VISA AND TRAVEL GUIDANCE
To know about visa procedures, please visit the website https://www.schengenvisainfo.com/italy-visa/ In most of the countries, Italian Embassies issue Schengen Visa to the eligible applicants. Please access the website of Italian Embassy in your country.
Based on above website of Schengen Visa for Italy, we are adding some important information as under:
Italy Entry Requirements
All EU / EEA nationals will only need to present an identification document to enter Italy due to the common travel area of the Schengen Zone, part of which Italy is. In the meantime, if you are a non-EU/EEA traveller wishing to visit Italy, San Marino or the Vatican, you will need to present the following at the Italian port of entry in order to be permitted to enter:
- A valid passport or travel document. Valid for at least three more months beyond their planned date of Exit from Schengen and issued within the last ten years.
- A visa - if they are subject to the Italian visa regime.
Other documents such as an invitation letter from an Italian host, proof you have the financial means for a trip to Italy or a round-trip ticket, may be required from you. For more information in this regard, contact the local consular services of Italy in your country of residence.
Moreover, the Italian border officer may ask you a few questions related to your trip to Italy, i.e.:
- What is your purpose for visiting Italy?
- How long do you intend to stay in Italy?
- Where are you going to stay in Italy? Etc.
Note that the Italian border police holds the final decision if you shall be permitted to enter Italy or not. If the Italian border officer concludes that you are no risk for Italy, upon checking your documents, you will be permitted to enter Italy, and thus the Schengen territory.
Please, make sure that the Italian border officer stamps your passport when you enter Italy. Without a stamp, you could be fined or detained from Italy.
Who Needs a Schengen Visa to Enter Italy?
You will need a short-stay visa to enter Italy and any other member country of the Schengen zone if you belong to one of the following categories:
- You are the national of a third-world country that has not reached a visa liberalization agreement with the Schengen states
- You are the national of a third-world country that has signed a visa liberalization agreement with the Schengen states, but you were previously rejected from entering Italy or any other Schengen country.
What Documents Are Required When Applying for an Italian Schengen Visa?
The following documents are required for any short-term Italian Schengen visa application:
- Italian visa application form. Complete the form and then print it. Sign in at the end after you print it. Make sure the information you have given in this form complies with the information given in the rest of the required documents for an Italy visa.
- One passport-size picture. The picture must have been taken in the last six months and in compliance with Italy photograph visa requirements.
- Valid passport. You will need to submit your passport along with the rest of the visa-required documents. Make sure your passport has at least two blank pages in order to affix the visa and:
- It is not older than ten years.
- Has a validity of at least three more months beyond the date you plan to leave Italy and the whole territory of Schengen.
- Your residence permit card along with a copy (if you are not a citizen of the country from which you are applying).
- Proof of accommodation:
- Hotel reservation. (Check Booking.com or HotelsCombined to find cheap hotels in Italy!)
- If you have a host in Italy: Completed and signed copy of the sponsorship form along with a copy of the passport and the Italian residence permit card of your host (if applicable).
- Proof of travel (as applicable):
- Round trip ticket, reservation, or flight itinerary.
- Proof of the availability of personal transportation.
- Ferry ticket.
- Schengen travel visa insurance. Health insurance for the whole territory of Italy and the Schengen Area. Minimal health insurance coverage for the Schengen Zone is €30,000.
Travel health insurance policies for foreigners visiting Italy that fulfil Italian Visa requirements can be purchased online from Europ Assistance or Mondial Care. Travel insurance policies issued by both companies are accepted by Italian authorities worldwide.
- Proof of sufficient financial means for the period of stay in Italy. The Italian authorities want you to prove you have the necessary financial means to support yourself throughout your stay in Italy. You will need to prove you have the following amount depending on the length of your stay.
- Up to 5 days – The overall amount is 269.60€ per person and 212.81 per two and more persons.
- 6-10 days – The daily amount is 44.93€ per person and 26.33€ per two and more persons.
- 11-20 days – The overall amount is 51.64€ per person and 25.82€ per two and more persons, plus the daily amount is 36.67€ per person and 22.21€ per two and more persons.
- Over 20 days – The overall amount is 206.58€ per person and 118.79€ per two and more persons, plus the daily amount is 27.89€ per person and 17.04€ per two and more persons.
- Proof of civil status. This could be a marriage certificate, birth certificate of children, death certificate of spouse, etc. Civil status documents should not be older than six months.
- If requested:
- Copies of relevant pages in your passport, such as pages containing previous visas.
- A cover letter. A personal letter in which you explain why you are applying to visit Italy, how long you plan to stay, when will you leave and other relevant details of the trip.
- Document checklist. Tick the documents submitted and add the document checklist to your application file. The checklist is usually available from the Italian Consulate/Embassy.
Citizens of Pakistan and Afghanistan, Iraq, and Palestine and Travel Document Holders
Citizens of Pakistan, Afghanistan, Iraq, Palestine and Travel Documents holders (with the three letters code XXA or XXB appearing in the ICAO) must provide a birth certificate or Consular declaration containing the full names of their mother and father.
Italy Tourist Visa Requirements
If you intend to visit Italy under the sole purpose of tourism, i.e. Vacation, recreation, experiencing the country and its culture or sightseeing, then you will have to apply for an Italy Tourist Visa.
Required Documents for a Tourist Schengen Visa to Italy
When applying to obtain an Italian Tourist visa, you must provide the following additional documents:
- Bank statement. Preferably for the last 6 months.
