Getting an Italian SIM card as a foreigner
Last updated · Information, not legal advice
Quick answer
An Italian SIM requires a valid ID document and, in practice, a codice fiscale, because operators are legally obliged to register every SIM to an identified person. Prepaid (ricaricabile) SIMs are the normal choice for newcomers and cost roughly €5-10 a month. An eSIM or roaming covers the first days before your paperwork exists.
An Italian number is not a convenience, it is infrastructure. The questura calls it about your permesso. The comune uses it to arrange the residency check. Bank verification codes, SPID activation, doctor bookings and landlords all go through it. Getting one is easy — but not on the day you land, which is exactly when people assume it will be.
Why they ask for a codice fiscale
Italy requires mobile operators to register every SIM to an identified person, so a shop cannot legally hand you an anonymous prepaid card. You will be asked for a valid passport or ID, and in practice for a codice fiscale. Some operators can complete an activation for a foreign customer without one, but the reliable sequence is codice fiscale first, SIM second.
This creates the same day-one gap as the bank account. The codice fiscale is free and often issued on the spot at an Agenzia delle Entrate office, so it is worth treating as the very first errand of the move rather than one of several.
Prepaid or contract
A prepaid SIM (ricaricabile) has no contract, no credit check and no exit penalty, and it is what almost every newcomer should start with. Typical offers run around €5-10 a month for generous data with calls and texts included, and Italy is one of the cheaper mobile markets in Europe.
A monthly contract (abbonamento) usually requires an Italian bank account for direct debit and sometimes a residency check, so it tends to become possible only after the rest of your paperwork exists. The saving over prepaid is generally small, so there is rarely a reason to rush into one.
Covering the first few days
An eSIM bought before you fly, or roaming on your existing plan, covers the window between landing and having a codice fiscale. If you are arriving from another EU country, roam-like-at-home rules mean your existing plan already works in Italy at domestic rates and you may not need anything else at first.
One practical warning: do not use a temporary foreign number for anything that will need to reach you for months — the permesso appointment, the bank, SPID. Register those against the Italian number once you have it, or you will be chasing verification codes on a SIM you no longer use.
What you need
- ✓Valid passport or national ID
- ✓Codice fiscale
- ✓For a monthly contract: an Italian IBAN for direct debit
- ✓For non-EU citizens: some operators also ask to see the permesso or its ricevuta
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Build my checklistFrequently asked questions
Do I need a codice fiscale to get an Italian SIM card?+
In practice yes. Italian law requires operators to register every SIM to an identified person, and the codice fiscale is how that identification is recorded. Some operators can activate a SIM for a foreign customer without one, but the dependable order is to get the codice fiscale first — it is free and usually issued the same day.
Can I get an Italian SIM without residenza?+
Yes. Residenza is not required for a prepaid SIM — an ID document and a codice fiscale are what matter. A monthly contract is different, because it normally needs an Italian bank account for the direct debit and sometimes a residency check.
How much does a mobile plan cost in Italy?+
Prepaid plans commonly run about €5-10 a month for a large data allowance with calls and texts included, which makes Italy one of the cheaper mobile markets in Europe. Monthly contracts cost similar amounts and rarely save enough to be worth the added requirements early on.
What should I use for mobile data on my first day in Italy?+
An eSIM bought before departure, or roaming on your existing plan. If you are coming from another EU country, roam-like-at-home rules mean your current plan already works in Italy at domestic rates. Switch anything important — permesso contacts, bank, SPID — to your Italian number as soon as you have it.
Can I keep my number if I switch Italian operators?+
Yes. Number portability is a regulated right in Italy: the new operator handles the transfer and you keep the number. You will need your existing SIM's details, so keep the paperwork the shop gives you when you first activate.
Official sources
More guides
- Codice fiscale: what it is and how to get one
- Permesso di soggiorno: the 8-working-day rule
- Residenza in Italy: registering with your comune
- Tessera sanitaria: joining Italy's health service
- SPID: Italy's digital identity for foreigners
- Nulla osta: family reunification clearance
- Voltura, subentro or allaccio: putting utilities in your name
- Opening a bank account in Italy as a foreigner
- Health insurance for an Italian visa and permesso di soggiorno
- Sending money home from Italy
- Decreto Flussi: Italy's work-entry quota, and how it actually works
Approdo provides information, not legal or tax advice. Requirements and figures change; always confirm with the official sources linked above.