Italy Visa

If you need an Italy visa or not depends on:

• Your nationality
• The purpose of your visit to Italy
• Duration of your stay

A few countries are exempt from Italy short-stay visas. For example, the nationals of the EU, EEA, and Schengen Area of Italy short-stay visas. They can travel to the country with their passport for up to 90 days. If they need to stay longer, they need the appropriate visa based on the purpose of their visit.

The nationals of other countries need a visa for even short stays. You can find the complete list of the countries that need and don’t need an Italy visa in this blog.

Italy Visa Requirements

The required documents to apply for a visa are as follows:

Application form for Italy visa

Complete the application form. Please be careful with the details. The information you fill must be the same as on your documents. Then print, sign, and date it.

Travel document or valid passport

Submitting your passport/ travel document is mandatory. It must fulfill a few requirements:

• Not older than ten years.
• Have at least two blank pages. The visa gets attached to it.
• It must be valid for beyond three months than the time you leave Italy or the Schengen area.

If you have had passports before, you should provide a copy of them.

Photo

You have to provide two photos that comply with the Schengen photo requirements. The photos must be:

• Taken in the past three months
• 35x45mm
• Clear
• Colored
• Your face must take up 70-80% of the photo

Documents of Civil status

This group of documents can include your marriage certificate, children’s birth certificate, death certificate of spouse, etc.

Copies of previous visas

The Italian officials ask for a copy of your previous visas. You have to submit it along with other documents.

Schengen Travel insurance

You have to buy travel insurance that covers the entire Italy and Schengen area. The least health insurance for this purpose is €30,000 and cover:

• Medical treatment
• Hospital stays
• Medical emergencies
• Death

Proof of accommodation

You have to provide a document of the place you will stay in Italy. It could be:

• Booking a hotel receipt
• Home rental document
• A letter from your host, etc.

Proof to have enough financial means

You have to prove to the Italian officials that you have enough funds to cover your expenses in Italy. The expenses change depending on the period you will stay in Italy. This proof could be:

• Bank statements.
• Statement of savings account.
• Your credit card copy. It must include a copy of an ATM receipt that shows the account balance.
• If your host is sponsoring you, his/her bank guarantee.
• Cash.
• Certificates of exchanged. Etc.

Cover letter

It is a personal letter to the Italian government explaining:

• The purpose of your trip to Italy.
• How long you will stay and when will you leave
• Why the Italian government should give you a visa.
• How you are going to cover your expenses.
• If you have a relative/friend in Italy, your relationship.
• You will return to your home country and the ties you have.

Required Documents based on employment status.

If employed

• Contract of employment
• Bank statement for the past six months
• Permission leave from your employer.
• Income Tax Return (ITR)

If self-employed

• A copy of your business registration/business license
• Bank statements of your company for the past six months.
• Income Tax Return (ITR)

If student

• Proof of enrolment
• A no-objection letter from your school, university, or educational academy
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If retired

• Bank statements from the last six months.

Required documents for minors

If your minors are traveling with you or alone, you have to provide the following documents:

• Birth certificate.
• Application form for Italy visa signed by both parents.
• Care order from the court. If one parent has full custody over the child.
• Verified copies of passport /ID of both parents
• If your minor is traveling alone with someone else:
  
  • An original and copy of the passport of the person accompanying minors. It must contain Holder’s data and expiry date.
  • A recent photograph
  • Valid visa copy.
  • A formal authorization to travel to Italy, signed by both parents/guardians

Who Needs and Does not Need Italy Visa?

If you need an Italy visa depends on your nationality and the purpose of your visit. The nationalities of a few countries and states are exempt from Italy visa. But, Many countries need an Italy visa. Italy is part of the Schengen Area. So, the same rules of the Schengen area apply in it. To know if you need an Italy visa or not, you can visit ‘Who Needs and Does not Need Italy Visa?’ blog.

What are the Requirements for Italy Visa

If you need an Italy visa to travel to it, you should go through the application process. One of the most important parts is gathering requirements. If you don’t provide them, you won’t receive a visa. In case one part of the requirements is missing or faulty, the processing time will take longer. If it’s serious, your application could get rejected. To know more about the requirements for an Italy visa, you can visit ‘What are the Requirements for Italy Visa?’ blog.

