Visa exemptions

Foreigners traveling to Italy may require a visa according to their citizenship. Here is more information on travel requirements to stay in the country.

If you are about to move to Italy, you will probably have queries on traveling formalities. You should know, above all, that the expatriates moving to the country bear different profiles: European Union and European Economic Area citizens, non-European citizens, students, minors, etc. Traveling formalities generally vary according to foreigners' nationalities. Some of them may require a visa to be authorized to enter the country.

Thus, you are advised to seek information with the Italian Embassy or Consulate in your home country.

Visa exemptions
European Union citizens do not need a visa to travel to Italy. They are authorized to stay in the country for a maximum of three months without having to obtain any special permit. They must, however, hold a valid identity card or passport. If they intend to stay in Italy for more than six months, they should also register with the nearest municipality.

Minors can travel to Italy provided at least one of his parents has a valid identity card or passport. Those traveling alone must be in possession of a valid passport, as well as a parental authorization issued in their home country.

Foreigners residing in a country which is part of the Schengen area may travel to Italy for a maximum three months stay without visa. They must, however, have a valid passport and resident permit.

Countries' whose citizens do not require a visa for a maximum of 90 days stay are:

Japan, United States, Canada, Czech Republic, Latvia, Malta, Australia, New Zealand, South Korea, Brazil, Argentina, Mexico, Venezuela, Bolivia, Chile, Paraguay, Uruguay, Costa Rica, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Iceland, Israel, Malaysia, Cyprus, Andorra, Poland, Hungary, Czech Republic, Slovakia, Croatia, Slovenia, Estonia, Lithuania, Bulgaria, Romania, Singapore.

Foreigners requiring a visa
Non-European nationals have to request a visa at the Italian Embassy or Consulate in their home country. There are different types of visas: the Schengen uniform visa, the limited territorial validity visa and the long stay visa. In general, these apply for more than 90 days stays in Italy.

Schengen Uniform visa (SUV):

The Schengen visa is a short stay visa which applies to the European and Schengen area.

Limited territorial validity visa:

The limited territorial validity visa is issued for humanitarian reasons, national interest, or under certain international obligations. It may also be issue by your country's diplomatic or consular representative, in particular cases such as urgencies. Thus, the applicant does not have any travel document.

Long stay visas:

The long stay visa, that is the D visa, authorize you to travel to Italy for a more than 90 days stay. You will also be entitled to one or more entries into the Schengen area. You will then be allowed to move freely within the area, to and from Italy, for a maximum of 90 days per semester provided the visa is valid.

Countries whose citizens require a visa to travel to Italy:

Afghanistan, South Africa, Albania, Algeria, Angola, Antigua and Barbuda, Saudi Arabia, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bahamas, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belize, Benin, Bhutan, Belarus, Bosnia, Botswana, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cambodia, Cameroon, Cape Verde, Central African Republic, Chad, China, Colombia, Comoros, Congo, Democratic Congo, North Korea, Ivory Coast, Cuba, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Egypt, United Arab Emirates, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Fiji, Gabon, Gambia, Georgia, Ghana, Grenada, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Equatorial Guinea, Guyana, Haiti, India, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Jamaica, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Kyrgyzstan, Kiribati, Kuwait, Laos, Lebanon, Lesotho, Liberia , Libya, Macedonia, Madagascar, Malawi, Maldives, Mali, Marianne southern Morocco, Marshall, Mauritania, Mauritius, Micronesia, Moldova, Mongolia, Mozambique, Myanmar, Namibia, Nepal, Niger, Nigeria, New Guinea, Uganda, Uzbekistan , Oman, Pakistan, Palou, Papua, Peru, Philippines, Qatar, Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (Serbia and Montenegro), Rwanda, Russia, St. Kitts and Nevis, St Lucia, St Vincent and the Grenadines, Solomon Islands, Samoa, Sao Tome and Principe, Senegal, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Syria, Somalia, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Suriname, Tajikistan, Taiwan, Tanzania, Thailand, Togo, Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Tuvalu, Ukraine, Vanuatu, Vietnam, Yemen, Zambia, Zimbabwe.

Students
Students coming from the European Union do not require a visa to travel to Italy. But non-European citizens have to. The request has to be made at their home country's Embassy or consulate with supporting documents issued by the university or any other institution they have enrolled in. They will also need proof of accommodation, either a hotel or holiday accommodation booking, or any other host, as well as return air tickets.

It is highly recommended to students to subscribe to a health insurance before traveling to Italy. They also have to justify that they have sufficient funds to support themselves during their stay in the country. You will have more information on the Mediterranean Linguistic Institution (Istituto Linguistico Mediterraneo) website.

You will also find a list of Italian Embassies and Consulates on the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs website.

Good to know:

Foreigners holding a residence permit must have an entry visa to be allowed to travel to any country outside the Schengen area. Moreover, a European Union citizen holding a resident permit's family members do not have to apply for a visa. They will if they are traveling alone.

If you are married to a European Union citizen, you will only have to produce your marriage certificate the Italian Embassy or Consulate to obtain a visa.