Anyone moved from UK to Italy with 3 children?

[GoofyIsACow]

It’s an on/off pipedream which we may just be able to make happen but now it could happen i’m nervous!
3 DS’ age 10, 11 and 13
DH has family links over there and I speak Italian (although not confidently enough to deal with a house purchase!)
I looked at a residential let but it seems you have to be an Italian resident for that?
Any advice or experiences good or bad are very welcome.
Thank you

[Melassa]

I would disagree about all the bureaucracy being worse or more time consuming than the U.K., it used to be the case, but I find I can do a lot more online in Italy compared to the UK. For instance, I needed to send a legal document to Lawyers in England, for the type of document I needed to send here in Italy I can sign virtually and use a secure mailbox to send, which is as valid as registered post. For the English lawyer they needed a “wet” signature and sending via registered post.

The banks are easy, now you can book appointments online, as is the comune -you also book appointments online for things like your ID card or other stuff you need to go in person for, then for your actual appointment you are in and out in under half an hour. Much better than just turning up and waiting all morning! A lot of docs are now available online or you can do a self certification so even less faffing about.

The post office is still shit though, which is why I am a huge fan of the secure mailbox.

[Geamhradh]

@Melassa

I would disagree about all the bureaucracy being worse or more time consuming than the U.K., it used to be the case, but I find I can do a lot more online in Italy compared to the UK. For instance, I needed to send a legal document to Lawyers in England, for the type of document I needed to send here in Italy I can sign virtually and use a secure mailbox to send, which is as valid as registered post. For the English lawyer they needed a “wet” signature and sending via registered post.

The banks are easy, now you can book appointments online, as is the comune -you also book appointments online for things like your ID card or other stuff you need to go in person for, then for your actual appointment you are in and out in under half an hour. Much better than just turning up and waiting all morning! A lot of docs are now available online or you can do a self certification so even less faffing about.

The post office is still shit though, which is why I am a huge fan of the secure mailbox.

I'd agree with that.
When it works, it's amazing.
Vaccination booking for DD on Friday, sorted within 12 minutes, despite being told over 8,000 in the online queue in front of me.
The online fascicolo sanitario is brilliant- the whole Spid system works well. Within 2 hours of my second dose I could download my Covid pass, and of course we can get the green one on 1st July.
School bureaucracy is a lot less bureaucratic than in the UK.
I have gallstones, booked my own scan in January (the day the GP gave me the prescription for it) had my scan, and now decide when I want my gallbladder out with my GP. Friends in the UK wait for months just for a scan.
I submitted my tax forms last week. Less than 5 minutes.
I received 2 Covid bonuses in the past year without even asking. Because I'm registered as self-employed the bonus just arrived.

[markkappy]

not with 3 but with two .. yes. not so bad experience but we decided to hire local company to help us with packign and shifting our belongings so we could focus on finding new school, transferring documents etc, if you need solid team we recommend company offering removals to italy - click and check

[whatcangowrong]

I know this is an old thread and not specific to Milan, but we are also considering a move with 3 young kids, to Milan. If anyone has any insights it would be amazing to hear.

We will have rental and moving support. I'll need to find a job...

kids will be just getting to school age (eldest will be 3, youngest still cooking) and we were assuming international schools but open to being corrected. Keen for them to learn Italian but also remain English (and they don't speak that very well yet!).

Any nice suburbs in Milan for someone used to leafy SW London?

[Signoramarella]

Hiya ive just moved back from italy after 20 years there. If you can pay private school, do it. Otherwise , unadvisable. The state school.system is dreadful. We were in como area. Pm me I you want!!

[whatcangowrong]

Hi @Signoramarella thanks for reply! I may pm you thank you, on the app atm.

We can afford private school. We also will stay max ten years due to tax situation and children's ages. So want them to have a good chance of transitioning back to school in uk, probably private but not certainly.

Any thoughts on mIlan or monza? Hearing mixed things re monza eg family friendly vs provincial 😜

[Geamhradh]

@Signoramarella

Hiya ive just moved back from italy after 20 years there. If you can pay private school, do it. Otherwise , unadvisable. The state school.system is dreadful. We were in como area. Pm me I you want!!

All of them?
What bollocks.