Important news
- Starting from February 12th, 2024 National Visa applications (“D” – from 91 up to 365 days) must be submitted at the Embassy (Visa Section), upon appointment via: Prenot@mi.
Schengen Visas (“C” from 1 up to 90 days) must be submitted at Visa Centers-IVAC). For the payment method scroll down to no. 6. - All applicants must submit the visa application at the Italian Embassy/Consulate competent for the consular jurisdiction where they reside.
- Every applicant is required to fulfill and sign the application form and is responsible for the truthfulness of all the documentation submitted. It is advisable not to share personal information and data with third parties.
VISA APPLICATION FORM FOR LONG TERM STAY (MORE THAN 90 DAYS)
VISA APPLICATION FORM FOR SHORT TERM STAY (UP TO 90 DAYS)
DO YOU WANT TO GO TO ITALY? YOU SHOULD NEED A VISA!
Find out the correct visa type according to your needs. Be informed on documents to be submitted when applying for a visa. Find out how to correctly use a Schengen or National visas; learn your rights and your duties following the information below.
1. CHOOSE THE CORRECT VISA ACCORDING TO THE PURPOSE OF YOUR INTENDED STAY AND CHECK WHICH DOCUMENTS YOU NEED IN ORDER TO APPLY. YOU INTEND TO TRAVEL TO ITALY FOR…
- Tourism (both individuals and ADS groups)
- Business
- Family or friend visit
- Cultural or sport event
- Work
- Study
- Family reunion
- Re-entry
- Other visas
2. BIOMETRIC DATA COLLECTION (VISA INFORMATION SYSTEM)
All visa applicants are required to go in person to the Visa Center IVAC when applying for a Schengen visa in order to lodge the application form and provide their biometric data (10 fingerprints and a photo). Biometric data information are stored for up to 59 months. It is a simple and quick procedure that only takes a few minutes.
Exemptions from the fingerprinting requirement are provided for a limited number of applicants, including children under the age of twelve and persons for whom the collection of fingerprints is physically impossible. Heads of State and members of the national government with members of their official delegation and spouses will also be exempted, if travelling for official purposes.
Italy does not require fingerprint capture for National Visas.
3. WHERE TO APPLY FOR A VISA IN THE P.R.C. (Schengen Visa-C / National Visa-D)
Visa applications must be submitted according to the consular jurisdiction of the applicant’s permanent residence:
a) SCHENGEN VISA – “C” at the Italy Visa Application Centers (IVAC):
All Schengen Visa applicants can go to the Italy Visa Application Centre (click here for the website) by scheduling an appointment in advance. Italy has a total of 15 visa application centers in the P.R.C.. Visa application centers related to the Embassy of Italy are located in: Beijing, Jinan, Shenyang, Wuhan and Xi’an.
IVAC opening hours (Monday to Friday): submission of individual visa applications from 9h00 to 17h00; submission of ADS visa applications from 9h00 to 12h00; passport pick up (pass-back) from 9h00 to 17h00 and Call Center from 8h00 to 17h00.
IVAC BEIJING:
East 101, Floor B1, Block C – Guanghua Lu
SOHO II, No. 9 Guanghua Lu -Chaoyang District
Beijing – China – 100020
Tel. 86-(0)20-28292276
e-mail: info.italychina@vfshelpline.com (click here for the website)
Visa Application Centres in Jinan, Shenyang, Wuhan and Xi’an are temporarily closed.
Applicants not resident in this consular jurisdiction can refer to the Italian Consulate/IVAC Centers in the following Chinese cities:
Chongqing, Guangzhou, Shanghai; and at the Italy Visa Application Centres located in the following cities: Changsha, Chengdu, Chongqing, Fuzhou, Guangzhou, Hangzhou, Kunming, Nanjing, Shanghai and Shenzhen.
Chinese citizens resident in Hong Kong or Macao shall submit visa application at the Consulate General of Italy in Hong Kong.
b) NATIONAL VISA – “D” at the Embassy of Italy – Visa Section:
To schedule an appointment for National Visa, applicant must follow the instructions at the following link: Prenot@mi
For further information, please write to visti.pechino@esteri.it.
Landline is also available, Monday to Friday, from 9h30 to 11h00 (Beijing timezone): 0086.010.85327639 (languages: Chinese, English, Italian).
Visa Office is open, Monday to Friday, from 9h00 to 17h00. All appointments will be scheduled from 9h30 to 12:30 pm, according to availability. Access is restricted to applicants who have an appointment confirmed by the Embassy or whose interview has been scheduled through the Visa Center. Please, always remember to print and bring with you the appointment confirmation received from the Embassy or from the Visa Center. Proof of appointment will be asked at the security checks, both at the main gate and at the entrance of the Embassy.
