General Information and VFS centres
SCHENGEN VISA
The Schengen Visa (valid for a maximum of 90 days), allows the visa holder to travel to all of the European Countries that signed the Schengen Agreement, namely: Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Latvia, Lichtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland. If you intend to visit one or more Schengen Countries in the course of a single trip, you must apply for a visa at the Consulate of the Country that is your main destination (i.e. where you will stay longer). If in the course of your trip, you will spend an equal amount of time in different Countries, the visa MUST be requested at the Consulate of the Schengen Country port of entry.
Please note that the border authorities may refuse entry to a foreign national who does not meet all requirements.
NATIONAL VISA
The National Visa is a long-term visa (over 90 days) issued by the Italian Consulate for various purposes (elective residency, work, study, family reunion, diplomatic or military mission, adoption etc). This type of visa allows a foreign national, who is awaiting a residency permit in Italy, to freely move within any other Schengen Country for up to a maximum of 90 days within 6 months from the initial date of validity of the visa. A foreign national who has been granted an Italian National Visa must report to the Questura (Central Police Station) within 8 working days from the date of entry to apply for a Permesso di Soggiorno (Residence Permit). Please note that failing to report to the Questura, might compromise your ability to legally reside in Italy.
ELIGIBILITY
Do you need a visa? https://vistoperitalia.esteri.it/home/en
As of 28th June 2024, UK residents holding a valid UK Biometric Residence Permit do not require a transit visa any longer in order to transit through an Italian airport.
This exemption applies to holders of valid UK Biometric Residence Permit Cards only. Please note: A valid UK visa does not exempt you from visa requirements for a transit through Italy.
Legal status in the UK: Passports, travel documents, and residence cards/share code must have a validity of at least three months beyond the last day of your trip in the Schengen Area. In order to apply you must be resident in the Consular district: England, Wales, Isle of Man, Isle of Wight, Channel Islands, Gibraltar, and South Georgia & Sandwich Islands. Please note that applicants not residing in the mentioned area or holders of a UK C-visit visa are not eligible to apply.
Family members of UK nationals who are beneficiaries of the EU-UK Withdrawal Agreement, pursuant EU Regulation 2019/592, which amended EU Regulation 2018/1806, ex. Art. 18 (4) and 19, have the same facilitations as EU family members.
APPOINTMENTS
Appointments are exclusively managed through our service partner, VFS Global.
Please follow the link to book an appointment http://www.vfsglobal.com/italy/uk/
An extra fee will be applied as a service charge.
VFS London
Regus – office 5.17, 5th floor, 17 Hanover Square, W1S 1BN
VFS Manchester
50 Devonshire St N, Manchester M12 6JH
VFS Joint Visa Application Centre
1 Rennie’s Isle, Leith
Edinburgh EH6 6QT
website: https://visa.vfsglobal.com/gbr/en/ita
email: infoukitaly@vfsglobal.com
Helpline number: 0871 376 0023
PLEASE NOTE
Applicants are required to appear in person at all times.
Be sure all required paperwork is completed and properly organised before arriving at the visa office to apply for your chosen visa type.
All documents must be printed out and presented in original plus a photocopy where required.
Be aware that at the time of your appointment, your application will not be accepted unless presented with all required documents. If the items listed in the relevant visa category are not submitted, the applicant will have to reschedule a new appointment.
This Consulate has full authority to evaluate and request further documentation, if deemed necessary, in addition to what has been submitted. The applicant is hereby informed that the submission all the required documentation does not guarantee the issuance of any particular visa.
PASSPORTS AND TRAVEL DOCUMENTS: Before applying for your visa, make sure that your passport has a validity of at least three months beyond the last day of your trip in the Schengen Area and at least two empty ‘VISA’ pages. The passport will be kept and returned with the visa, if approved. Therefore, passports withdrawal is not allowed.
Citizens of Pakistan, Afghanistan, Iraq, Palestine, Yemen and Travel Documents holders (with the three letters code XXA or XXB appearing in the ICAO) need to provide full names of mother and father and it must result from a birth certificate or a Consular declaration.
CERTIFICATES:
- Marriage/civil partnership certificates older than 6 months will not be accepted.
- Certificates issued by a foreign authority other than the UK must be translated in English or Italian and legalised by the Italian Consular Office of the issuing country or by the Consular Authority in the UK of the issuing country.
- Certificates issued by one of the Schengen countries will be accepted only if multilingual, otherwise please refer to the second note.• Please note that for minors:
I. If one or both parents do not appear in person on the application day, a parental consent notarised by a UK notary is mandatory.
II. If the parents live abroad, the consent must be notarised by the Italian Consulate of their country of residence. This also applies when parents living abroad nominate a guardian;
III. a photocopy of both parents’ passports must be provided.
PROCESSING TIME: Depending on the type of visa and citizenship of the applicant it can take up to 45 days for Schengen Visa and up to 90 days for National Visa. The minimum processing time is 15 days.
Please be aware that it is not possible to rush processing time because the system is completely automated.
You can apply for a visa no more than six months before the start of the intended visit, and no later than 15 calendar days before the start of the intended visit.
For seafarers, travel arrangements may be authorised by the Consulate up to 9 months before the intended travel date, provided all legal requirements are met.
VISA FEE: Visa fees can only be paid in cash and in British Pounds at the Visa Office of this General Consulate.
Visa fees at our VFS centres can be paid in both cash and card, British Pounds only.
RECEIVING YOUR PASSPORT: Passports at the Visa Office of this General Consulate will be returned by post. On the day of your appointment you will need to provide a pre-paid envelope, in order for the passport to be sent back once the visa has been processed. In addition, you will need to submit an assumption of responsibility for posting passports [click here].
Passport at our VFS centres can be both collected and posted.
FORMS
Schengen visa [click here]
National visa [click here]
Proof of sponsorship and/or accommodation [click here]
Business invitation letter [click here]
EU partner sponsorship letter [click here]