Montavia
Swiss Precision. Italian Lifestyle.
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Eiger, Mönch and Jungfrau panorama with alpine ridgeline in the Bernese Oberland
Cross-Border Residency & Tax Structuring for Principals, Founders & Family Offices

Swiss Precision.
Italian Lifestyle.

One advisory desk coordinating residency, taxation, banking, property, and family integration across Italy and Switzerland — from initial strategy through post-move compliance.

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Chambers-Ranked Immigration Counsel
Big-4 Tax Advisory Network
Swiss Private Banking Introductions
25 Years On the Ground

Over 6,500 high-net-worth individuals relocate to Italy and Switzerland each year. Most navigate it through a patchwork of advisors across two legal systems. Montavia delivers it from one desk.

Montavia Relocation is the private advisory for internationally mobile individuals and families establishing residence in Italy or Switzerland. We manage every phase — tax structuring, residency permits, property, construction oversight, banking, education, and post-move compliance — through a closed network of vetted specialists built over 25 years on the ground. Every step documented. Every milestone accountable. One point of contact.


Client Qualification

Who Montavia Works With

Founders & Exits

Entrepreneurs post-exit seeking tax-efficient European residency with lifestyle integration

Family Offices

Relocating principals and key personnel with multi-jurisdictional structuring requirements

Investors & HNWI

Individuals entering Italy's €300K flat-tax regime or Swiss Pauschalbesteuerung

US & UK Nationals

Americans establishing European residency and UK non-doms seeking post-Brexit alternatives

Gulf-Based Families

UAE, Saudi, and Qatari families seeking European education, property, and lifestyle access

Professionals & Executives

Senior executives and skilled professionals qualifying for Italy's Impatriati 50% income exemption


Tuscan vineyard estate with cypress avenue and rolling hills at golden hour

Every jurisdiction. Every milestone.
One structured process.

From initial assessment to full integration — every step is mapped, measured, and executed.


0
Millionaires relocating
to Italy annually
Henley & Partners Global Wealth Migration Review 2024
0
Millionaires relocating
to Switzerland annually
UBS Global Wealth Report 2024
0
On-the-ground network
across both nations
Since 2001
0
Italian flat-tax
regime duration
Art. 24-bis TUIR, updated 2024

Two Programmes. One Accountable Desk.

The Complete Cross-Border
Relocation Architecture

The Vita Programme

Strategic Relocation to Italy

  • €300K flat tax coordination — A fixed annual payment covering all worldwide income for up to 15 years. Extended to family members at €25,000 each. Updated from €100K under the 2024 Budget Law reform.

    Art. 24-bis TUIR — The regime applies to individuals who have not been Italian tax residents for at least 9 of the prior 10 years. Italian-source income remains subject to standard rates.

  • Zero inheritance tax on foreign assets during the 15-year regime
  • IVIE & IVAFE exemptions — No wealth tax on foreign real estate or financial assets
  • Golden Visa structuring — Investor visa from €250K with full Schengen access
  • Property & renovation oversight — Trusted construction partners across all regions
  • Municipal navigation — Direct relationships with local authorities and former officials
  • Impatriati regime — 50% income exemption for skilled professionals relocating

Northern Italy Milan · Como · Lago Maggiore · Südtirol · Florence · Tuscany

Southern Italy Rome · Amalfi · Puglia · Sardinia · Sicily

The Helvetia Programme

Structured Residency in Switzerland

  • Pauschalbesteuerung — Lump-sum taxation calculated on annual living expenses (typically 7x rental value), not worldwide income. Available to non-Swiss nationals who do not engage in gainful employment in Switzerland.
  • No federal inheritance or gift tax — Most cantons exempt close relatives entirely
  • 26 cantons of fiscal sovereignty — Each with distinct, optimisable tax structures
  • CHF stability — Sound currency, institutional discretion, and banking excellence
  • Treaty optimisation — Leveraging Switzerland's extensive double-tax treaty network
  • Private banking introductions — Pre-screened relationships with Pictet, Lombard Odier, Julius Baer, and EFG International
  • Cross-border telework — Structured remote-work arrangements from Italy under the bilateral CH-IT telework framework, avoiding dual-taxation triggers

Key cantons Ticino · Zug · Schwyz · Zurich · Geneva · Vaud · St. Moritz


Full Geographic Coverage

Every Region. Every Canton.

