As beautiful as Italy is as a country, the Visa formalities are equally complex. Based on my experience I will give you a few tips below to ensure that you have a smooth Visa processing. Under one blog you know all the formalities that are required to obtain an Italy Visa for Indians.

One key thing to remember while applying for Italy’s Visa is to be patient! The Italy Visa processing time is quite long, sometimes even a month. So it is always better if you apply for the Visa way in advance. Further, the formalities for North Indians is a little different from South Indians. 

You will need Schengen Visa which will allow you to stay up to a period of 90 days. to enter Italy and I am giving all the details below about the Visa and its process.

Beginning in 2024, a traveler from a country that is typically granted visa-free entry will need an Italy ETIAS.

Disclaimer: This article may contain links to our affiliate partners such as Amazon, Booking.com, etc. If you find our website useful, please consider booking through our links. When you do we earn a small percentage at no extra cost to you.

What is a Schengen Visa

Schengen Visa is a common Visa for 26 countries in the European continent, that was originally signed as an agreement between 5 countries to make traveling between countries easier. To travel in these 26 countries, all you need is just one Visa. To apply for a Schengen Visa you need to submit the documents to that country’s embassy where your starting point is. So let’s say if you are traveling to Italy and Spain together with Italy being your entry pint then you need to submit your documents to the Italian consulate.

As a tourist, you would be needing a Type C Visa that is valid for 90 days for up to 180 days duration. You can take either a single entry visa or a multiple entry Visa depending on your travel plan.

When to Apply the Italy Visa for Indians

You can apply for Italy Visa between 3 months to 15 days from the date of your travels. I would strongly recommend you to apply for it 3 months before itself. My Visa took a month to process so the sooner you apply the better it would be.

Where to Apply with Respect to Jurisdiction

Italy Visa for Indians can be obtained from the VFS Global Services Pvt. Ltd. is a commercial company working in partnership with the Italian Embassy, New Delhi to provide Italian Visa Application Services in India.

Embassy of Italy in New Delhi

In the Embassy of Italy in Delhi, only those people can apply for Visa who resides in Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu-Kashmir, Punjab, Rajasthan, Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh, Delhi, and Chandigarh.

Consulate General of Italy in Mumbai

People who reside in the states of Andhra Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, Goa, Gujarat, Karnataka, Kerala, Maharashtra, and Tamil Nadu; the Union Territories of Daman, Diu, Dadra and Nagar Haveli, Lakshadweep and Pondicherry have to apply for the Visa in Consulate General of Italy in Mumbai or Kolkata. North East people can look for Kolkata while the South and West should go for Mumbai.

Note: You should prove that you have been legally residing in that state for at least 6 months

Consulate General of Italy in Kolkata

People who reside states of Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, Bihar, Jharkhand, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, Orissa, Tripura, Sikkim, and West Bengal; the Union Territory of the Andaman & Nicobar Islands have to apply for the Visa in Consulate General of Italy in Mumbai or Kolkata. North East people can look for Kolkata while the South and West should go for Mumbai.

Note: You should prove that you have been legally residing in that state for at least 6 months

Also read this – Italy Travel Guide Within 80k

Where to Submit

To Submit to the Embassy of Italy in New Delhi

Delhi

• Address: Italy Visa Application Centre, VFS Global Services Pvt. Ltd, Shivaji Stadium Metro Station, Mezzanine Level Baba Kharak Singh Marg, Connaught Place New Delhi – 110001
• Counter Timings: 09:00 – 16:30 (Monday – Friday except for public holidays)

Jalandhar

• Address: Italy Visa Application Centre, VFS Global Services Pvt. Ltd, 3rd floor, Aman Plaza, Plot No 310, Lajpat Nagar, Mahavir Marg, Nakodar Chowk, (opposite to lovely autos), Jalandhar, Punjab – 144001
• Counter Timings: 09:00 – 15:00 (Monday – Friday except for public holidays)

Chandigarh

• Address: Italy Visa Application Centre, VFS Global Services Pvt. Ltd, Elante Offices, Entry from Gate No. 3, Unit No. B 209, Second Floor, Office Block B, Plot no. 178- 178A, Industrial & Business Park, Phase – I, Chandigarh 160002
• Counter Timings: 09:00 – 15:00 (Monday – Friday except for public holidays)

Jaipur

• Address: Italy Visa Application Centre, VFS Global Services Pvt. Ltd, Manglam Ambition Tower 1st Floor, Agrasen Circle (Malan ka Chauraha), Subhash Marg, C Scheme Jaipur, 302001
• Counter Timings: 09:00 – 15:00 (Monday – Friday except for public holidays)

To Submit to Consulate General of Italy in Mumbai

Mumbai-South

• Address: Italy Visa Application Centre, VFS Global Services Pvt. Ltd, Urmi Axis Building, 1st Floor, Behind Famous Studio, Opp. E Moses Road, Mahalaxmi (West), Mumbai – 400 011
• Counter Timings: 08:00 – 16:00 (Monday – Friday except for public holidays)

