The First Step Toward Italy: Set Yourself Up to Pay in Euros the Smart Way

If you're even thinking about Italian citizenship, relocating to Italy, or creating any financial connection to the country, there’s one move you should make first:

Open a Wise account.

It sounds simple—but this one action can save you time, money, and frustration throughout your entire journey. Even if you're still abroad, many of the key steps in the process may require euro payments: official translations, marca da bollo (Italian tax stamps), application fees, and even exam prep with Ready Set Italia.

Wise (formerly TransferWise) makes all of these payments—and future Italian life—smooth, affordable, and stress-free.

Trusted by millions worldwide—Wise is the smart way to send, hold, and spend euros.

💸 Why Wise Is the Right First Step

Wise is a borderless, multi-currency account that makes it easy to move, hold, send, and spend money globally—without the hassle of opening a traditional bank account in Italy.

Here’s why it’s your most powerful financial tool for anything Italy-related:

🏧 Free ATM withdrawals in Italy

Wise gives you two free ATM withdrawals per month, up to €200 total. After that, a small fee applies—but it’s still cheaper than most international cards. Perfect for everyday purchases, train stations, and small vendors.

🏦 A real EU IBAN—no Italian paperwork

Wise gives you a Belgian IBAN, fully functional in Italy and across the EU.

Use it to:

• Pay Italian government offices and agencies

• Show financial readiness to landlords

• Pay for utilities or rent

• Register for exams or classes

• Send or receive euro payments

💡 Planning to establish residency? A real IBAN builds credibility with landlords and shows you're serious. It’s one of the easiest ways to look like a “local” on paper—without the headache of opening an Italian bank account.

🔁 True mid-market exchange rates—no markups

Wise uses the mid-market exchange rate (the one you see on Google) and shows you all fees upfront. No markups, no hidden charges, no nonsense.

💰 Big move? Wise handles big transfers with ease

If you're selling your house and starting over in Italy, Wise can handle large transfers—even in the millions. Their system is built for high-volume, high-security payments—with the same transparency as smaller transfers.

🌍 Live, Travel, and Earn Across Europe

Wise is designed for global citizens—and it shines once you gain EU citizenship or long-term residency.

You’ll likely want to travel more, work remotely, or explore other EU countries. Wise helps you do that with ease:

• Hold and convert British pounds, Swiss francs, Czech koruna, Danish krone, and more

• Spend abroad instantly with your card

• Switch between currencies on the fly, in-app

• Receive payments locally in the UK, US, EU, Australia, and more

All from one account. No local banks needed. No extra fees.

🎁 Exclusive for Ready Set Italia Readers

Sign up with my link and enjoy zero fees on your first transfer up to $600.👉 Claim your free transfer with Wise

Whether you’re just starting your citizenship paperwork or getting ready to make Italy home, Wise is the very first financial step you should take.

Simple. Powerful. Global. Wise is how you move money smart—now and in the future.