Italy — North to South

MilanLake ComoFlorence Lago MaggioreSüdtirolTuscany RomeAmalfi CoastPuglia SardiniaSicilyLiguria VenetoUmbria

Switzerland — All Cantons

LuganoZugZurichSt. Moritz GenevaSchwyzVaud BaselBernLucerne TicinoValais

Italian stone villa with lavender garden and cypress tree in Umbrian hills

Property acquisition.
Renovation oversight. Precision execution.

Every detail planned, every phase managed — from sourcing to completion.


Six Pillars of Execution

The Montavia Infrastructure

01

Tax & Residency Strategy

Pre-move modelling across both fiscal regimes. Italy flat-tax structuring. Swiss lump-sum coordination. Treaty optimisation under the CH–IT double taxation agreement. Succession planning bridging cantonal and Italian inheritance frameworks.

Coordinated WithBig-4 Tax Advisors
& Swiss Fiduciaries
02

Legal & Immigration Structuring

Full permit management — Swiss B and C permits, Italian investor visas, and precise residency timing. Working alongside Chambers-ranked immigration counsel to avoid dual-year complications and exit-tax exposure.

Coordinated WithChambers-Ranked
Immigration Counsel
03

Private Banking & Wealth Interface

Pre-screened introductions to leading Swiss private banks — Lombard Odier, Julius Baer, Pictet, EFG. Account structuring, KYC acceleration, asset transfer coordination, and mortgage facilitation in both jurisdictions.

Introductions ToPictet · Lombard Odier
Julius Baer · EFG
04

Property Acquisition & Renovation

Off-market property sourcing, due diligence coordination, Lex Koller compliance for Swiss purchases. Full renovation oversight through trusted construction partners — Northern and Southern Italy, plus key Swiss locations.

Delivered ByVetted Local Partners
Across All Regions
05

Family Integration

International school placement and application management. Private healthcare registration. Household staffing — from au pairs to estate managers. Club memberships, cultural introductions, and the networks that matter.

CoveringTop-Tier International
Schools & Private Healthcare
06

Governance & Confidential Execution

Single point of accountability across every specialist. Municipal navigation through direct relationships with local authorities and retired officials. Ongoing compliance, annual renewals, and administrative oversight under strict confidentiality.

StandardFamily-Office
Operating Protocol

Category Distinction

Why Montavia. Not Anyone Else.

Dual MasteryEqual depth. Both jurisdictions.

Not a Swiss firm with an Italian afterthought. Not an Italian firm pretending to understand cantonal tax law. Equal expertise in both — because the corridor demands it.

25-Year NetworkRelationships, not referrals.

Attorneys, accountants, municipal officials, construction partners, private bankers — built over two decades across Italy and Switzerland. When we call, things happen immediately.

Municipal AccessThe advantage no one else has.

Direct relationships with local authorities and retired officials who navigate municipal processes with precision. Compliance without friction. Registration without delay.

Build CapabilityBeyond sourcing — execution.

Trusted construction and renovation partners across all Italian regions. We don't just find your property — we oversee its transformation with on-the-ground project management.

Single DeskYou call one number.

One dedicated advisor coordinates ten specialists. Tax counsel, immigration lawyers, bankers, property agents, schools — orchestrated through a single, accountable point of contact.

Trilingual FluencyEnglish. German. Italian.

Every conversation, every document, every negotiation — conducted natively in your language and the language of the jurisdiction. Nothing is lost in translation.


Luke Espir — Founder, Montavia Relocation
The Advisory Principal

Luke Espir

Founder, Montavia Relocation

Luke has operated at the intersection of Switzerland, Italy, and Germany for over 25 years — building one of Europe's most extensive private networks across municipal authorities, property developers, tax advisors, and immigration counsel in the Alpine corridor.

