The short answer for Pakistanis in Italy
The short answer
The best setup for Pakistanis in Italy is Wise as your day-one account — no codice fiscale or residence needed, and the cheapest mainstream route for EUR→PKR transfers to bank accounts. Once your codice fiscale arrives, open N26 for a free everyday account with an Italian IBAN. BancoPosta is the universal in-person option — post offices everywhere, basic accounts open to non-residents — while Intesa Sanpaolo is the strongest traditional bank for settled life. Revolut works as a multi-currency sidekick. For PKR transfers to mobile money (Easypaisa/JazzCash), pair Wise with Remitly.
Pakistanis in Italy — a large community across Lombardy, Lazio and the north — face two Italian hurdles: the codice fiscale (free Italian tax code, mandatory at every traditional bank) and the permesso di soggiorno (or the postal receipt proving your application). Generic expat guides compare banks for everyone; this guide scores them for Pakistanis: which accept your passport without friction, which give you an Italian IBAN, and which move money to Pakistan cheapest — to bank accounts and to mobile money.
→ Best Bank Account for Bangladeshis in Italy — October 2026 Guide
Expert-Score comparison: 5 accounts for Pakistanis in Italy
| Account | Monthly fee | Italian IBAN | Opens without codice fiscale | English support | Pakistan transfer ease | Expert Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wise | €0 | No (European IBAN) | Yes | Full | 5/5 | 9.1/10 |
| N26 | €0 (Standard) | Yes (with Italian residence) | No | Full | 3/5 | 9.0/10 |
| BancoPosta (Poste Italiane) | From €2/month; Basic €30/yr (waivable) | Yes | No | Limited | 2/5 | 8.2/10 |
| Revolut | €0 (Standard) | No (LT IBAN) | Yes | Full | 4/5 | 7.6/10 |
| Intesa Sanpaolo | €3–8/month | Yes | No | Good in cities | 2/5 | 7.9/10 |
Wise is not a bank: money is safeguarded rather than covered by deposit insurance. Scores below are the editorial judgment of the ExpatMoneyEU Research Team; see the methodology box for criteria and weights.
Start free today — the day-one accounts cost nothing to open:
Open Wise Account → Open N26 Account → Open Remitly Account →→ Best Bank Account for Turks in Italy — October 2026 Guide
1. Wise — the day-one account and cheapest PKR corridor
Wise (multi-currency account)
Wise is the natural first account for Pakistanis landing in Italy: the only option in this list that opens without Italian residence and without a codice fiscale. Open it before you fly and you arrive with working euros — essential when the codice fiscale, permesso and rental paperwork all demand money before they are complete.
For the Pakistan corridor, Wise is the cheapest mainstream route for bank-to-bank EUR→PKR transfers: the real mid-market rate plus one transparent fee shown before you confirm — typically a fraction of what an Italian bank wire costs once FX markups are included. One corridor note: Wise delivers to Pakistani bank accounts; for Easypaisa or JazzCash mobile-money delivery, pair it with Remitly or WorldRemit.
Limitations: Wise is not a bank (funds are safeguarded, not deposit-insured) and it does not issue an Italian IBAN — so it is your starter and your transfer engine, not your only account.
→ Wise vs Remitly EUR→BDT — October 2026 Transfer Guide
2. N26 — the best free everyday account with an Italian IBAN
N26 Standard
N26 is the cleanest everyday account a Pakistani expat can hold in Italy: free, fully in English, and able to issue an Italian IBAN when you open with an Italian address and codice fiscale. The Italian IBAN ends the quiet friction around salary portals and direct-debit systems that sometimes reject foreign IBANs — and it is the account most Italian landlords and employers accept without a second look.
Opening takes 10–20 minutes by video ID; Pakistani passports are accepted in the online identity check. The free Standard plan includes a virtual Mastercard, Apple Pay and Google Pay, and sub-accounts for budgeting. Eurozone ATM withdrawals are free within a monthly allowance on Standard, with a small per-withdrawal fee beyond that — verify the current price list.
The one requirement: Italian residence and a codice fiscale. Wise covers you until your paperwork lands.
→ How to Open a Bank Account in Italy as an Expat (2026 Step-by-Step)
3. BancoPosta — the universal in-person option
BancoPosta (Poste Italiane)
BancoPosta is Italy’s most migrant-friendly in-person banking option: a post office exists in virtually every town, staff are used to foreign clients, and the Conto di Base (Basic Account) is an EU legal right — even non-residents can open one. While your permesso processes, the postal receipt (ricevuta postale) is generally accepted as proof of legal stay.