4. WHO CAN APPLY
Visa applications must be submitted according to the consular jurisdiction.
Chinese citizens can submit their applications for National and Schengen Visas at the Embassy of Italy in Beijing (or IVAC Beijing-Jinan-Shenyang-Wuhan and Xi’an) only if there are residents in this consular jurisdiction (Beijing, Tianjin, Heilongjiang, Jilin, Liaoning, Inner Mongolia, Hebei, Shandong, Henan, Hubei, Tibet, Xinjiang, Qinghai, Gansu, Ningxia, Shaanxi and Shanxi).
Visas applications can also be submitted by all nationals of countries whose citizens are subject to visa obligation (please, check here the list) provided that they are legally resident in this consular jurisdiction.
ADS Tourism groups:
According to the EU-China Memorandum of Understanding, ADS (Approved Destination Status) group tourism visa applications are submitted by accredited travel agencies only. Appointments for fingerprints capture will be scheduled for the whole group of travelers.
Travel agencies aiming to apply for accreditation (white badge) must follow procedures according to the Manual of Sanctions related to ADS (LINK).
Chinese Diplomatic, Service and Public Affairs passport holders:
According to Chinese regulation, all diplomatic, service and public affairs passport holders must submit visa applications through the Consular Department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs that will subsequently deliver them directly to the Italian Embassy Visa Section.
EU/EEA citizens’ family members:
EU/EEA citizens family members benefit of a privileged treatment accorded by law (Directive 2004/38/CE and Italian Legislative Decree 30/2007).
EU/EEA family members, as indicated by EU Directive 2004/38/CE (link), can submit visa applications Monday to Friday from 11.30 am to 12 pm without the need to schedule an appointment. In order to be granted access, please bring with your marriage (or) family (or) birth certificate to prove family relation.
EU/EEA citizens’ family members benefit from a reduced list of documents. Please find here the documents you must submit for tourism and here the documents for family reunion (note: EU/EEA family member reunion applicants will be issued a short term tourism visa, once in Italy please go to relevant police authorities to convert your visa into residence permit).
Please, check here below if according to your family relation with the EU/EEA citizen you do have the right to exemption from visa fees.
5. WHEN TO APPLY FOR A SCHENGEN VISA TO THE ITALIAN EMBASSY/VISA CENTRE?
Schengen visa applicants can apply to the Italian Embassy or the Italy Visa Application Centre if:
- Italy is the sole destination of the visit
- or, in case visit includes more than one Schengen country if Italy is the main destination in terms of the length or purpose of stay
- or, in case no main destination can be determined if Italy is the external border where the applicant intends to enter Schengen territory.
6. VISA FEES – AND HOW TO PAY
The amount to be paid for the visa, in RMB, is linked to the “Quarterly Consular Exchange Rate” – (refer to this link) and changes at the end of each quarter.
For Schengen Visas (Type “C”), payment is made directly to the IVAC Visa Center at the time of submitting the application (see amounts below).
For National Visas (Type “D”), applications must be submitted directly to the Embassy Visa Section and payment must be made – in advance – via bank transfer. The payment receipt must be delivered – in TWO copies – at the time of submitting the application.
The fee to be considered for the bank transfer is that of the day of submission of the visa application at the counter. E.g. on March 25th (first quarter) you book the appointment for April 1st (second quarter). The bank transfer must show the second quarter rate.
NATIONAL VISAS: 116 euros / NATIONAL STUDY VISAS: 50 euros
PAYMENT in RMB by BANK TRANSFER, as follows (please use only the CHINESE text):
开户名: 意大利共和国驻华大使馆
开户行: 中国银行总行营业部
账 号: 778350019215
附言：申请人的姓名与护照号
SWIFT: BKCHCNBJXXX
Payee Name: Italian Embassy in the People’s Republic of China
Bank Account No.: 778350019215
Bank Name: Bank of China Head Office – Beijing
Remark: Applicant’s NAME, SURNAME, PASSPORT No.
SWIFT: BKCHCNBJXXX
PAYMENT in RMB, in CASH, is accepted (please bring the exact amount).
SCHENGEN VISAS (Type C): 80 euro
– children from the age of 6 years and below the age of 12 years: 40 euro
– nationals of countries with which the EU has concluded Visa Facilitation Agreements shall pay a fee of 35 euro. Please consult the list on the European Commission website to know if your country is one of them.
