packages - even harder. For the first while online services with an Italian IBAN help out:

• according to the community some of them accept a D visa as the main document (a Russian passport as the only document - usually not);
• a ricevuta such services do not always treat as enough and, as a rule, only with a full package: the application receipt itself, the appuntamento invitation and the post receipt;
• crypto-friendly wallets members use as a transit account (for example, to bring in euro via stablecoins), but not as a place to store large sums.

For more on the status of the ricevuta and what you can do with it, see the article travel and entry on a ricevuta. Paying rent without a local account, according to the community, is also realistic: a transfer to the landlord's IBAN from an online service, a SWIFT from an account in another EU country or cash within the limit.

The scenario was this: Russian passport, D visa, codice fiscale, salary arrives from another country. A local bank was not on the cards straight away, so I opened an online wallet with an Italian IBAN on the D visa and a second transit one - for exchange. I paid rent to the landlord's details, no problems. Only later, with the permesso, did I go to a local bank.

After getting the permesso it makes sense to move to a regular bank too - an online service is convenient but, according to the community, less predictable under checks. Once you have the residence permit, do not forget about the KIT-postale for the permesso and the basic steps after arrival.

How to bring euro into an account under sanctions

A direct transfer from a Russian bank to an Italian one, according to the community, currently effectively does not work because of sanctions restrictions. The legal routes that members describe (these are anecdotes, not instructions - check against the conditions of your banks):

• get a card/account of a bank in a friendly country and transfer through it via SWIFT - a working option, but troublesome and not quick;
• use a European account or wallet with a European IBAN, into which money is brought via a cryptocurrency exchange - they buy a stablecoin for rubles and sell it for euro through trusted counterparties;
• based on community experience the total fees of such a scheme are on the order of a few percent, and the key safety rule: in a P2P exchange do not confirm the deal until the euro have actually arrived in your account.

A separate nuance is Cyrillic in the recipient's name. According to the community, on a SWIFT from a number of countries Italian banks do not accept the transfer if the name is written in Cyrillic; the Latin-script setting is done on the sending bank's side in advance.

The first time I exchanged a small sum to practice, and only then transferred normal money. Everything went smoothly, but check the counterparty's rating and never press "I confirm" until you have seen the money in your account.

The main pain is not the transfer itself, but the name. A SWIFT from a CIS country did not arrive because the sending bank wrote the name in Cyrillic, and the Italian side did not understand it. I switched it to Latin script at the sending bank - and the payment went through. Check this before sending, not after.

What to answer to a bank's request about the source of funds

According to the community online services and banks actively check the origin of money, especially when there is a connection with CIS countries. If a request (compliance) comes in, members advise:

• do not ignore it and do not delay the answer;
• do not forge documents - PDF metadata and re-scans are visible, this only makes things worse;
• answer specifically and briefly to the point (for example, "a personal gift from a friend"), without extra essays;
• give only what was requested, and do not bring extra papers;
• keep a screenshot of your answer and copies of all the documents sent.

The money was sent to me by close people, not a single payment left Russia, to each I attached confirmation - and nevertheless the online service first cut operations, and then closed access entirely. Compliance can break down even on a clean history, so be sure to keep a spare account at hand.

Account blocks on the expiry of a visa or permesso

This is a painful but frequent topic. According to the community:

• some banks restrict incoming operations on the day the permesso ends and ask you to upload the renewed document or mark "awaiting renewal" and attach the package (the appuntamento invitation + ricevuta + post receipt); then operations are unblocked for a limited period;
• at some banks the account of a Russian citizen with an expired residence permit remains blocked permanently, and an unblock is given only for a short period on request at the branch - and for it you still need a valid residence permit, which creates a vicious circle where the questura issues the permesso already expired.

The best insurance, according to the community, is to keep several accounts at once at different banks. For the renewal timeframes and the legal "window" on the ricevuta see residence-permit renewal and departure.

On the last day of the permesso the bank sent a notification. I pressed "awaiting renewal" and uploaded on a single sheet the appuntamento invitation, ricevuta and post receipt. After an hour or two the banner updated, incoming operations were unblocked for several months. From other people's reviews I thought the ricevuta was no longer accepted - it turned out it was worth a try.

