Contents
- What is ISEE and why you need it
- What ISEE unlocks: full list of benefits
- How to get ISEE: step-by-step
- ISEE Parificato: for those who recently arrived
- What changed in 2026
- Foreign assets and crypto in ISEE
- Assegno Unico: child payments
- Bonus Bollette: discounts on utilities
- Other bonuses and allowances
- NASPI: unemployment benefit
- Tax deductions without ISEE
- Common mistakes and how to avoid them
- Conclusions
Main article on the topic: Medicina SSN
Navigation to all guides - knowledge base.
What is ISEE and why you need it {#what-is-isee}
ISEE - what is this document and why is it nearly impossible to get almost any benefit in Italy without it?
ISEE (Indicatore della Situazione Economica Equivalente) is a certificate of your household’s financial situation. Essentially, it is a single indicator the state uses to determine which benefits and allowances you are entitled to.
In short
ISEE is a number in euros that shows your household's "economic power." The lower the ISEE, the more benefits you can access. With a zero or minimal ISEE you receive the maximum support from the Italian state.
ISEE is calculated based on the income and assets of all members of your household (nucleo familiare) for the two years prior to the current year. So the 2026 ISEE is calculated using 2024 data.
From community experience
"ISEE is valid until December 31 of the current year, so you should submit it as early as possible — in January-February. Benefits start from the month of submission, so every missed month is lost money."
Tip from members of the immigration community
The ISEE certificate must be updated every year. Without it you cannot get:
- child allowance (Assegno Unico) — up to 199 euros/month per child
- discounts on utility bills (bonus bollette)
- reduced fees for nursery and school meals
- university scholarships
- reduced access to healthcare (esenzione ticket)
- and dozens of other bonuses
Common misconception
Many think ISEE is only for the poor. In fact, even with a medium income (20,000–40,000 euros) you may be eligible for Assegno Unico, bonus nuovi nati and a number of other payments. Not applying for ISEE means giving up money you are legally entitled to.
What ISEE unlocks: full list of benefits 2026 {#what-isee-unlocks}
Which specific benefits, bonuses and discounts are available to immigrants in Italy if they have an ISEE?
| Benefit | ISEE threshold | Amount | For whom |
|---|---|---|---|
| Assegno Unico (child allowance) | up to 45,574 euros (maximum amount with ISEE up to 17,090 euros) | up to 199 euros/month per child | Families with children up to 21 years |
| Bonus Nido (nursery reimbursement) | up to 40,000 euros | up to 3,600 euros/year | Families with children up to 3 years |
| Bonus Nuovi Nati (newborn bonus) | up to 40,000 euros | 1,000 euros one-time | Children born from 01.01.2026 |
| Bonus Bollette (electricity, gas, water) | up to 9,796 euros (up to 20,000 with 4+ children) | up to 204 euros/year (electricity) + gas + water | All households |
| Carta Dedicata a Te (for groceries) | up to 15,000 euros | around 500 euros/year | Families with children |
| Carta Acquisti (shopping card) | up to 8,231 euros | 80 euros every 2 months | Elderly 65+ and families with children up to 3 years |
| Bonus Psicologo (psychologist) | up to 50,000 euros | up to 50 euros/session, max 1,500 euros | All residents |
| Esenzione Ticket (healthcare) | low income | free visits and tests | By categories |
| Bonus Libri (textbooks) | up to 30,000 euros | reimbursement of costs | High school students |
| Social Bonus (communications) | up to 8,112 euros | discount on phone + internet | All households |
| Assegno di Inclusione (ADI) | up to 10,140 euros | up to 780 euros/month | Families with children, elderly, disabled |
| Borsa di Studio (university scholarship) | depends on university | 2,000 - 6,000 euros/year | Students |
| Esenzione tasse universitarie | depends on university | up to 100% discount | Students |
| Reduced school meals | depends on the municipality | from 0 to 5 euros/day | Schoolchildren |
| Reduced transport (school bus) | depends on the municipality | 50-100% discount | Schoolchildren |
From immigrants' experience
"All books for all classes are bought by parents. But if you have ISEE — keep the receipts, you can get it all back. The same goes for meal coupons — with this document you can reduce the fee or your child may eat for free."
Experience of a family with children in an Italian school
Do the math yourself
A family with two children and a low ISEE can receive: Assegno Unico (~400 euros/month) + Bonus Nido (~300 euros/month) + Bonus Bollette (~200 euros/year) + free school meals (~1,000 euros/year). Total: over 9,500 euros per year. This is not charity — these are your rights as a tax resident of Italy.
How to get ISEE: step-by-step {#how-to-get}
Obtain residence (residenza)
Without official residence in Italy it is practically impossible to get a standard ISEE. First register at the Anagrafe of your municipality. If you don’t yet have a permesso but have a ricevuta, some municipalities still accept the residence application.