See Visa fee in RMB under current exchange rate please click here
Visa fees are waived for applicants belonging to one of the following categories:
- children under 6 years
- school pupils, students, postgraduate students and accompanying teachers who undertake stays for the purpose of study or educational training
- researchers from third countries travelling for the purpose of carrying out scientific research as defined in Recommendation No 2005/761/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 28 September 2005 to facilitate the issue by the Member States of uniform short-stay visas for researchers from third countries travelling within the Community for the purpose of carrying out scientific research
- representatives of non-profit organisations aged 25 years or less participating in seminars, conferences, sports, cultural or educational events organised by non-profit organisations
- EU/EEA citizens family members, when accompanying or joining the EU/EEA relative, falling under Directive 2004/38/CE and Italian Legislative Decree 30/2007:
a) spouses;
b) partner (in case of bounding civil union, compared by hosting Member State’s law to marriage and not in violation of hosting Member State law);
c) direct descendants under the age of 21 or who rely on them and those of the spouse or partner;
d) direct ascendants relying on them and those of the spouse or partner.
- diplomatic passport holders
Applicants lodging the visa application at the Italy Visa Application Centre will also be asked to pay a service fee: 62 CNY for ADS visas and 78 CNY for all other visas.
7. VISA APPLICATION PROCESSING TIME
According to the Schengen Visa Code all decisions must be given within 15 calendar days, extendable to 45 days (see art. 23). For national visas the processing time is of 90 days, shortened to 30 days for family reunion and salaried work, and lengthened to 120 days for self-employment work.
We do recommend submitting visa applications well in advance (at least 15 days prior to departure date). Applications cannot be submitted earlier than six months before the start of the intended journey.
Please pay attention to the expiry date of your passport, which determines the maximum validity date of your visa.
8. ADDITIONAL NOTES:
Holding a valid visa does not automatically give the right of entry to the Schengen area
Please, be aware that holding a short-stay visa does not automatically entitle to enter Schengen area. Once arrived at Schengen border control, or during other controls, travelers may be asked to provide information on means of support, on how long they intend to stay in the Schengen State, and why they are visiting the Schengen State.
It is therefore recommended to carry with you copies of the documents presented when you applied for the visa (e.g. letters of invitation, travel confirmations, other documents stating the purpose of stay). For more information, please read art. 5 of the Schengen borders code (link).
What happens if a visa is refused
Negative decisions on applications are notified to the applicant. In the refusal letter reasons on which refusal decision was taken are clearly stated. Visa applicants whose applications are refused can decide to apply again or to appeal. Appeals must be brought against refusal decisions directly at the T.A.R. of the Latium Region, through a lawyer acting on applicant behalf, within 60 days of the serving of the decision itself. The appeal will have to be notified, under penalty of nullity (as per art. 144 of C.P.C. and art. 11 of R.D. no. 1611 of 1933), to the relevant “Avvocatura dello Stato”.
For family reunion visas only, appeals must be addressed to the ordinary court (“Tribunale ordinario”) of the place of residence of the family member living in Italy.
How to read a Schengen visa sticker and correctly use your Schengen visa
“Duration of stay … days” indicates the number of days you may stay in the Schengen area. The days should be counted from the date you enter the Schengen area (the entry stamp) to the date you exit the Schengen area (the exit stamp), i.e. both days included. The period of time between “From … until” is usually longer than the number of days printed in the “Duration of stay”. The difference in period is meant to give you flexibility to plan your entry into and exit from the Schengen area, but your stay in the Schengen area must never exceed the exact number of days in the “Duration of stay … days” filed. No matter how many days you have stayed in the Schengen area, you must leave no later than the date printed in the “Until” field.
Schengen visas entitle to one or two or multiple entries. Travelers who often need to go to the Schengen area can apply for multi-entry visas valid up to 5 years. In case you are a multi-entry visa holder, please remember that for intended stays on the territory of the Member States duration of stay cannot be more than 90 days in any 180-day period, which entails considering the 180-day period preceding each day of stay. In order to avoid overstaying or to better know how many days you can still stay in Schengen territory, please check here the European Commission calculator.
How to correctly use your Italian national visa
All Italian national visa holders, once arrived in Italy must convert their visa into a residence permit (“permesso di soggiorno”) applying within 8 working days from their first entry in Italy. Applications must be submitted to the relevant police authorities (“Questura”) of the Province of intended residence. Residence permit duration will be the same as indicated in the visa. Residence permits can be renewed or extended directly in Italy. To know the relevant police authorities according to your destination, please check the following website.
Further information
For any further information, please check the website of the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the website of the European Commission.