Mumbai – North

• Address: Italy Visa Application Centre, VFS Global Services Pvt. Ltd, Trade Centre, 3rd Floor, ‘G’ Block, Bandra Kurla Complex, Bandra (East), Mumbai – 400 051
• Counter Timings: 08:00 – 14:30 (Monday – Friday except for public holidays)

Ahmedabad

• Address: Italy Visa Application Centre, First Floor, Emerald House, Near Parimal Garden Cross Road, Off C G Road, Ahmedabad – 380006
• Counter Timings: 09:00 – 16:00 (Monday – Friday except for public holidays)

Pune

• Address: Italy Visa Application Centre, VFS Global Services Pvt. Ltd, 4th Floor Marvel Edge F Core, Near Bajaj Finserv, Viman Nagar, Pune 411014
• Counter Timings: 08:00 – 16:00 (Monday – Friday except for public holidays)

Goa

• Address: Italy Visa Application Centre, VFS Global Services Pvt. Ltd, Gera Imperium 1, Office No 301 3rd Floor, Patto Plaza, Panjim Goa 403001, India
• Counter Timings: 08:00 – 15:00 (Monday – Friday except for public holidays)

Chennai

• Address: Italy Visa Application Centre, VFS Global Services Pvt. Ltd, Fagun Towers, Third Floor, No 74, Ethiraj Salai, Egmore, Chennai – 600 008
• Counter Timings: 08:00 – 15:00 (Monday – Friday except for public holidays)

Bengaluru

• Address: Italy Visa Application Centre, VFS Global Services Pvt. Ltd, Global Tech Park, No 11 First Floor O’ Shaughnessy Road, Langford Town, Bangalore 560025
  
• Counter Timings: 08:00 – 15:00 (Monday – Friday except for public holidays)

Hyderabad

• Address: Italy Visa Application Centre, VFS Global Services Pvt. Ltd, 8-2-700, 3rd Floor, Srida Anushka Pride, Road No.12, Banjara Hills, Hyderabad 500034
• Counter Timings: 08:00 – 15:00 (Monday – Friday except for public holidays)

Kochi

• Address: Italy Visa Application Centre, VFS Global Services Pvt. Ltd., 1st Floor Coastal Chambers (Manoj Tower) M G Road Ravipuram Cochin 682015 Kerala
• Counter Timings: 08:00 – 15:00 (Monday – Friday except for public holidays)

To Submit to Consulate General of Italy in Kolkata

Kolkata

• Address: Rene Tower, Building No. 1842, Rajdanga Main Road, Rajdanga, Landmark: Near Geetanjali Stadium Kolkata, 700107, India
• Counter Timings: 09:00 – 15:00 (Monday – Friday except for public holidays)

Italy Itinerary – Italy in 1 & 2 weeks

Italy Visa Checklist for Indians

Choose Your Visa Type

The short term tourist Italy Visa for Indians will fall under Type C category. Visiting friends/family or other non-business related purposes up to 90 days within a 180 day period from the date of first entry. The stay me be either continuous or several visits depending upon whether the visa is single or multiple entries.

Prepare Your Documents and Italy Visa Application Form

Italy Visa Application Form: This is available on the website itself. 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. The Italy Visa application form should be duly signed as well. You can download it from here – link

Passport Photograph (4.5 cm x 3.5 cm): Take at least two photographs with you which are not older than 6 months. Furthermore, the background should be white in color with 80% face without any head covers or sunglasses. Refer here for more details – link

Passport: Should have 2 blank pages and should have been issued within the earlier 10 years, with a validity of at least three more months beyond the date you plan to leave Italy and the whole territory of Schengen. Further, also take 2 photocopies of your passport of both and front pages

Cover Letter: This should be addressed to the Embassy explaining your intention for applying for a Visa, along with all the details of the documents and the trip. It should have the details of – name of the applicant and other members traveling, travel dates, itinerary and duration of stay, who is going to bear the expenses and purpose of the visit.

Insurance: You can easily apply for one online which will cost around INR 1,000/- and to apply for the Italian the minimum coverage should be of 30,000 EUR. I use Safety Wings to find out the best insurance deals for myself.

Update: VFS now only accepts insurance from a selected few companies. You can find the list of them here – link

Travel Itinerary: A blank page mentioning your travel dates and what all places you will be visiting during that time. If you want to go stress-free you can also book tours for your Italy travels on Tour Radar.

Bank Account Statements: Status of personal bank account for the last six months, stamped by the bank

Hotel Booking: You can easily reserve hotels on booking.com. They don’t charge anything for reserving the hotels and will work as the best alternative if your plan is flexible and if you want to cancel your bookings in the future

Booking.com

Flight Tickets: You can show dummy flight tickets, and often they do charge some fees, but it will be economical to have a dummy flight if your Visa gets rejected

Kiwi.com – Book Cheap Flights!