Italy visa comes in two categories:

1. Non-immigrant visa (short-stay)
2. Immigrant visas (Long-stay visa)

Non-immigrant visa (short-stay)

1. Visitor visa

Transit Visa

The people who are traveling to a non-Schengen country but have to change their means of traveling in Italy might need a Transit visa. This visa also gets called A-visa and comes under Italy’s short-stay visas.

Although Italy transit visa is a short-stay visa, you may not leave the international transit area of an Italian airport. The rule applies even if you have to stay overnight at an Italian airport. It is only valid for 24 hours. Please remember that you only need an Italy transit visa if your destination is a non-Schengen country. To find out more about the Italy transit visa, you can look at ‘All about Italy Transit Visa blog’.

Tourist Visa

Italy is one of the most visited and beautiful countries in the world. Millions of tourists visit it every year. So the Italians introduced a tourist visa for this purpose. A few countries don’t need a tourist visa, but many more need it. Italy tourist visa comes under the short-stay visa. You can only stay there for up to 90 days. To find more info about tourist visa, you can take a look at ‘How to get Italy Tourist Visa?’ blog.

2. Business Visa

Business Visa

The highly developed economy and great tourism industry attract many business people to Italy. Such people want to expand their company in Italy. If you think so, you might need an Italy business visa. It allows you to enter Italy for a limited period to:

• Take part in meetings
• Sign contracts or agreements
• Visit businesses or industries, etc.

Italy business visa also allows you to visit other Schengen countries as well.

3. Other visas

Cultural Visa

An Italy cultural visa allows you to enter the country to perform whatever cultural activity you want to do. It allows you to take part in sport, religious, or cultural events. With a cultural visa, you can take part in cultural events in other Schengen countries as well.

Medical Treatment Visa

Many foreign nationals want to enjoy the high standard Medical and health facilities of Italy. They can not find some services in their countries. To get medical treatment in Italy, they need  Medical Treatment Visa. It lets you enter the country for a limited time to get the medical service you need. But you should check whether you need this visa or not. This blog will help you.

Immigrant visas (Long-stay visa)

1. Work Visa

Work Visa

Italy work visa is a long-stay visa. It also gets called D-visa. It allows you to enter Italy to work. But you still need a residence permit to work there. First, you should get a job offer from an Italian employer. He/she must apply for a residence permit on your behalf. Then you have to apply for a work visa to enter the country.

Self Employment Visa

In case you want to work in Italy as a freelancer or open a start-up, you should apply for Self Employment Visa. But the visa is not the only requirement. Depending on the type of work you want to do in Italy, you should apply for the certificates as well. You should get the certificates while you are in your home country. To do so, you need someone inside Italy.

Working Holiday Visa

Italy is part of the Working Holiday Program. The nationals of the countries who have signed this agreement can live and work in one of the participating countries. If you are one of them, you can apply for Italy working holiday visa. You should fulfill a few requirements to be eligible for this visa. The age limit is one of them that is different for each country.

2. Student Visa

Student Visa

Italy student visa enables you to study in the country for longer than three months. If you need a student visa for less than 90 days, it depends on your nationality. Apart from the student visa, you also need a residence permit to study in Italy for longer than three months. The acceptance letter from an Italian university or educational center is the first requirement for a student visa.

3. Family visa

Family Reunion Visa

In case you are a non-EU national who lives in Italy with a legal residence permit, you have the right to bring your family member to Italy. Italy family visa also gets called “Italy spouse visa” or “family visa.”

4. Other Visas

Elective Residence Visa

If you want to live in Italy and have enough funds to cover your expenses without working, an Elective Residence Visa is for you. You could cover your expenses through:

• Pensions
• Investment
• Savings

The foreign nationals who want to retire in Italy and have enough funds mostly apply for it. So it often gets called Italy retirement visa.

Italy Residence Permit

Any non-EU national who want to stay in Italy for longer than 90 days need:

• Italy Residence Permit.
• Long-stay visa

The purpose of your visit does not matter. If you fulfill an Italy long-stay visa requirements, you are eligible for a residence permit as well. First, you should apply for a long-stay visa in your home country; then apply for a residence permit from inside Italy.