Last checked: 24 October 2026
Newcomers to Italy normally start with a prepaid (ricaricabile) SIM, because registration is mandatory and the buyer must show an identity document before activation. A monthly contract usually needs a codice fiscale and an Italian bank account or card, so most people sort those first. Until the local line is active, a data only eSIM keeps maps, WhatsApp and email working from landing day.
Italy SIM card for international students: what you need
You need an identity document, and often a codice fiscale, before an Italian line is activated. Prepaid registration is mandatory: operators must identify the buyer with an identity document before activation, a rule dating from the 2005 Pisanu anti-terrorism law.
What to bring and expect:
- A valid passport is accepted for prepaid registration. Iliad accepts an ID card, driving licence or passport, but people born abroad must show a passport or an Italian ID card.
- Very Mobile only accepts foreigners who hold an Italian codice fiscale. Whether every main operator requires a codice fiscale for a prepaid line is not confirmed; practice differs by operator and offer, so check with the operator.
- Buy in operator shops, authorised resellers, or on operator websites with video identification or courier delivery. Iliad also registers customers at its own points of sale.
- For a courier delivered Iliad SIM, the named customer must be present with the ID used at registration and hand over a copy. No proxy is accepted.
- The main networks are TIM, Vodafone (Fastweb plus Vodafone, owned by Swisscom), WindTre and Iliad.
See the Italy plan page for data options while you sort the local line.
Prepaid SIM or monthly contract: which comes first
Start with prepaid. Most Italian consumer lines are prepaid: AGCOM reports just over 91% of human SIMs are prepaid (June 2025 data). A monthly contract usually needs a codice fiscale, a valid passport or Italian ID card, and an Italian bank account or card for monthly payment.
- Prepaid (ricaricabile) is the standard Italian mobile offer, with a monthly allowance, and it does not depend on a bank account.
- Postpaid specific operator requirements for newcomers are not confirmed, and so are no lock in terms per operator. Ask the operator or check its official site.
- Local operator eSIMs exist: at Iliad an eSIM can be chosen at sign up and installed by QR code once identity checks are complete. TIM, Vodafone and WindTre eSIM rules for newcomers are not confirmed.
- If you need a phone plan Italy providers will sell you, the prepaid route is the one that does not wait on your bank.
Once your codice fiscale and Italian bank account are ready, a contract becomes realistic. Until then, a prepaid sim Italy operators sell at the counter is the practical choice.
How long the paperwork takes
The codice fiscale is the bottleneck. Book an in person appointment at an Agenzia delle Entrate office: a paper certificate with legal validity is given at the counter and can be used immediately, with the card following in about 10 days. Applying through an Italian consulate before travel can take up to two months.
- Official rules: first issue requires an in person appointment; non EU citizens show a valid passport with visa or a residence permit. No processing time is stated.
- Non EU permesso di soggiorno: request it within eight working days of entry, usually by postal kit. The post office receipt allows lawful stay while waiting. Time to receive the card is not confirmed and varies by questura.
- Italian bank account: the codice fiscale is needed to open one. Time to open is not confirmed.
- Never use codice fiscale numbers from online generators: they have no legal validity because they are not registered with the Agenzia delle Entrate.
Visa and residence eligibility depends on your nationality and circumstances. Name the document you hold and confirm with the Italian consulate or the official immigration site; this guide does not decide eligibility.
Your first 30 days in Italy: a timeline
Days 1 to 3: land, keep data working, book the Agenzia delle Entrate appointment. Week 1: collect the codice fiscale certificate, file the permesso di soggiorno kit if you are non EU. Weeks 2 to 4: open the bank account, then buy the prepaid line or contract you actually want.
- Before the flight: install a data only eSIM so you have maps and messages on arrival. Validity starts when it first connects at the destination, so it can be bought and installed at home.
- Day 1: book the in person codice fiscale appointment. Use the certificate at the counter the same day you get it.
- Within eight working days of entry (non EU): send the permesso di soggiorno kit by post and keep the receipt.
- Week 1 to 2: with the codice fiscale, open the Italian bank account.
- Week 2 to 4: buy the prepaid SIM or, if your documents are ready, a contract. Check eSIM compatibility with the compatibility guide.
If you are moving for work rather than study, the same order applies; see moving abroad for the wider checklist.
Staying connected until your local plan is ready
Use a data only eSIM for the gap. Slashtel eSIMs are data only: no local phone number and no calls or SMS, but WhatsApp and other internet calls work over the data. Options run from 1 GB to 50 GB, and the 5 GB plan starts from $4.39.
- Buy online with an email address and a card, Apple Pay or Google Pay. The QR code arrives by email within minutes.
- The network is chosen automatically and cannot be picked by hand.
- More data can be added to the same eSIM later, with no new QR code.
- Your phone must be unlocked and eSIM compatible. Installation steps are in the eSIM install guide.
- Estimate your needs with the data calculator.
This is not a replacement for the local line you will need for banking codes and admin. It is the bridge for the first days and weeks.
Getting a local number for your bank and admin
A local number is needed once you open the Italian bank account and deal with admin: banks and offices send codes and callbacks by SMS or call. A prepaid local SIM gives you that number. The Slashtel eSIM does not give a number, so it cannot receive those codes.
- Get the codice fiscale first, then the bank account, then the local SIM or contract that suits you.
- Keep the local number long term: it is the one tied to your bank, your permesso correspondence and your landlord.
- For how codes and calls differ from data, read calls, texts, OTPs and data.
- If a contract is what you want, confirm the operator's current requirements on its official site; postpaid rules for newcomers are not confirmed.
A prepaid sim Italy operators sell over the counter is usually the fastest way to a number, subject to the identity check.
