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Tourist Visa Italy

The Italian Tourist Visa is tailored for those who want to visit Italy for tourism purposes. Find out more about all the conditions below.

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The Italian Tourist Visa is tailored for those who want to visit Italy for tourism purposes. If you plan to visit Italy for tourism, you will almost certainly need to apply for an Italian tourist visa. The length of stay for tourism determines the length of the tourist visa. The duration of the Italian tourist visa, however, cannot exceed 90 days in a 6-month period.

Who needs to apply for a tourist visa for Italy?

Italy is a member of the EU and of the Schengen area, whose governments have collectively decided on their visa policies for nationals of other countries. However, each State may impose guidelines regarding the travel documentation it requires of international visitors planning to visit Italy.

The nationality of the applicant is the most important factor in determining whether the tourist visa is needed or not.

The Italian Tourist Visa is NOT required if you are:

  • A citizen of a Schengen Country;
  • A citizen of a European Union member state;
  • A Swiss citizen;
  • A national of a country who has been granted Schengen Visa exemption.

The Italian Tourist Visa is required if you:

  • Are a citizen of a third country with which the Schengen member states have not yet concluded a visa liberalization agreement;
  • Were previously denied entry to Italy or any other Schengen nation even though you are a citizen of a third-world nation that has signed a visa liberalization agreement with the Schengen states.

You can check whether you need a visa to visit Italy as a tourist on the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs Website.

Required documents to apply for an Italian Tourist Visa

Official Documents

When applying for an Italian Tourist Visa, applicants must provide the following official documents:

  • Visa application form. This form has to contain  all the requested details of the applicant, and signed in original. A digital signature will not be accepted by the competent authorities;
    • The application form can change according to the country of origin of the applicant. Applicants can download this form from the official website of the relevant Italian Consulate or Embassy where they intend to apply;
  • Original Passport with a copy, and two  passport size pictures that meet the Schengen photo requirements, that is:
    • Pictures have to be at least 6 months recent, coloured and clear. Also, the face of the applicant that must take up 80% of the picture;
    • The passport must be valid for 3 months after the planned stay in Italy. Also, the passport must contain at least two blank “visa” pages.
  • Copy of civil status documents.

Proofs to support the stay in Italy

Apart from the above-mentioned official documents, applicants must also provide proofs of:

  • Sufficient financial means to cover the entire stay in Italy and in the entire Schengen area;
  • Travel, such as a copy of the flight itinerary or a booked flight ticket. This document is required to show to the authorities that the applicant booked both the outbound and the return ticket. Proof of travel must also include:
    • Flight dates;
    • Travel number;
    • Other relevant information.
  • Accommodation in Italy: depending on where the applicant will be staying in Italy. This could be a hotel/hostel reservation, a rental agreement, or an invitation letter if the applicant is staying with friends or family residing in Italy;
  • Private health insurance, covering the applicant for the entire stay in Italy and for the entire Italian territory.

Further proofs

Sometimes the authorities may ask for the following additional documentation:

  • Copies of relevant pages of your passport, such as pages containing previous visas;
  • A cover letter where applicants explain why they are applying to visit Italy, how long applicants intend to stay, and other relevant trip details.

These two abovementioned documents are not always required.

A&P can provide full support in providing both mandatory and additional documents that Italian Authorities might require.

How to apply for an Italian Tourist Visa

To complete the application process for a tourist visa for Italy, the applicant must do the following:

  • Prepare the abovementioned documents and recent passport size pictures;
  • Fill-in the visa application form;
  • Book an appointment at the competent Italian Embassy, Consulate or Visa application Centre in the applicant country of residence and attend the interview in person;
  • Wait for the competent authority to issue the tourist visa and be available in case the authorities want to carry out another interview.

It is fundamental to apply in advance for the Italian tourist visa. Indeed, the processing time for an Italy visa can take up to 3 weeks,  depending on the country of origin of the applicant.

Duration of the Italian tourist visa

An Italian Tourist Visa is valid for a maximum of 90 days within a six-month period.

If you need to stay in Italy for more than 90 days, have a look at all the available types of Italian visas.

Notify your arrival with the Italian Declaration of Presence

There are cases where foreigners travelling to Italy need to file a declaration of presence. This applies to non-EU citizens who, among other purposes, are also travelling for tourism and staying in Italy for less than 3 months.

For more information on the other types of long-term visa for Italy, take a look at our complete guide on Italy Long-Stay Visa. 

Regulatory Framework

Art. 5 of the Schengen Treaty

Reference (Italian only)

Art. 5 of Ruling (CE) N. 562/2006 of the European Parliament and of the Councile of March 15, 2006

Reference (Italian only)

Legislative Decree of July 25, 1998

Reference (Italian only)

Presidential Decree of August 31, 1999

Reference (Italian only)

Law of September 30, 1993

Reference (Italian only)

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