How to Get Your First Credit Card in Italy as an International Student

How to Get Your First Credit Card in Italy as an International Student

Getting your first credit card in Italy as an international student usually requires more preparation than obtaining a debit or prepaid card. A credit card gives you access to borrowed money, so the issuer must assess whether you can repay what you spend.

Banca d’Italia states that applicants are normally asked to provide identification, an Italian tax code, income documents and the details of a current account from which card payments can be collected.

This guide explains how to prepare your documents, establish a banking relationship and improve your chances of approval.

Can International Students Get Credit Cards in Italy?

International students can apply, but approval depends on the bank’s creditworthiness assessment. The bank may examine your:

• Regular income.
• Employment status.
• Scholarship payments.
• Current-account activity.
• Existing debts.
• Previous payment problems.
• Residence status in Italy.

Banks must assess whether a borrower’s financial commitments are sustainable in relation to income and existing debts.

A student with a part-time job, funded PhD position or regular scholarship generally has a stronger application than a newly arrived student with no verifiable income.

Step 1: Get Your Italian Tax Code

Your codice fiscale is the Italian tax identification number used when dealing with banks, universities, public authorities and other institutions.

Foreign citizens applying for their first codice fiscale may need to arrange an in-person appointment with the Italian Revenue Agency.

You should make sure that:

• Your name matches your passport exactly.
• Your date and place of birth are correct.
• The code has been officially issued.
• You do not rely only on an unofficial online tax-code generator.

The tax code itself does not prove income or guarantee approval, but it is a basic identification requirement.

Step 2: Prepare Your Residence Documents

Non-EU students will usually need a valid permesso di soggiorno, or Italian residence permit.

A bank may ask for:

• Your valid passport.
• Your residence permit.
• The receipt for a pending residence-permit application or renewal.
• Your student visa.
• Proof of university enrolment.
• Evidence of your Italian address.

Poste Italiane, for example, lists a valid identification document, codice fiscale and residence permit among the documents required from non-EU applicants for a BancoPosta credit card.

Not every issuer accepts a temporary residence-permit receipt, so confirm this before applying.

Step 3: Open an Italian Current Account

Most conventional credit cards must be connected to a current account. The monthly card balance is then collected automatically from that account.

If you are legally resident in an EU country, you generally have the right to apply for a basic payment account. This right applies to a basic account, but it does not guarantee access to credit cards, overdrafts or other borrowing facilities.

A basic account can still help you:

• Receive scholarship payments.
• Receive your salary.
• Pay rent and utilities.
• Make SEPA bank transfers.
• Use a debit card.
• Establish a record of regular account activity.

Choose an account with manageable monthly fees and suitable conditions for foreign students.

Step 4: Use the Account Regularly

Applying immediately after opening an account may lead to rejection because the bank has little information about your financial activity.

Consider using the account for several months before applying. During this period:

• Deposit money regularly.
• Receive your salary or scholarship into the account.
• Pay rent and bills on time.
• Avoid unauthorised overdrafts.
• Avoid failed direct debits.
• Maintain enough money for recurring payments.

There is no fixed waiting period that guarantees acceptance. The aim is simply to demonstrate consistent and responsible account management.

Step 5: Establish Verifiable Income

Proof of repayment ability is one of the most important credit-card requirements in Italy.

Banks may accept documents such as:

• Recent payslips.
• A part-time employment contract.
• A doctoral or research contract.
• Scholarship award letters.
• Recent bank statements.
• Tax documents.
• Other evidence of stable income.

Poste Italiane asks employed applicants for a recent payslip or another document proving income.

A scholarship may strengthen your application, but each issuer decides whether it qualifies as sufficient and stable income. Family transfers are useful for showing available funds, but they may not be treated in the same way as employment income.

Step 6: Compare Credit Cards Carefully

Do not choose a card only because the application appears easy.

