Italy is one of the most beautiful countries in Europe.  This is why many tourists confuse on applying for Italy visa for us citizens  because it is one of the most requested countries for tourist visits.

Italy is a country sought after by travelers and tourists alike. Despite having had its ups and downs in the past, the country welcomes millions of people who visit special places like the Santa Maria Del Fiore, Colosseum and Torre Dei Caputi. Whether you are going there for leisure or business or anything else, applying for a Visitor Visa from your home country may be a good option if you want to avoid the hustle and bustle of applying while on vacation.
If you are planning some summer travel you should strongly consider Italy as one of your destinations. It is a country with a rich cultural and artistic history that is just beautiful to visit. They offer a nice variety of lodging facilities, great food, and the people are very friendly. But there are still many questions about how to get a visa to Italy for those who are not from European nations.

Italy Visa Application and Entry Requirements

The world’s seventh-largest economy, the Republic of Italy, is located in the heart of the Mediterranean Sea. It has an area of 301,340km2 and a population of 60,483,973. It has emerged from the Roman Empire, which was one of the greatest European empires to have ever existed.

As a result, today the country is home to many castles and palaces, and a lot of buildings of various architectural styles, as Romanesque, Gothic, Mannerist, Baroque, and Neoclassical. Moreover, it has a coastline of 7,600 km, picturesque lakes, stunning cliffs, and many green national parks.

Italy Visa For Us Citizens

With all these natural and man-made wonders, Italy is a huge magnet for tourists. It is estimated that over 50 million tourists visit Italy each year. Tourism is crucial to Italy’s economy, providing more than 60% of the country’s national income.

World travellers wishing to enter Italy for short-stays can do so by obtaining a Schengen Visa to Italy, but not everyone needs a visa to enter Italy. In this article, you will find out if you belong to countries whose citizens need or don’t need a visa to visit Italy, as well as other entry and visa requirements.

San Marino and the Vatican City – two European microstates located within Italy – are considered part of the Schengen Area although they did not officially sign the particular documents of the agreement. Besides, no border control is performed for the Schengen countries surrounding them.

Italy Entry Restrictions in Response to Coronavirus

Amid the Coronavirus outbreak, Italy and the rest of the EU/Schengen Area members imposed an EU-wide entry ban on third-country nationals in mid-March 2020, on the recommendation of the EU Commission. In addition, entry restrictions to Italy are frequently changing based on the COVID-19 situation in other countries.

Read “Travelling to Italy Amid COVID-19 – Everything You Need to Know” to get the latest updates regarding Italy’s travel entry restrictions and other measures imposed by Italian authorities.

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 10 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 list of 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:
  • Is not older than 10 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 AXA Assistance. 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.

Additional Italian Visa Requirements Based on Your Employment Status

The additional Italy visa requirements depending on your occupational status are as follows:

If employed:

• Recent employee or reference letter, which includes information about your employment start date, job title, your annual salary and the requested vacation period. Sometimes also known as a “No Objection Letter”.
• Payslips of the last three months
• Current bank statement of the latest 3 months