Credit card copy with a credit limit

Employment Status Proof

• If Working: Have a leave authorization form, salary slips of the last three months, employment contract and Form 16
• If Self-Employed: Have a business license, 6 months bank statement and an Income Tax Return (ITR)
• If a Student: Have proof of enrolment, no objection certificate from the university and advertisement
• If Retired: Pension statement of the latest 6 months
• If a Minor: A birth certificate, Italy Visa application form signed by both parents and certified copies of ID or passport of both the parents

Key Notes

• You need to have a family court order in the case where only one parent has full custody over the child
• If the minor will be traveling alone with another person then an original and copy of the accompanying person’s passport page should be submitted along with a notarized parental authorization which has to be signed by both parents/guardians
• The guardian or parent should accompany their under-age children

Schedule an Appointment

Italy Visa for Indians is a long and patient process. Schedule for an appointment as soon as possible as sometimes the Italy Visa processing time could exceed 20-30 working days. It is best to ideally schedule for an appointment two months before your travel. You can book the appointment here – link

Walk-in Without Appointment (For North Indians)

You can also apply for a short term Visa without booking an appointment. This service is available between 9 AM to 4 PM in New Delhi and between 9 AM to 3 PM in Jalandhar, Chandigarh & Jaipur.

Cost: INR 2650/- (inclusive of GST)

Italy Visa Fees from India

Italy Visa for Indians costs INR 4,820/- needs to be paid via Demand Draft along with INR 496/- as VFS Service charge. For minors (ages between 6 to 12), the Visa fee is INR 2,810/-

Visa Fee Demand Draft

The Demand Draft for Visa fee is favored to VFS Global Services Private Limited and payable at city wherein you lodge your application

If you are applying at VFS Delhi, Jaipur, Chandigarh & Jalandhar you can pay the Visa fees in cash. All you have to do is pay a convenience charge of INR 166/- (inclusive of GST)

VFS Service Charge 

This fee can be paid in cash or online by debit or credit card

Note: Visa fee and service charges are not refunded if your application is refused by the Embassy of Italy, or if you withdraw your application while it is under processing 

Post Submission

Track Your Application

The application of Italy Visa for Indians can be tracked by using several methods provided by VFS. They have SMS services, email, calling as well as online tracking of your application.

In case of SMS service, you can receive real-time updates through automated SMS and email alerts by paying INR 80/- only

Collection of the Visa and Passport

Collection in Person

Below, I am providing the collection timings of respective VFS office

• Delhi: 09:00 – 16:30 (Monday-Friday except for public holidays)
• Jalandhar: 15:00- 17:00 (Monday-Friday except for public holidays)
• Chandigarh: 15:00- 17:00 (Monday-Friday except for public holidays)
• Jaipur: 09:00 – 15:00 (Monday – Friday except for public holidays)
• Mumbai-South: 11:00 – 17:00 (Monday – Friday except for public holidays)
• Mumbai – North: 08:00 – 14:30 (Monday – Friday except for public holidays)
• Ahmedabad: 09:00 – 16:00 (Monday – Friday except for public holidays)
• Pune: 08:00 – 16:00 (Monday – Friday except for public holidays)
• Goa: 08:00 – 15:00 (Monday – Friday except for public holidays)
• Chennai: 08:00 – 15:00 (Monday – Friday except for public holidays)
• Bengaluru: 08:00 – 15:00 (Monday – Friday except for public holidays)
• Hyderabad: 08:00 – 15:00 (Monday – Friday except for public holidays)
• Kochi: 08:00 – 15:00 (Monday – Friday except for public holidays)
• Kolkata: 15:00 – 17:00 (Monday – Friday except for public holidays)

Courier – Passport Delivery at Your Doorstep

You can avail this service as well for just INR 300/-. The complete address should be mentioned on the covering letter, otherwise, the passport would be sent on the address mentioned on the Italy Visa Application Form

Prime Time Service Collection (NOT applicable in Mumbai)

Prime time collection of Italy Visa for Indians allows the applicant to collect their passport from the center at a convenient time, on Saturday, at an additional cost.

• Timings: 10:00 – 16:00 (For Delhi)
• Passport Collection Charges: INR 450/-
• Passport Submission Charges: INR 2500/-

Third Party Collection

Third party collection of the documents or passports is not permitted, except in the following cases:

Planning to go here solo? Read this – Why You Need to Try Couch Surfing

Drop boxes

Italy Visa for Indians requires a biometric. If you have submitted your biometric after 2nd November 2015 then you just have to submit your Visa applications that can be dropped to 29 drop boxes which are located across India.

How to Apply

Call the contact Centre 022-67866004 before approaching the drop box location and drop your applications between 9 AM to 3 PM. For the list of drop box addresses, refer here – link. This link will provide all the steps as well as fees that need to be paid for your Visa.

Reporting Back

At times, you are asked to report at the embassy after returning for Italy. In such cases, you do not have to go to the VFS office but rather at the Italy Embassy instead. You can report back to the embassy either on a Tuesday or a Thursday between 15:00 to 16:00.

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