Before you arrive

Moving expenses
When moving from one country to another, ESA staff are entitled to reimbursement of their removal expenses, upon request and in accordance with the relevant Staff Regulations and Rules.

When an ESA staff member’s contract is terminated, he or she is also entitled to the reimbursement of removal expenses provided that the conditions laid down in the Staff Regulations and Rules are satisfied.

ESRIN housing support
ESRIN has a special agreement with a company called Home International SRL, who can help you find a new home, negotiate the rent and connect your utilities. For more information, please visit the Home International website, available via the link on the right.

How to organise removal services
As an ESA staff member, you are entitled to the reimbursement of your removal expenses from your current residence to your new home in Rome or Frascati, at your request and in accordance with ESA Staff Regulations and Rules.

You will need to give the ESRIN Recruitment Service two estimates from two different companies indicating the volume and/or weight of your household effects, price of the removal and the insurance costs.

Fiscal code

By law, everyone living in Italy must have a fiscal code (codice fiscale) issued by the Ministry of Finance. You will be asked for this code when you buy a car, rent an apartment or open a bank account. Doctors and lawyers also often request it for billing purposes.

All staff must apply for a fiscal code. This can be done in advance of your arrival at ESRIN. ESRIN Facility Management service will obtain your code free of charge, and also for your spouse and dependent children, if required.

Do I need an entry visa?

If you are a UK or non-Schengen/EU national, you need to obtain a type-D Mission Visa prior to entering Italy to work for ESA. This also applies to any eligible family members (UK or non-Schengen/EU national) moving to Italy with you.

Since processing times for visas can be very long, please submit your request as soon as possible. If you have not yet requested the visa, please contact the ESRIN Host Agreement Services Office for assistance immediately.

To assist you in your application, the ESRIN Host Agreement Services Office will provide a letter to facilitate the issuing of the visa. For this, they will need

Exact name and address of the Italian Consulate* that will issue the visa to you and your eligible family members.

Copy of your valid passport/s (i.e., with a validity of at least six months from the date of request of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) Card)

*The type-D Mission Visa is valid for 365 days and needs to be requested directly by you, as a future ESA staff member, at the Italian Consulate in your country of residence.

A type-D Mission Visa is mandatory for UK or non-Schengen/EU nationals for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to issue ESA staff and their eligible family members with an MFA Card. This MFA Card should be requested immediately after taking up duty. 

A brief guide to the Italian school system

The Italian school system is offered free to all children in Italy regardless of nationality. All children are required to attend school from age 6 through to 16. Public nursery schools are also free. The school system has a good reputation. If you are interested in international schools in Rome we suggest you visit the Rome International Schools Association, via the link on the right. You can also follow the link to a more detailed article about the Italian school system on the Life in Italy website.

ESA staff can also benefit from after-school childcare and a summer school for children aged  4-13 which runs during the summer break.