- Travel Itinerary. A description of your trip day-to-day.
- Proof of how you will be financing your trip to Italy.
Italy Visitor Visa Requirements
When travelling to Italy upon the invitation of a friend or a family member residing in Italy, you will need to hold an Italy Visitor visa in order to be permitted to enter and remain in Italy for up to 90 days within a 6-month period.
Required Documents for a Schengen Visitor Visa to Italy
When applying to obtain a visa to visit your friends or relatives in Italy, you must provide the following additional documents:
- Proof of financial means. Evidence that shows you have enough money to support yourself throughout your stay in Italy. This could be a:
- Bank certification, bank books, Personal bank statements, credit card statements or balance covering the last six months.
- Sponsorship Letter. When another person will be financially sponsoring your trip to Italy. It is also often called an Affidavit of Support.
- Travel Itinerary. Detailed day-to-day plan of your trip to Italy.
- Letter of Invitation. By the relative/friend residing in Italy, inviting you to visit.
- Proof of relationship with the host residing in Italy.
How to Apply for an Italian Short-Stay Visa?
In order to complete the application process to obtain a short-stay visa to Italy, you must follow these steps:
- Find out where you need to apply for an Italy visa.
- Figure out which Italian visa type you need.
- Fulfil the application form for an Italian short-stay visa.
- Collect the required documents for an Italy visa.
- Appoint a visa interview with the Italian Embassy/Consulate or a visa application centre in your country of residence.
- Attend the interview.
- Wait for the processing of your Italian Schengen visa.
Where to Apply for an Italian Short-Stay Visa?
The Italian presence in each world country has regulated visa submission differently. As a result, you may have to apply at one of the following Italy diplomatic bodies in your country of residence:
- The Italian Embassy
- The Italian consulate
- A Visa Application Center to which Italy has outsourced visa submission
- The Embassy / Consulate of another Schengen country to which Italy has outsourced visa submission
Who Can Apply for a Schengen Visa at the Italian Embassy/Consulate?
In order to be eligible to submit your short-stay visa application at an Italian Embassy/Consulate/VAC, one of the following statements must correspond to your situation:
- Aside from Italy, you will not visit any other Schengen country.
- You will visit more Schengen states, but Italy is your main destination, which means:
- You will be spending more days in Italy, than in the other countries.
- You will be spending an equal amount of days in each country, but you will enter the Schengen Zone through Italy.
Moreover, you will be permitted to file an Italy short-stay visa application at an Italian Embassy / Consulate / VAC only if you are a:
- A citizen of the country from where you are applying.
- A foreign citizen on a permanent/temporary residence permit in the country from where you are applying.
You cannot apply for a short-stay Italian visa from a country in which you are currently on a visa.
How Long Does It Take to Get an Italian Visa?
The processing time for an Italian short-stay visa may take up to 15 days. Still, according to your specific situation, this period may be extended up to 30 days. Exceptional cases may take up to 60 days, since the Italian embassies may have to consult with other Schengen consulates.
To avoid any delay in the issuance of your Italian short-stay visa, you should submit your application as soon as possible, though no earlier than three months before you travel to Italy.
How Much Does It Cost to Apply for an Italian Visa?
Italian Schengen Visa Category | Fee in EUR | Fee in USD* |
Adult | 80€ | 96$ |
Children between 6-12 years of age | 40€ | 48$ |
Children younger than 6 years of age | Free | Free |
Holders of diplomatic, official or service passports travelling for official purposes | Free | Free |
A family member of an EU/EEA national | Free | Free |
Pupils, students and accompanying teachers during a school trip | Free | Free |
Researchers travelling to perform scientific research | Free | Free |
Nationals from Armenia, Azerbaijan and Russia. | 35€ | 42$ |
* The applicable visa fee in USD (US Dollar) is as per the current exchange rate. It is subject to change without notice.
The fee for the visa is due at the time the application is submitted and is not refundable. If you withdraw the application or it is rejected the fee will not be reimbursed.
Knowing More about Italy
https://www.thomascook.in/international-tourism/italy
https://www.dfa.ie/travel/travel-advice/a-z-list-of-countries/italy/
https://www.italia.it/en
How to Reach Italy
By Air
Italy has two national airlines, Air Italy and Alitalia that offer reasonable prices for travelers headed to this country. International flights to Italy tend to typically land either in Rome or Milan, with the former seeing more incoming flight traffic than the latter. However, there are a host of mid-range airlines that land in almost all the other major cities. Rome is home to two airports, Ciampino and Fiumicino. Once you reach the capital, you can get anywhere you want by road or train.
Travelling Within Italy by Train
You’ll find a variety of inter-city, regional, high speed, and international trains operating in almost all cities in the country. While high-speed trains offer the most comfort and convenience to travelers, they are also often the most expensive ones. Bag-packers on a shoe-string budget should choose Trenitalia trains (night trains) and get a valid Trenitalia Pass made so that they do not have to stand in line at every station.
Travelling Within Italy by Road
If you are planning to drive in Italy, you’ll find that central and northern Italian regions have wide, spacious and well-preserved roads that make driving an absolute pleasure. The roads in Southern Italy, however, are a bit worse for wear. The Autostrade is very well connected and you’ll find your way to different cities by using a GPS navigation system. Be sure to get a Telepas made if you want to travel through toll areas without any hassles.