Collect documents
You will need: identity document, Codice Fiscale, statements from all bank accounts as of December 31 (including Wise, Revolut and Italian banks), property information (in Italy and abroad), income data for two years prior, marriage certificate (if applicable), rental contract.
Go to a CAF
CAF (Centro di Assistenza Fiscale) are specialized centers that calculate ISEE and complete the DSU (Dichiarazione Sostitutiva Unica) for free. CAFs are available at unions: CGIL, CISL, UIL, ACLI. They exist in every city.
Or fill in the DSU online
If you have SPID or CIE, you can submit the DSU through the INPS website. The system offers a pre-filled form (DSU precompilata), where some data is already pulled from INPS and the Agenzia delle Entrate. The result arrives within 10 working days.
Receive the ISEE certificate
After processing the DSU you are issued the ISEE certificate — a document with your numerical indicator. It is valid until December 31 of the current year. With this document you apply for all bonuses and benefits.
Practical tip from chat
"The order is: first you get residence, then ISEE, then VAT registration (if you are forfettario). At the CAF you bring the family composition document or marriage certificate and the rental contract. From you — proof of income, property data in Italy and bank statements as of 31.12."
Advice from a Russian-speaking resident of Turin
CAF — free or paid?
Officially calculating ISEE at a CAF is free — the state reimburses CAF for this service. But in some cities unofficial intermediaries charge 20-30 euros. This is not legal. Look for official CAFs at unions — CGIL, CISL, UIL.
ISEE Parificato: for those who recently arrived {#isee-parificato}
How to get ISEE if you have just arrived in Italy and have no Italian income for previous years?
For immigrants who arrived recently (less than 2 years ago) or do not yet have tax records in Italy, there is a special type — ISEE Parificato. It is calculated based on your income and assets from your country of origin.
When ISEE Parificato is used
If your residence in Italy is less than 2 years, or you are a student dependent on parents abroad, or you do not have an Italian tax return for the previous period — you need ISEE Parificato. It is calculated using income from your home country.
Community experience
"For those who haven’t lived in Italy, there is a special type ISEE Parificato. It is issued based on foreign income. We did the ISEE parificato, everything went well — the residence was exactly two years."
Experience of arranging it for a family recently arrived in Italy
For ISEE Parificato you will need:
- income certificate from your country of origin (for the 2 years prior to submission)
- information about foreign real estate
- statements from foreign bank accounts as of 31.12
- all documents must be translated into Italian
Important nuance for students
"When ISEE is calculated for a student, the family is defined differently. For the state, a spouse is not part of your family for student ISEE. Your family is the parents with whom you are registered. For student ISEE you must show parents' incomes, not the husband’s."
Important clarification for students moving with a family
Conversion rate
When calculating ISEE with foreign income, the official exchange rate of the Bank of Italy on December 31 of the reporting year is used. If you had large sums in rubles, the conversion rate can significantly affect the final ISEE.
What changed in 2026 {#isee-2026-changes}
The 2026 Budget Law (Legge di Bilancio 2026) made important changes to the ISEE calculation.
- First-home franchise increased — from 52,500 to 91,500 euros. For residents of large cities (Rome, Milan, Naples) — up to 120,000 euros. Plus 2,500 euros for each child after the first
- New equivalence scale for families with children — families with two children receive an additional coefficient of 0.1 for the first time. Families with three children: coefficient rose from 0.2 to 0.25
- Crypto included in assets — from 2026 cryptocurrencies and digital assets must be declared in ISEE, regardless of platform or wallet
- Automatic calculation — automatic ISEE checks are introduced for schools, universities and municipalities through the INPS system
What this means in practice
Thanks to the increased franchise, many families who previously had a "too high" ISEE because of property value now qualify for benefits. Estimates show ISEE reductions can reach 10,000 euros for homeowners.
Foreign assets and crypto in ISEE {#foreign-assets}
Do you need to declare Russian accounts, property in Russia and cryptocurrency when calculating ISEE?
Yes. By law, a resident of Italy must declare worldwide income and assets, including foreign ones.
Real situation from the chat
"If you have a large sum on Italian accounts and EU accounts (when registering Wise, Revolut you provided Codice Fiscale) you pay for school 15,000 euros a year, for housing 18,000, and in the declaration you show minimal income for four people — 16,000 — with low ISEE, the question arises: where did the money come from?"
Warning from an experienced resident
What must be declared:
- all bank accounts (Italian, Russian, Wise, Revolut, N26)
- real estate in any country (at cadastral or market value)
- cryptocurrency (mandatory from 2026)
- investments, stocks, bonds
- cars owned
Problem with Russian accounts
Many immigrants from Russia cannot obtain an up-to-date statement from Russian accounts. In this case, when submitting the DSU you must indicate the data you know (the last known balance). If the account is blocked or unavailable — discuss the situation with your CAF. Hiding assets is risky: even without automatic data exchange between the RF and Italy, inconsistencies between expenses and declared income can attract attention.