When family visits you in Italy
Visitors can use a Slashtel eSIM for the trip, and you can buy it for them: enter the visitor's email at checkout so the QR code goes straight to the person who will use it. They keep their home SIM in the phone for calls and bank codes.
- Tell them to turn off data roaming on the home SIM to avoid roaming charges.
- The eSIM is data only, so calls home go over WhatsApp or similar internet calls.
- Buy and install before the flight; validity starts when the eSIM first connects in Italy.
- A sim card for parents visiting Italy is often the simplest gift: they land with maps and messaging already working.
For longer stays or repeat visits, monthly eSIM options may suit better than a single trip plan.
Keeping your home number active
Keep the home SIM in the phone for calls and bank codes, and turn off data roaming on it to avoid roaming charges. If the home line is prepaid, top it up so it does not lapse while you are in Italy.
- Slashtel sells mobile top ups to more than 100 countries, delivered in minutes, which keep a prepaid home line active.
- Use the top up service or read keep your number active.
- Two lines in one phone is normal: home SIM for codes, eSIM or local SIM for data.
- Support is on WhatsApp and email, 7 days a week, if something does not connect.
This matters most in the first month, when your home bank still sends one time codes by SMS.
First-week catches to avoid
Most first week problems come from documents, not networks. Codice fiscale numbers from online generators have no legal validity. Iliad requires people born abroad to show a passport or Italian ID card, so a foreign driving licence or foreign national ID card is not enough there.
- Courier delivered Iliad SIMs: the named customer must be present with the ID used at registration and hand over a copy. No proxy is accepted.
- Very Mobile only accepts foreigners who hold an Italian codice fiscale.
- Do not assume every operator asks for the same documents; practice differs by operator and offer, and some points are not confirmed. The operator's official site or shop will confirm.
- Do not skip the permesso di soggiorno deadline: eight working days from entry for non EU citizens, usually by postal kit.
- Do not rely on a data only eSIM for bank codes; it has no number.
For a data top up before you fly, the Italy plan page and recharge cover the options.
Sources
Checked 2026-10-24. Rules and waiting times change, so check the official sites before you rely on them.
- Agenzia delle Entrate: https://www.agenziaentrate.gov.it/portale/web/english/nse/individuals/tax-identification-number-for-foreign-citizens
- ESN Bari: https://bari.esn.it/en/codice-fiscale
- Iliad Italia: https://www.iliad.it/assistenza/163.html
- Iliad Italia: https://assistenza.iliad.it/privati/mobile/supporto/videoidentificazione
- Iliad Italia: https://www.iliad.it/assistenza/1349.html
- Iliad Italia: https://corporate.iliad.it/archivio/comunicati-stampa/106
- Very Mobile: https://verymobile.it/supporto/diventare-cliente-very/offerta/chi-puo-attivare-una-sim-very
- Portale Immigrazione (Poste Italiane / Ministero dell'Interno): https://www.portaleimmigrazione.it/ITA/nuovaProcedura.html
- AGCOM: https://www.agcom.it/comunicazione/comunicati-stampa/osservatorio-sulle-comunicazioni-3-2025
Questions, answered
Can I get a phone plan in Italy without a codice fiscale?
Possibly for prepaid, but it depends on the operator. Very Mobile only accepts foreigners who hold an Italian codice fiscale, and whether every main operator requires one for a prepaid line is not confirmed. Ask the operator or check its official site before you go to a shop.
What do I need to buy a prepaid SIM in Italy?
An identity document, because registration is mandatory and operators must identify the buyer before activation. A foreign passport is accepted. Iliad accepts an ID card, driving licence or passport, but people born abroad must show a passport or an Italian ID card.
How long does the codice fiscale take?
At an Agenzia delle Entrate office with an in person appointment, a paper certificate with legal validity is given at the counter and can be used immediately, with the card following in about 10 days. Applying through an Italian consulate before travel can take up to two months.
Is a prepaid SIM or a contract better for a new arrival?
Prepaid is the usual start: just over 91% of human SIMs in Italy are prepaid according to AGCOM (June 2025 data). A monthly contract usually needs a codice fiscale, a valid passport or Italian ID card, and an Italian bank account or card. Postpaid rules for newcomers are not confirmed per operator.
Can I use an eSIM in Italy before I have a local number?
Yes. A data only eSIM such as Slashtel's works from landing day for maps, WhatsApp and email, with options from 1 GB to 50 GB and 5 GB from $4.39. It gives no phone number, so it cannot receive bank codes; you still need a local SIM for those.
Does the Slashtel eSIM come with an Italian phone number?
No. Slashtel eSIMs are data only: no local phone number and no calls or SMS. Internet calls over the data work, and the network is chosen automatically. For a number you need a local prepaid SIM or contract from an Italian operator.
Can I buy an eSIM for my parents visiting Italy?
Yes. Someone else can buy the eSIM and enter the traveller's email, so the QR code goes straight to the person who will use it. Validity starts when the eSIM first connects in Italy, so it can be installed before the flight.
How do I keep my home number active while living in Italy?
Keep the home SIM in the phone for calls and bank codes and turn off data roaming on it to avoid roaming charges. If it is prepaid, top it up: Slashtel sells mobile top ups to more than 100 countries, delivered in minutes.
When should I open an Italy bank account?
After you have the codice fiscale, which is needed to open one. Time to open is not confirmed and varies by bank. Once the account or card exists, a monthly contract becomes realistic; until then, use prepaid.
Can I add more data to the same eSIM later?
Yes. More data can be added to the same eSIM later, with no new QR code. Your phone must be unlocked and eSIM compatible, and support is on WhatsApp and email, 7 days a week.