If you live abroad and your parents' house, a plot of land or a bank account remained in Italy, the succession declaration (dichiarazione di successione) must still be filed in Italy, within 12 months of the death. You don't need to travel: the declaration is filed electronically by an authorised intermediary, which is what we are. Our service was built online precisely for people who cannot walk into an office, and living abroad is the case where that matters most.
The two typical cases
- The deceased lived in Italy and one or more heirs live abroad: the procedure is the ordinary one, only the way documents and signatures are collected changes.
- The deceased lived abroad and owned assets in Italy: the declaration must still be filed in Italy, with a few extra rules on the competent office, taxes and applicable law. We cover it in a dedicated guide.
What changes compared with living in Italy
- Tax code (codice fiscale): every heir must have one, even if they never lived in Italy. Without it the declaration cannot be transmitted. It can be obtained at the consulate or, faster, in Italy through a proxy given to us.
- Foreign documents: a death certificate or a will issued abroad may need an apostille or legalisation and a translation. Within the European Union the rules are simpler.
- Signatures: we transmit the declaration with your engagement letter signed remotely. No notarial power of attorney is needed for the declaration alone.
- Paying the taxes: they are paid by direct debit from an Italian bank account. If you don't have one, there are solutions, including debiting the firm's account as intermediary.
- Time zones and language: we work in writing, on WhatsApp and email, so you reply when you can. The site and our communications are available in several languages.
How it works, in five steps
- 1You fill in the online questionnaire: two minutes, and you immediately know which package you need and what it costs.
- 2You message us on WhatsApp or pay directly. We open your client area with the document list for your case.
- 3You upload documents whenever you like, even as phone photos. We check cadastral data, title deeds and tax codes; if something is missing, we can often retrieve it in Italy.
- 4We confirm taxes and amounts in writing, then you sign the engagement remotely and we transmit the declaration to Agenzia delle Entrate.
- 5You receive the filing receipt and, if there are properties, the cadastral transfer (voltura). Everything stays in your client area.
You don't need to come to Italy
No step of the succession declaration requires your physical presence. Things that in Italy are done at a counter, such as requesting a tax code or a cadastral search, we do for you with your proxy.
What we actually do for you
- We request the tax code for heirs who don't have one, by proxy, at Agenzia delle Entrate.
- We check the properties in the Cadastre and in the deeds: this is where cases handled from a distance most often get stuck.
- We prepare and transmit the declaration and the cadastral transfer as an authorised intermediary.
- If you don't have an Italian bank account, we agree on paying the taxes through the firm, with amounts and receipts in writing.
- We tell you clearly if any step requires a notary or the consulate, and which one.
When a notary or the consulate is also needed
The succession declaration is not a notarial deed and does not require one. A notary, or the Italian consulate, which performs some notarial functions for Italian citizens, is needed instead to renounce the inheritance, to accept it with benefit of inventory, to publish a will and to sell the inherited property. If the documents show that your case requires them, we flag it and tell you who to turn to.
How much it costs
The packages are the same as for people living in Italy and are shown on the Pricing page: the fee includes the surveyor, the declaration and the cadastral transfer. Statutory taxes are separate for everyone and we tell you the amount before filing. If your case needs extra steps, such as a tax code or a translation, we tell you straight away, with the figure.
The 12 months apply to you too
The deadline runs from the date of death, not from when you manage to deal with it. If it is close, write to us now: for people abroad, the longest part is often the tax code.
This guide's information is indicative and for information only. Every succession is unique: the final assessment is always on the specific case. We check your situation for free.