Advice from a tax expert
"Everything affects ISEE in reality. There is no point in voluntarily taking on unnecessary declarations, but you should not hide either. If you sold an apartment abroad — by ISEE you automatically become wealthy, even if the apartment was in a suburban area."
From a community discussion
Practical tip
Savings and real estate in ISEE are entered in separate fields. After applying the franchigia on the first home (91,500 euros in 2026) and the deduction for movable assets (detrazione patrimonio mobiliare) your real ISEE may be much lower than you think. Be sure to ask CAF for a preliminary calculation.
Assegno Unico: child payments {#assegno-unico}
Assegno Unico Universale is a monthly payment for each child up to 21 years. It is the main family allowance in Italy, replacing several previous payments.
| Family ISEE | Amount per child under 18 | Amount per child 18-21 |
|---|---|---|
| up to 17,090 euros | ~199 euros/month | ~96 euros/month |
| 20,000 euros | ~180 euros/month | ~85 euros/month |
| 30,000 euros | ~130 euros/month | ~65 euros/month |
| 40,000 euros | ~85 euros/month | ~50 euros/month |
| above 45,574 euros or without ISEE | ~57 euros/month | minimum |
Who is eligible:
- EU citizen or foreigner with a residence permit, living in Italy for at least 2 years (not necessarily continuously)
- or holding an employment contract of 6+ months
From families' experience
"We moved with my husband and children on lavoro autonomo. We asked — are any child benefits available in Italy? It turned out yes — Assegno Unico can be applied for after getting residence and ISEE. With our income we receive about 350 euros/month for two children."
Experience of a family who moved under LA
How to apply
Through the INPS website (SPID required) or via Patronato/CAF. The application is submitted once and then automatically renewed each year when ISEE is updated. Payments start from the month after submission.
You can apply without ISEE too
If you did not manage to get ISEE, still apply for Assegno Unico. Without ISEE you will be assigned the minimum amount (~57 euros/month per child). When ISEE is ready — they will recalculate and add payments for the missed months.
Bonus Bollette: discounts on utilities {#bonus-bollette}
The Bonus Sociale for electricity, gas and water is an automatic discount for families with low ISEE. Since 2021 the bonus is applied automatically after obtaining ISEE — no separate application is needed.
| Type of bonus | ISEE up to 9,796 euros | ISEE up to 20,000 euros (4+ children) | Amount (approx.) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Electricity (1-2 persons) | yes | yes | ~146 euros/year |
| Electricity (3-4 persons) | yes | yes | ~186 euros/year |
| Electricity (5+ persons) | yes | yes | ~204 euros/year |
| Gas | yes | yes | 50-220 euros/year (depends on zone) |
| Water | yes | yes | discount on volume |
From the utilities discussion
"If various benefits are usually given at a fairly low ISEE — for example, for utility payments. With forfettario after paying INPS and taxes it’s hard to remain 'well-off' by ISEE — so many have chances."
From a discussion on taxes and benefits in the community
Bonus is applied automatically
If your ISEE is below the threshold — the discount will appear on your utility bill automatically. You do not need to do anything except obtain ISEE. This works via data exchange between INPS and energy providers.
Other bonuses and allowances {#other-bonuses}
Bonus Nido (nursery reimbursement)
If your child attends nursery (asilo nido, from 0 to 3 years), the state reimburses part of the costs:
- ISEE up to 25,000 euros: up to 3,600 euros/year
- ISEE from 25,001 to 40,000 euros: up to 2,500 euros/year
- ISEE above 40,000 euros: up to 1,500 euros/year
The application is submitted through INPS with attached payment receipts.
Bonus Nuovi Nati 2026
New bonus from 2026: a one-time payment of 1,000 euros for each child born or adopted from January 1, 2026. Available with ISEE up to 40,000 euros.
Esenzione Ticket (free healthcare)
From community experience
"ISEE for esenzione — if income is small, you can get exemption for free doctor visits, tests and discounts on essential medicines. To reduce the cost of tests — you need to obtain an exemption code for low ISEE."
Practical tip from a resident
Exemption codes (esenzione) are assigned by category: age, income, chronic diseases, unemployment. With a low ISEE you get code E01, which gives the right to free doctor visits and tests.
Borsa di Studio (university scholarship)
Student experience
"With low income shown through ISEE, tuition is symbolic — 200-300 euros per year. Besides that, there is a regional borsa di studio. All my friends who entered a master’s applied for the DSU scholarship."