Depositing cash and a business account

A few practical points according to the community:

• settlements and the acceptance of cash in Italy are limited by a ceiling (according to the community - verify the current cash-settlement ceiling, it has changed); banks do not like frequent cash operations - it is more convenient to pay by card;
• when depositing cash the bank will ask the origin - a typical answer from members is "risparmi personali" (personal savings), if necessary with supporting documents; at a small branch with the right manager this is easier than at a large one;
• a personal account cannot be used for Partita IVA activity - for business you usually need a separate conto aziendale; some opened a business account through an accountant they know, bypassing refusals;
• paying taxes via F24 does not go through everywhere: according to the community some online services do not support it (their IBAN is not on the list of partner banks on the Agenzia delle Entrate website), whereas a number of network banks and the Poste portal do allow F24 payment. Before opening an account for a Partita IVA it makes sense to check whether the bank is on this list;
• according to the community you can deposit cash into a postal-bank account (they name a ceiling of around ~5000 euro per operation, verify the current details), but it is better to discuss this with an employee in advance.

I struggled with F24: the online wallet would not process it because the service's IBAN is not on the tax office's list. In the end I pay through the post portal with almost any card - but there too the form sometimes crashes with an error, and the F24 has to be re-saved several times until the payment goes through. If you work on a P.IVA, choose a bank from the Agenzia delle Entrate list.

If you work for yourself, read in advance about forfettario and taxes and Partita IVA in lavoro autonomo: the account and the tax regime are better planned together with a commercialista.

I deposited cash at the branch, the employee asked how to explain it. I just said: risparmi personali. The sum was noticeable, but they took it without drama. At a large bank before that they refused, but at a small one - they accepted it calmly.

I partly use the personal account of an online bank for commercial transactions, and I am not entirely sure of the legality - the accountant advises opening a separate business account. If P.IVA activity is going on, it is better to separate them straight away so there are no questions later.

Trends and official rules

According to the community, after the latest EU sanctions packages any transfers along a chain starting from a sanctioned bank can lead to the account being closed - this is worth taking into account when choosing a money route. As for the automatic exchange of tax data between Russia and Italy, members note that it is suspended, but it is not worth betting on this - verify your status and obligations with a tax consultant.

Another point that people forget: having become a tax resident of Italy, you need to report foreign accounts too - and not only Russian ones, but also European wallets whose IBAN has no IT prefix. According to the community declaring them is mandatory if the average annual balance exceeded a threshold (they name around ~5000 euro), and then a fixed IVAFE tax is paid - according to the community on the order of several dozen euro per account. Check the thresholds and rates with a tax consultant.

Many think you only need to report Russian accounts and forget about European wallets with a non-IT IBAN - Italy's tax office also sees them as foreign. If the average annual balance is above the threshold, information on them is submitted and a small fixed tax is paid per account. It is better to take this into account in advance than to explain after the fact.

A useful official reference point: the right to a basic payment account (conto di base) for those legally residing in the EU is enshrined in banking law (TUB), and it is an argument in a conversation with the bank, not a guarantee. How people use it in practice - a written request, a call to UNAR, PEC, a complaint to Banca d'Italia or the ABF - is covered in the account under sanctions for citizens of Russia and Belarus.

Frequent questions in brief

• "They will open an account on a Russian passport without local documents" - according to the community, after 2022 almost never; you need a residence permit or at least a D visa for an online service.
• "An online wallet will replace a bank forever" - according to the community it is convenient for rent and payments, but less predictable under checks; with the permesso it is worth moving to a regular bank too.
• "A direct transfer from Russia still works" - according to the community effectively no, the routes go through third countries or exchange.
• "Money in the account = income for the residence permit" - these are different confirmations; the balance shows the presence of funds, income is confirmed by the return. It is convenient to estimate income and thresholds in the income and tax calculator.

Related articles

• Which bank will open an account for a Russian - a comparison of specific banks and maintenance costs.
• An account for citizens of Russia and Belarus under sanctions - conto di base, the written refusal, codes 135/154.
• Sending money from Russia to Italy in 2026 - which channels reach an Italian account and the EUR 100,000 cap.
• Moving money out of Russia: CBR limits - the rules on the Russian side and the tax-service account notice.
• Forfettario and taxes in Italy - regime, rates, INPS, F24.
• Codice fiscale, residenza and tessera sanitaria - the basis for an account.
• KIT-postale for the permesso - submission after arrival.
• Travel and entry on a ricevuta - what you can do at the application stage.
• Residence-permit renewal and departure - timeframes and blocks.
• SPID - often needed for an online application to a bank.
• Lavoro autonomo: steps and Partita IVA - if you are planning a business account.