Compare:

• Annual card fee.
• Required current-account fee.
• Credit limit.
• Foreign-transaction charges.
• ATM cash-advance fees.
• Late-payment charges.
• Travel insurance.
• Purchase protection.
• Repayment method.
• Interest rate and total cost of credit.

Banca d’Italia advises consumers to read the product information and contractual documents before signing and to use these documents to compare costs, risks and conditions.

Step 7: Choose a Balance-Paid-in-Full Card

A traditional Italian credit card usually collects the full monthly balance on a specified date. This type is commonly called a carta a saldo.

A revolving credit card allows you to repay in monthly instalments, but this is a form of consumer credit that charges interest.

For most international students, a balance-paid-in-full card is safer because it reduces the risk of:

• Long-term debt.
• High interest costs.
• Paying only small instalments for years.
• Spending more than the available monthly budget.

Banca d’Italia recommends checking the TAEG, or annual percentage rate, when comparing revolving credit because it represents the total annual cost, including interest and charges.

Step 8: Request a Low Credit Limit

Your first application may have a better chance when you request a modest spending limit.

A lower limit:

• Reduces the issuer’s risk.
• Is easier to manage on a student budget.
• Limits the impact of fraud.
• Helps prevent excessive spending.
• May be increased later if the account is managed responsibly.

Do not request a premium card or a high limit unless your income and banking history support it.

Step 9: Apply at a Physical Branch

Online applications can be convenient, but automated identity checks may not handle foreign passports, temporary residence documents or international income records properly.

Applying at a branch allows you to:

• Explain your student status.
• Present original documents.
• Ask whether a scholarship is acceptable.
• Discuss alternative cards.
• Confirm whether your residence-permit receipt is accepted.
• Request a lower limit.

Bring both originals and copies of your documents.

Documents Needed for Your First Application

Prepare the following:

1. Valid passport or accepted identity document.
2. Italian codice fiscale.
3. Valid residence permit for non-EU citizens.
4. Proof of Italian address.
5. University enrolment certificate.
6. Italian current-account details.
7. Employment contract or scholarship letter.
8. Recent payslips or bank statements.
9. Italian mobile number.
10. Any additional documents requested by the issuer.

Incomplete or inconsistent documents can delay the application.

What to Do If Your Application Is Rejected

A rejection does not mean you cannot manage payments in Italy.

Start with one of these options:

Debit card

A debit card lets you spend money already held in your current account. Payments are normally deducted immediately from your available balance.

Prepaid card with IBAN

A prepaid card can be loaded with money before use. Some products include an IBAN for receiving transfers and making payments.

These cards may be sufficient for:

• Online purchases.
• Contactless payments.
• Receiving family transfers.
• Paying bills.
• Booking transport.
• Everyday spending.

However, hotels and car-rental companies may sometimes require a true credit card for deposits.

How Long Should You Wait Before Applying Again?

There is no universal waiting period. Before submitting another application, improve the factor that probably caused the rejection.

For example:

• Wait until you have several payslips.
• Receive scholarship payments regularly.
• Correct missing residence documents.
• Maintain a stable account balance.
• Request a lower credit limit.
• Apply through your existing bank rather than a new issuer.

Avoid sending several applications at the same time.

Final Verdict

To get your first credit card in Italy as an international student, begin by obtaining your codice fiscale and residence documents. Open an Italian current account, use it consistently and provide clear evidence of income or regular funding.

Apply for a basic balance-paid-in-full card with a low credit limit rather than an expensive revolving card. If you cannot yet qualify, use a debit or prepaid card while building a stable financial record with your bank.

Official Sources

• Banca d’Italia – Credit Cards
• Banca d’Italia – Debit Cards
• Banca d’Italia – Prepaid Cards
• Banca d’Italia – Revolving Credit
• Italian Revenue Agency – Tax Identification Number for Foreign Citizens
• European Union – Opening a Basic Bank Account
• Poste Italiane – BancoPosta Credit Card