General conditions for the entry of foreigners into Italy
Entry into the Schengen Area and into the Italian territory of foreigners coming from external borders is permitted only to foreigners who:
- show up at a border crossing point;
- have a passport or other recognised equivalent travel document valid for crossing borders;
- have documents justifying the purpose and conditions of their stay and prove they have sufficient financial means in relation to the nature and duration of their stay and the cost of returning to the country of origin (or for transit to a third State);
- have a valid entry or transit visa, where required;
- are not reported to be subject to an alert for being refused entry into the Schengen Information System (SIS);
- are not considered to be a threat to public order, national security or the international relations of any of the Contracting Parties, by national provisions or those of other Schengen States.
A foreigner already living in a Schengen State and holding a stay permit is exempt from the visa requirement for stays not exceeding 90 days in a 180-day period, provided that entry into Italy is not for the purpose of employment, self-employment or study/internship-training.
A foreigner who does not meet even one of these requirements may be subject to refusal of entry, which can be enforced by the competent border authorities even in the presence of a regular entry visa.
https://www.esteri.it/en/servizi-consolari-e-visti/ingressosoggiornoinitalia/condizioni_ingresso/
Passports and equivalent travel documents
For entry into, stay or transit in the Schengen Area, foreign nationals shall be in possession of a passport or other travel document recognised by all Schengen States.
For entry, stay or transit in Italy, foreign nationals shall be in possession of a passport or another travel document recognised by the Italian government.
Annex No. 10 of the Practical Handbook established by European Commission’s Decision No. 395 of January 28, 2020 (“Inventory of travel documents which entitle the holder to cross the external borders and which may be endorsed with a visa”) – available on the European Council’s website – contains the list of foreign travel documents recognised by Italy and the other Member States.
Travel documents are considered valid if “besides fulfilling the terms and conditions set out in Articles 13 and 14 of the Convention Implementing the Schengen Agreement, they duly attest to the holder’s identity and nationality or citizenship”.
Having a valid travel document is essential for submitting a visa application.
In particular, please note that:
- no visa may be affixed to a travel document that has expired;
- the residual period of validity of the travel document shall be at least three months after the intended date of departure from the territory of the Schengen States;
- the travel document shall have been issued within the previous ten years;
- the travel document shall have at least two free pages.
A foreigner holding a travel document that is not recognised by Italy may possibly be issued a “laissez-passer” by our diplomatic-consular Representation, valid only for Italy, which will not allow transit through the territory of the other Schengen States.
The following travel documents are deemed valid for the purposes of issuing entry visas and for crossing borders:
- Passport. Internationally recognised document entitling the holder to travel from one country to another. It may be:
– diplomatic, service (official, special, or for public affairs) or ordinary;
– individual (with the possible registration of the spouse and minor children) or collective (for groups of no less than 5 and no more than 50 people, all travelling together and for the same purposes – usually tourism – all having the same nationality, and all entering into, staying in, and leaving the Schengen area together: each member shall be in possession of an individual identity document, accompanied by a photograph).
