Undoubtedly Italy is the travel Bible for many travellers. Because this beautiful land is the of home of many panoramic lands , breathtaking  views and equally famous for its delicious cuisines in the world, Italy has turned all the more alluring with a mention in Eat, Pray, Love—. If you, too, have been wooed by this land of cobbled pathways and world’s best cafes, and are looking for information on visa application for the same, here’s your guide. The most important thing to remember about getting a visa for Italy is that you would need a Schengen visa. You need to apply at a minimum of 15 days before and a maximum of three months before your date of travel.

Let’s know the types of Schengen visa: 

Short stay Schengen visa
This lets you enter the territories of any of the Schengen states for a stay/several visits for a maximum duration of three months. Short Term Schengen Visa ‘C’ Type is for the purpose of Tourism, Business, Religious, Study, Sports and Invitation.

Long term Schengen visa
A long term Schengen Visa ‘D’ Type is required in case your visit exceeds 90 days every six months. This has to be submitted by the applicant himself/herself at the Italy Visa Application Centre. The purpose of such an Italy visa for Indians can be Studies, Religious, Family Reunion, Employment/Self-employment, if you’re an accompanying spouse, Re-entry and Internship.

Visa for family members of Italian/EU Nationals
Application for such a visa needs to be filed directly at the Embassy of Italy. This can be for short term as well long term stay.

Procedure of applying for a visa 

1) Download and fill the visa application form

2) Prepare the following documents:
 

A passport that is valid for at least 3 months after the visa expiry date; it should have been issued within the last 10 years and has two blank pages

Two passport-sized photographs

Photocopy of confirmed hotel reservation/sponsorship certificate (if you are visiting on an invitation) along with the Photo ID proof and details of the invitee

A photocopy of your itinerary

Photocopy of income tax papers (past one year), past three months’ bank statement and salary slips

Overseas medical insurance with minimum coverage of Euro 30,000 for emergency hospital and repatriation expenses

For minors, application has to be signed by both parents. If the minor is travelling with one of the parents, a no objection certificate from the other parent is required.

Do make sure that the documents are submitted in Italian, if mentioned so. It’s advisable to get the translation done by a Certified Translator. Schedule an appointment at the Visa Application Centre Visit the Visa Application Centre with the application form, duly filled, and all the documents mentioned; submit the form and the documents, pay the visa fee and collect the acknowledgment receipt.

Track your visa application
You can keep a check on the status of your visa application via SMS, email or updates on the official website. You can also visit any of the VFS centres for more Italy visa information.

Major VFA application centres in India

You can file your application at any of the following VFA visa application centres:

New Delhi 
Italy Visa Application Centre, VFS Global Services Pvt. Ltd, No 15-26, Block E, 2nd Floor, International Trade Tower, Nehru Place, New Delhi – 110019

Jalandhar 
Italy Visa Application Centre, VFS Global Services Pvt. Ltd, Axis tower, 3rd floor, Plot No -1, Badri Dass Colony, BMC Chowk, GT Road, Jalandhar – 144001

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