Before founding Montavia, Luke built Lukevent AG into a leading boutique event consultancy serving discerning international clients. That same network — and the same commitment to institutional-grade execution under strict confidentiality — now powers every Montavia relocation.

25+Years in CH–IT Corridor
3Languages Native
2Jurisdictions Mastered

Execution Proof

Case Example — Anonymised

Client Profile
Technology founder, post-exit. Family of four.
Origin
California, United States
Destination
Florence, Italy
Timeline
Initial strategy to move completion: 6 months
Scope of Engagement
  • Italian investor visa structuring
  • €300K flat-tax election (Art. 24-bis TUIR)
  • Swiss private banking structure retained
  • Off-market property acquisition in Florence
  • Renovation oversight — 4-month timeline managed
  • International school placement for two children
  • Municipal registration and post-move compliance

All worldwide income covered under a single annual flat-tax payment. Family residency secured. Children enrolled. Property renovated and occupied within six months of first briefing.


Structured Execution

The Montavia 6-Phase Process

1
Confidential Briefing
Week 1
2
Fiscal Modelling
Weeks 2–3
3
Residency Strategy
Weeks 3–5
4
Banking & Structuring
Weeks 4–8
5
Property Acquisition
Months 2–6
6
Family Integration
Months 3–12

Before You Commit

The Relocation Preview

3–5 Days On the Ground · From €10,000

A structured due-diligence immersion for families exploring life in Italy or Switzerland. Not a tour — a framework for making an informed decision, delivered with the people who will execute your relocation.

Tax Advisor Meeting Private Banker Introduction Property Viewings School Visits Municipal Orientation Neighbourhood Immersion
Request a Preview

Zurich Grossmünster twin towers with Lake Zurich and bridge at golden hour
"
We left Dubai expecting chaos — new tax rules, residence permits, finding the right international school in Ticino. Montavia had every step mapped out before we even landed.
Private Client — UAE-Based Family Office Principal, Now Resident in Lugano
Moving from the US to Italy felt overwhelming on paper. Montavia handled the visa process, found us a home near Santo Spirito, and even helped our children settle into their new school — all before our container ship arrived.
Private Client — Technology Founder, Relocated from California to Florence
We wanted the Puglia lifestyle but had no idea where to start with Italian bureaucracy. Montavia guided us through every permit, every document, and introduced us to people who made Bari feel like home from day one.
Private Client — UK Non-Dom Family, Relocated Post-Brexit to Puglia

Relocating to Italy or Switzerland as a High-Net-Worth Individual

Whether you are considering Italy's €300,000 flat-tax regime for foreign income, Switzerland's lump-sum taxation (Pauschalbesteuerung), or an Italian investor visa from €250,000, the structuring decisions made before your move define everything that follows — from inheritance exposure to banking access to your children's school placement.

Montavia advises principals relocating from the United States, United Kingdom, UAE, and across Europe. Our mandates span Milan, Lake Como, Florence, Lugano, Zug, Zurich, and Geneva — wherever the Alpine residency corridor meets your family's needs. We coordinate tax advisors, immigration counsel, Swiss private bankers, and property specialists under one confidential mandate.

We also prepare a private 2026 Relocation Strategy Briefing — a jurisdiction-by-jurisdiction comparison covering Italy's flat-tax regime, Swiss lump-sum structures, property restrictions, banking timelines, and family integration pathways. Available on request during your confidential consultation.


Request a Private Relocation Strategy Session

A 30-minute strategic consultation covering Italy vs Switzerland tax positioning, residency pathway analysis, and banking and property considerations. Montavia accepts a limited number of relocation mandates per year to maintain discretion and execution quality.

Advisory Office — ZugRothusstrasse 21, 6331 Hünenberg, Switzerland
Switzerland's global centre for international tax residency

All consultations are conducted under strict confidentiality. Montavia does not provide legal or tax advice directly — we coordinate with licensed professionals in each jurisdiction.

Inquiry Received

Thank you. A member of our advisory team will respond within 24 hours.