Requirements
In order to open a bank account in Italy there are a few requirements:
you must be an adult
you should have a valid passport or identity card
you should have a tax identification number
you should never have been declared bankrupt: it may be possible to open an account, but it will prove very difficult.
If you are a non-EU citizen, you will also need to prove that you have Italian residence to open a bank account in Italy.
When you open a bank account you are required to 'save' your signature at the bank: you sign both a bank account contract and a special document called a signature specimen. The bank can use this document in the future to check the authenticity of your signature.
In order to open a bank account in Italy you need to demonstrate that you are living and/or working in the country. You can do so by showing your contract of employment or your certificate of residence.
If you are currently living abroad but are planning to move to Italy, you can open a bank account via mail before arriving in the country. To do so you will need a copy of the application form, available at any branch of an Italian bank, and send the form together with a financial reference, a copy of your identity card and an authorised certificate of your signature. If accepted, you will need to organize a banker's draft to transfer money into your account.
Once you have opened your account, you may wish to authorise someone you trust to carry out any account transactions on your behalf until you arrive in Italy. If you wish to do this you can contact the bank and ask for details of the authorisation process that they require.