Official sources

• bancaditalia.it - Banca d'Italia: the basic account (conto di base), rules and consumer rights.
• agenziaentrate.gov.it - Italy's tax service: codice fiscale, tax residency, F24 payment.
• poste.it - Italian Post: BancoPosta / PostePay accounts and payment cards, sending documents.
• salute.gov.it - Ministry of Health: tessera sanitaria, which is often part of the package of documents for the bank.
• spid.gov.it - SPID: digital identity for online applications.

Frequently asked questions

Can I open an account at an Italian bank with a Russian passport?

According to the community yes, but not at all banks and not always quickly: some branches open an account for a residence-permit holder without problems, others refuse without giving a reason - sometimes within the same bank in different cities. Many are helped by having a Carta d'Identita and Permesso, a readiness to come into the office more than once, and submitting an online application instead of a personal visit. This is not legal advice, verify the current requirements at the specific bank.

What documents do they usually ask for to open an account?

Based on community experience, most often you need a Permesso di Soggiorno (or a long-term D visa), a Carta d'Identita, a codice fiscale and tessera sanitaria, sometimes active CIE or SPID for an online application. Some banks ask for last year's tax return to confirm the source of money. The set of documents differs from bank to bank, so check in advance.

Can I open an account before the permesso, on a D visa or a ricevuta?

According to the community, before getting the permesso a physical bank is very hard to open, especially after the new sanctions packages. More often online services with an Italian IBAN help out, which accept a D visa, while a ricevuta - not always and only with a full package (the receipt, the appuntamento invitation, the post receipt). A Russian passport as the only document such services usually do not accept. This is not legal advice.

Why can a bank block an account after the residence permit ends?

According to the community some banks restrict incoming operations on the day the permesso ends and ask you to upload the renewed document or the package about the renewal application. At some banks the account of a Russian citizen with an expired residence permit remains blocked, and an unblock is given for a limited period on request at the branch. The best insurance, according to the community, is to keep several accounts at once. This is not legal advice.

How can I now legally bring euro into an Italian account?

According to the community a direct transfer from a Russian bank effectively does not work because of sanctions. Members describe a SWIFT transit via an account in a friendly country, a transfer from a European wallet and an exchange via stablecoins with a sale for euro through trusted counterparties. The total fees are named as a few percent, and the key rule is not to confirm a P2P deal until the euro have actually arrived. This is not financial or legal advice, the rules and availability of services change.

What to do if a branch refuses precisely because of Russian citizenship?

According to the community a refusal based only on citizenship is discrimination, and those legally residing in the EU have the right to at least a basic account (conto di base). Members with good conversational Italian call the national anti-discrimination office UNAR right from the branch and hand the phone to the bank employee - this often resolves the matter. Other options: submit the application by letter (better via PEC), request a written reasoned refusal and complain to Banca d'Italia or the ABF arbitrator. This is not legal advice, the effect is not guaranteed.

Do I need to declare foreign accounts and Revolut/Wise accounts in Italy?

According to the community a tax resident of Italy reports foreign accounts (including European wallets with a non-IT IBAN) in the return if the average annual balance exceeded a threshold (they name around 5000 euro). If exceeded, a fixed IVAFE tax is paid - according to the community on the order of several dozen euro per account. Check the exact thresholds, rates and obligation with a tax consultant - this is not tax advice.

Related materials - Money, taxes and daily life

• Money, Taxes and Daily Life in Italy
• Regime forfettario 2026: rates and INPS
• ISEE and DSU: filing on the INPS portal
• Italy benefits for foreigners: who qualifies

Next stepCodice fiscale calculatorCompute your codice fiscale and see each part explained (unofficial aid).

Documents for this topic

• Template for opening a conto di base for Russian citizens in Italy
• Poste Italiane Tariffs for SEPA Transfers (bonifico and Postagiro)
• Certificate of Tax Residency in Italy (Attestato di Residenza Fiscale - Agenzia delle Entrate)