I'm an Immigrant, Not an Expat.

If you've moved to Italy to be with your Italian spouse, you've likely contemplated how you identify in this new country. First, let's be clear about your partner: Your spouse is Italian by birth, irrespective of where they were born, thanks to jure sanguinis (right of blood). They are simply Italian. The question is, what are you?

I've been here for years, I speak Italian, I pay taxes, and I'm fully integrating. I came from the United States, yet I don't use the term "expat." I am an immigrant to Italy, and the "Immigrant, Not Expat" label holds more truth, commitment, and respect than the comfortable, privileged word often chosen by others.

We need to talk about the reality of these two words, because for many, the choice between them isn't about intention, it's about class, social status, and where your passport was issued.

Expat: The Bubble of Social Bias

The dictionary offers simple definitions, but the social reality of the expat label is far messier.

Look at social media: There are countless groups with names like "Expats in Florence" or "Rome Expat Community." Take a quick look at the posts in these groups. People are asking for advice on long-term visas, healthcare registration, tax filing, and the path to permanent residency. These are immigrant questions.

What's astonishing is that not only do immigrants in these groups ask immigrant questions, but the self-labeled "expats" frequently provide incorrect or dangerously outdated advice on critical bureaucratic matters. This highlights the fundamental difference: the expat is often detached, while the immigrant is deeply invested in getting the permanent process right.

The term "expat" is most often applied to, and claimed by, people from Western, affluent nations. This label carries a distinct air of social bias and selective status. It suggests you're here by choice, potentially on a high-paying contract, and are simply passing through.

This misapplication of the term is a way for people to live in Italy, maintain their cultural distance, and implicitly signal that they are not part of the 'immigrant' category. The self-proclaimed "expat" often has little intention of learning Italian and views their time here as an extended vacation before eventually moving "back home." By using the expat label, they distance themselves from the social and political baggage unjustly associated with the title of immigrant.

Immigrant: The Choice of Commitment

I am here. I am learning the language. I am mastering the bureaucracy of the Comune. I have no intention of moving back; Italy is my home. That makes me an immigrant.

As spouses of Italian citizens who have chosen to move to Italy, our journey is one of permanence. We are not here for a short contract; we are here to build a future, integrate our lives, and many of us are pursuing Italian citizenship through marriage, the ultimate declaration of long-term commitment.

The true definition of an immigrant is someone who comes to a country to live there permanently. My passport color or country of origin does not change that fundamental truth. I am an immigrant to Italy, and I am no different than any other immigrant to Italy from any other country. My commitment is permanent, and that is what matters. It is time to reclaim this word from its often-negative connotations and view it as a title of immense effort, strength, and integration.

Why This Matters for Your Journey

For our Ready Set Italia community, the choice of identity matters because it shapes your mindset toward integration and your path toward Italian citizenship.

An "expat mindset" often allows for isolation and resistance to cultural change. An immigrant mindset, by contrast, requires total commitment:

1. Language: Immigrants commit to learning the language as a necessity for life... and citizenship.

2. Bureaucracy: Immigrants learn to navigate the Comune, the Questura, and the healthcare system because they are here permanently.

3. Community: Immigrants root themselves deeply into the local paese or neighborhood.

If you are truly committed to a life in Italy with your spouse, if you are working toward Italian citizenship, then you are on an immigrant journey. A journey of settling, not just passing through.

Own Your Title

The distinction between "expat" and "immigrant" is an uncomfortable truth about global bias that we need to stop ignoring.

My commitment to Italy is total. I am here for good. Therefore, I am an immigrant, and my original passport doesn't magically turn me into a transient elite.

I encourage you to own the title that reflects your reality. For me, I am an immigrant. What about you? Comment below.