Experience of a public university student
For students ISEE determines: tuition fees (from 0 to full cost), eligibility for scholarship (borsa di studio), access to student housing and reduced meals in the university canteen (mensa).
Patronato: free help with documents
Not only CAF
Patronato are organizations that provide free help with processing any social documents. They can help file unemployment benefit applications, arrange ISEE, deal with INPS. Patronato are available at unions CGIL, CISL, UIL — in almost every city.
NASPI: unemployment benefit {#naspi}
NASPI (Nuova Assicurazione Sociale per l’Impiego) is the unemployment benefit for those who worked as employees (lavoro dipendente). It does not depend on ISEE, but is important for understanding the whole social support system.
Conditions:
- dismissal not by your own choice (or contract termination)
- at least 13 weeks worked in the last 4 years
- at least 30 working days in the last 12 months
Amount: about 75% of the average wage over the last 4 years (max ~1,470 euros/month in 2026).
Duration: up to 24 months, depending on work history. Rule: every 4 months of work = 2 months of benefit.
Important warning
"I was at the CAF and was told I had gifted money to the state. If you don’t apply for the benefit on time — that money is not added. You must apply for NASPI within 68 days after dismissal. If you miss the deadline — it’s gone."
Bitter experience from the chat
Voluntary resignation
If you resigned voluntarily — NASPI is not due. Only if you were dismissed, or a fixed-term contract ended, or dismissal by mutual agreement under certain conditions. This is critically important to know before signing a resignation letter.
Tax deductions without ISEE {#detrazioni}
Which benefits are available even without obtaining ISEE?
A number of tax deductions (detrazioni fiscali) are available to all tax residents, regardless of ISEE:
- Rent deduction — part of the rent is deducted from the tax base (if you have a contract)
- Medical expense deduction — 19% of medical expenses above 129 euros per year
- Home renovation deduction — up to 50% of renovation costs (bonus ristrutturazione)
- Appliance deduction — for modernization and energy efficiency improvements
- Education deduction — part of tuition fees
- Mortgage interest deduction — 19% of paid interest (up to 4,000 euros)
Practical advice
"There are several tax deductions available without ISEE: mortgage interest, home renovation, part of tuition fees, medical expenses. Appliance purchases also have a deduction linked to modernization and energy efficiency — this is separate from the renovation deduction."
Clarification from a community member
Keep all receipts
In Italy you can reclaim 19% of expenses for medicine, education and many other items through the annual tax return. The key condition is payment by non-cash methods (card, transfer) and keeping receipts. Cash payments are not accepted for deductions (except for medicines and medical devices).
Common mistakes and how to avoid them {#mistakes}
- Not getting ISEE at all — the most frequent mistake. Even if you think your income is "too high" — after deductions and franchises ISEE can be much lower than you expect
- Getting ISEE too late — benefits start from the month of submission. Applying in December means losing 11 months of bonuses
- Forgetting to renew ISEE — valid until December 31. In January you need to submit a new one, otherwise all payments will stop
- Not declaring foreign assets — if expenses do not match declared income, this will trigger an audit. Penalties for undeclared assets are severe
- Not applying for NASPI on time — 68 days after dismissal. Miss it — money is lost forever
- Confusing CAF and Patronato — CAF calculates ISEE and helps with taxes. Patronato helps with social matters (NASPI, pension, INPS). They often work in the same building, but these are different services
Warning from the community
"An acquaintance’s wife received benefits from the state, the husband deposited 300 euros a month to her account. After 2 years an audit found that with those 300 she no longer qualified for the benefit. Ruling: return all benefit received for 2 years plus a 20% fine."
Real case from the immigration chat
ISEE and residence permit renewal
Low ISEE does not directly affect renewal of a residence permit. For renewal the actual income is important (minimum 8,500 euros for one person + 4,000 for each dependent). ISEE and the minimum income for a residence permit are different things. You can have sufficient income for a residence permit and at the same time a low ISEE to receive benefits.
Conclusions {#conclusions}
Without ISEE you will not get child benefits, discounts on utilities, healthcare and education benefits. You must apply for it every year, in January-February.
Calculation of ISEE at an official CAF at a union is free. Do not pay intermediaries. CAF CGIL, CISL, UIL are in every city.
A family with children can receive 5,000 - 10,000 euros per year through Assegno Unico, Bonus Nido, discounts on utilities and school. Even a single resident is entitled to bollette bonuses and medical deductions.
The new home franchise (91,500 euros instead of 52,500) and the improved scale for families with children mean more people qualify for benefits. Submit ISEE now — it will be recalculated under the new rules.
Understating income and hiding assets is a risk of fines and having to return all benefits received. From 2026 crypto must also be shown. Better an honest ISEE with moderate benefits than a zero one risking an audit.