Fees are modest: the Basic Account runs about €30 a year (reducible or waivable for low-income holders); standard accounts start around €2 a month. App and support lean Italian, and international transfer fees are traditional-bank expensive — run your Pakistan transfers through Wise or Remitly instead. BancoPosta is your salary-and-bills anchor.
→ Best Bank Accounts in Italy for Expats — the October 2026 Flagship Guide
4. Revolut — the multi-currency sidekick
Revolut Standard
Revolut’s free Standard plan is a strong companion for Pakistanis in Italy: instant currency conversion, a card that works everywhere, and quick transfers between Revolut users. It opens in minutes with no Italian paperwork, so it pairs well with Wise as a day-one setup.
Two caveats: it issues a Lithuanian (LT) IBAN — legally acceptable everywhere under SEPA rules, but some Italian landlords and payroll systems still reject non-IT IBANs. And watch the weekend FX markup on volatile pairs — convert EUR→PKR on weekdays for the best rate.
→ Italy's Special Tax Regimes for Expats 2026: Flat Tax, Impatriati & 7% Guide
5. Intesa Sanpaolo — the full-service bank for settled life
Intesa Sanpaolo (conto corrente)
Intesa Sanpaolo is Italy’s largest retail bank and the account that unlocks everything long-term: branches in every major city, English-speaking staff in expat-area branches, and the full product range — mortgages, loans, investments — that neobanks do not offer. Several 2026 expat guides rank it the top traditional choice for foreigners, with activation in as little as 48 hours in some cities.
Expect the full document pack: Pakistani passport, codice fiscale, permesso di soggiorno, proof of Italian address and sometimes proof of income. Fees run €3–8 a month — the price of the branch network. This is the account traditional employers respect most — open it after N26 and Wise have you running.
→ Best Bank Account for Bangladeshis in Italy — October 2026 Guide
Scenario framework: which account for which Pakistani expat
- Student in Milan or Rome: Wise on arrival for spending + receiving support money, N26 once your codice fiscale lands. Monthly cost: €0.
- Worker sending money home monthly: N26 for salary (Italian IBAN accepted everywhere), Wise for bank-to-bank PKR transfers, Remitly when the family needs Easypaisa or JazzCash mobile money.
- Family in a smaller town: BancoPosta — the post office is near you, staff know the permesso paperwork, and the Basic Account is affordable.
- Permesso still processing: Wise immediately (no Italian documents needed), then a BancoPosta Basic Account with the postal receipt — it is your legal right as an EU resident.
→ How to Open a Bank Account in Italy as an Expat (2026 Step-by-Step)
How we compared: the methodology
How we compared
Fees and features checked: provider price lists plus the October 2026 expat banking comparison tables from lifetti.com, expatica and globalcitizensolutions. Criteria and weights: monthly cost (25%), Italian IBAN access (20%), codice-fiscale/permesso friction — how early you can open (20%), Pakistan (PKR) transfer ease — bank + mobile money (15%), English-language support (10%), banking licence and deposit protection (10%). Scores are the editorial judgment of the ExpatMoneyEU Research Team — not financial advice. Any worked fee examples on this page are illustrative figures showing our comparison method; always verify current fees with the provider before opening an account or sending money.
We re-check fees against provider price lists and the October 2026 comparison tables each time a provider changes its pricing — scores are then updated, never backdated.
→ Wise vs Remitly EUR→BDT — October 2026 Transfer Guide
Practical tips: codice fiscale, permesso and timing
- Codice fiscale first: free at any Agenzia delle Entrate office (about 30 minutes in person) or via the Italian consulate in Pakistan before you fly. Almost every Italian account requires it.
- Keep the ricevuta postale: the postal receipt from your permesso application is accepted as proof of legal stay by most banks while your permit processes.
- Match the transfer to the receiver: bank account in Pakistan → Wise; Easypaisa or JazzCash → Remitly or WorldRemit. Never a bank wire.
- Marca da bollo €16: the revenue stamp (tabacchi shops) appears in several bureaucratic steps, including some account openings.
- Fees change: monthly canone fees and ATM limits are revised regularly — check the provider’s current price list before applying.
→ Best Bank Account for Turks in Italy — October 2026 Guide
What to watch in 2027
Italian banks revise their price lists each January — re-check monthly fees and card costs. SEPA instant transfers keep making cross-border speeds faster across the eurozone, and PKR corridors keep gaining mobile-money options — which usually pushes transfer costs down over time. None of this is a reason to wait: the free accounts above cost nothing to open now.
→ Wise vs Remitly EUR→BDT — October 2026 Transfer Guide
Open your Italy setup today — free accounts cost nothing to start:
Open Wise Account → Open N26 Account → Open Remitly Account →