Other travel documents, equivalent to a passport, are the following:
- travel document for stateless persons issued in accordance with the Convention on the Status of Stateless Persons signed in New York on September 28, 1954. Stateless persons are subject to a visa requirement for Italy, unless they hold a residence permit issued by one of the Schengen States;
- refugee travel document issued in accordance with the Convention relating to the Status of Refugees signed in Geneva on July 28, 1951. Refugees are subject to a visa requirement for Italy, unless they hold a residence permit issued by one of the Schengen States or a travel document issued by one of the countries that signed the Strasbourg Agreement of April 20, 1959;
- foreigner travel document, issued to those who cannot obtain a valid travel document from the authorities of the country of which they are nationals. It follows the visa regime in force for the country of which the person concerned is a citizen;
- seafarer’s book, a professional document issued to seafarers for performing their activity. It is recognised as a valid document for entering the Schengen Area only in relation to the seafarer’s professional needs, and not for other reasons. Italy recognises the seafarer’s books issued by the EU Member States, the countries of the European Economic Area, the States that adhere to the International Labour Convention No. 108 (Geneva, May 13, 1958), and those with which it has stipulated specific bilateral agreements;
- air navigation document, issued to pilots and cabin crew of civil airlines for performing their activities, in accordance with the Civil Aviation Convention signed in Chicago on December 7, 1944: Pilot Licence, Crew Member Certificate. These are travel documents that are recognised by the signatory countries as not requiring a visa – by way of reciprocity – provided that entry is motivated by reasons relating to professional activity;
- United Nations laissez-passer, issued by the Secretary General of the United Nations to UN staff and staff of its specialized Agencies and organisations under the Convention on Privileges and Immunities of the United Nations adopted by the UN General Assembly in New York on November 21, 1947. Holders of this document are exempt from the requirement of short-stay visas (for stays not exceeding 90 days);
- document issued by NATO Headquarters to personnel – military, civilian staff and their dependants (spouse and children) – posted to a State of the Atlantic Alliance, in accordance with the Convention between the signatory States to the North Atlantic Treaty signed in London on June 19, 1951 and ratified by Italy with Law No. 1335 of November 30, 1955. The members of a NATO force (but not the accompanying civilian staff or dependants) are exempt from visa requirements;
- identity card for citizens of the EU Member States, also valid for expatriation for work purposes. It is exempt from visa requirements;
- identity card (and other documents) for nationals of the States adhering to the European Agreement on the Abolition of Passports (Paris, December 13, 1957), valid for travelling to the territory of one of the signatory States for tourist purposes, for journeys not exceeding 3 months. It is exempt from visa requirements;
- list of participants in school trips within the European Union, issued to foreign students residing in the EU Member States, in accordance with the Council decision of November 30, 1994 on a joint action adopted by the Council of the European Union. Holders are exempt from visa requirements;
- laissez-passer, issued in lieu of a passport to foreigners who have no travel document valid for all the Schengen States, or only for Italy. It follows the visa regime in force for the country of which the person concerned is a citizen;
- border laissez-passer – or border card – granted to nationals living in border areas, for crossing the border itself and travelling to the corresponding areas of neighbouring States, without a visa.
Financial means required for entry into Italy
Foreign nationals who intend to enter Italy shall have adequate means of support that can ensure subsistence during their stay as well as return to their country of origin or residence. The availability of such financial means is one of the prerequisites for entry into the Schengen Area as provided for by the Visa Code.
For implementing Article 4, paragraph 3, of the Consolidated Act on Immigration (Legislative Decree No. 286 of July 25, 1998), on March 1, 2000, the Interior Ministry issued the Directive on the definition of means of support for entry and residence of foreign nationals in the national territory.
Pursuant to this Directive, foreign nationals can prove the availability of means of support by producing cash currency, bank guarantees, surety and insurance policies, equivalent credit instruments or bills of exchange guaranteeing payment, by means of documents attesting to pre-paid services or documents proving the availability of sources of income in Italy.
Unless otherwise provided for by the rules in force, foreign nationals are also required to prove the availability of suitable accommodation in the national territory (by means, for example, of a hotel reservation or a declaration of hospitality).
Besides being a fundamental requirement for issuing an entry visa, the possession of sufficient means of support may be ascertained during police checks when crossing external borders. If foreign nationals are not able to prove the availability of the necessary resources, they will incur a rejection order by the border police authorities.
The entry visa
The visa, which consists of a special “vignette” (or “sticker”) affixed to the applicant’s passport or other valid travel document, is an authorisation granted to a foreign national for entry into the territory of the Schengen Area and of the Italian Republic, to be assessed in the light of the requirements linked to the smooth running of international relations and the protection of national security and public order.
All information on entry visas can be found on the portal “Visa for Italy”.
The visa issued by Italian Representations abroad allows access – for transit or for a short stay (up to 90 days) – both in Italy and in the other countries that apply the Schengen Convention, and is known as the “Uniform Schengen Visa” (USV). Similarly, the USV issued by the diplomatic-consular Representations of the other countries that apply the Convention also allows access to the Italian territory.
An entry visa for a long stay (more than 90 days) is known as “National Visa” (NV) and allows access for a long stay in the territory of the State that issued it. As long as it is valid, it allows free circulation for a period not exceeding 90 days per semester in the territory of the other Member States.