When you think of Italy, you might only think of pasta, pizza, etc. However, Italy is a country full of rich history, art-filled streets, colorful cultural festivals, and miraculous landscapes of nature, with a fairy tale in every corner and an unforgettable memory at every step. Every stone, every street, contains the secrets of thousands of years; from the glorious monuments of the ancient Roman Empire to the exquisite works of art of the Renaissance, everything seems to combine the past with the present, offering you both an intellectual and spiritual feast.
Travel to Italy
Italy, a dream destination for every traveler, offers a unique harmony of culture, history and taste. This beautiful country is one of the most attractive places in the world, both for its nature and cultural heritage. Cities such as Rome, Venice, Florence and Milan, each attract travelers with its own unique character and charm. Rome is famous for its historical monuments such as the Colosseum and the Roman Forum, which bear the traces of the ancient empire. Venice is known for its canals, gondolas and romantic atmosphere. Florence is home to the pearls of the Renaissance, while Milan is known as the center of fashion and design.
Each region of Italy is distinguished by its unique culture and cuisine. For example, Naples is famous for its pizza, while Bologna is famous for its spaghetti bolognese. The Tuscany region is known for its wine production and olive oil. Italian cuisine is not just food, but also a culture and a way of life. For Italians, eating is both a pleasure and a social activity, a way of getting together with family and friends. When traveling in Italy, tasting traditional dishes in local restaurants is an invaluable experience to better understand the culture of the country.
For those planning a trip to Italy, the country's transportation system is quite developed and convenient. The railway network is the most efficient means of intercity travel. Railway companies such as Trenitalia and Italo offer fast and comfortable train travel. For example, the journey between Rome and Florence takes about 1.5 hours. Within the city, public transportation such as the metro, buses and trams can be used. Renting a car is also a popular option for traveling to the smaller towns and villages of Italy. However, driving in historic city centers can be difficult, as the streets are narrow and traffic jams are common.
Located at the center of world tourism, home to the Colosseum, considered the pearl of the Mediterranean coast and one of the seven wonders of the world, and visited by more than 60 million tourists every year, Italy adorns the dreams of all travelers with its famous cities, historical buildings, monuments and seaside locations. If you also dream of reaching Rome at the end of your trip, you can find the necessary information about the Italy Schengen visa in this article.
Italy Visa Types
You can apply for an Italian Schengen visa to travel to Italy, which is one of the Schengen countries. The reasons for applying for this type of visa include tourism, visiting family or friends, business travel, medical examination and treatment, short-term studies, exchange programs and other temporary purposes. If you want to study in Italy for more than 90 days (bachelor's, master's, doctoral, etc.) or work permanently in an organization located here, it is possible to apply for an Italian national visa based on the official invitation or acceptance letters you receive from the relevant educational and work institutions.
Italy Tourist Visa
Similar to other Schengen countries, the Italian Schengen visa is available in single-entry and multiple-entry variants. In addition, it is also possible to apply for long-term visas covering a period of three months, six months, one year, two years or five years. Once the visa is obtained, you can freely enter any Schengen country. However, we recommend that you make your first entry into the Schengen area from the country where you obtained the visa – namely Italy. If you do not declare this when applying and try to enter another Schengen country with an Italian visa, although in rare cases, this may cause problems and lead to you being turned back by the border service of that country. Since such cases have been observed, we advise you not to take this risk.
If you are applying for an Italian Schengen visa, you must indicate the country where you plan to spend the most time during your trip. Often, tourists include Spain, Austria, Switzerland, France and other European countries in their travel plans for Italy. Such cases do not cause problems with your visa application; the main thing is to indicate Italy as the country where you will stay the most in your overall travel plan, so that it is possible to apply for a visa at the Italian embassy.
Documents Required for Italy Tourist Visa Application
When applying for an Italy Schengen visa, you must submit the following documents:
- Original and copy of the first page of your foreign passport
- Copies of your previous visas and entry-exit stamps, if applicable
- Copy of your ID card
- Employment certificate* and, if applicable, salary slip (for students, certificate from educational institution) Employment certificate from the e-government portal
- Bank account certificate* and statement in your name (more detailed information on the amount is provided below)
- Extracts of properties in your name* and a copy of your car’s registration document, if applicable
- Proof of your civil status* (if married, your marriage certificate; if you have children under 18, their birth certificates or a copy of the document on the dissolution of your marriage)
- 2 biometric photos of you, 3.5x4.5 in size, with a white background
- Airline tickets you have booked for your trip
- Hotel reservations you have booked for your trip
- Travel insurance in accordance with Schengen rules that will fully cover your trip
- In English Completed application form
- If you are applying for a visa for a business trip, not a tourist trip, an official invitation letter related to the work, event or meeting
It is important that the documents marked with an “*” are submitted to the embassy in English. If the original document is not in English, i.e. you obtained it in Azerbaijani, then each of these documents must be notarized and translated into English and submitted to the embassy.
Once your documents are approved, the embassy may call you during the visa process and request additional documents. In some cases, the Italian embassy has also requested that applicants provide documents confirming their hotel reservations.
The amount in your bank account is determined by factors such as the travel dates you have indicated – i.e. the duration of your stay in the Schengen area, the flight tickets you have booked and the prices of the hotels. In general, it is advisable to indicate a minimum amount of 3,000-5,000 AZN (also the equivalent in euros or US dollars) in your account for a one-week trip. This amount should fully cover your travel plan. When calculating the amount, you can choose a slightly higher figure, taking into account the average cost of 70-80 euros per day spent in the Schengen area, in addition to the cost of your tickets and hotel reservations.
If you are an entrepreneur, you can submit a copy of your TIN, a certificate of turnover from the Ministry of Taxes, and an extract from the company register as documents that will replace the certificate from your workplace. If you are unemployed, studying, or if you are sponsoring another person to cover your travel expenses, you must submit a copy of that person's ID card, a certificate from your workplace (if the sponsor is an entrepreneur, the documents mentioned above), a certificate and extract from your bank account (the account can be in both your and your sponsor's name), as well as a document confirming your family ties (for example, if it is your parent, your birth certificate; if it is your brother or sister, both birth certificates, etc.) and a document on sponsorship. Also, if the applicant is under 18 years of age, a copy of the exit permit of both parents if traveling alone, or of the other parent if traveling with one parent, must be submitted.
Qeyd etmək lazımdır ki, VÖEN, Vergilər Nazirliyindən aldığınız dövriyyəniz barədə arayış, şirkətinizin reyestrdən çıxarışı və ya sponsorluq sənədləri kimi təqdim etdiyiniz hər bir sənədin notarial qaydada ingilis dilinə tərcümə olunaraq təsdiq edilməsi zəruridir.
Visa Procedure
Applications for an Italian Schengen visa are accepted at the Visametric visa application center of the Italian Embassy. The decision on the visa is made by the consul at the consular section of the Italian Embassy in Baku.
It is possible to schedule a visa appointment for the presentation of documents on weekdays from 08:30 to 18:30 by contacting the Italy Visametric visa application center at +994 12 599 88 11.
Visa applications can be submitted up to 6 months before the travel date. All applicants are usually required to be present in person when submitting their documents.
The Italy Schengen visa process usually takes 5–15 calendar days (excluding holidays) from the date of application. In practice, if the documents are in order and during periods of low demand, the response is given within 2–3 business days. In some cases, the embassy may respond the day before the flight date.
A visa fee of 35 euros and a visa center service fee of 21 euros are paid upon submission of documents. These fees are paid only in manats, based on the quarterly exchange rate approved by the Embassy of the Republic of Italy in Baku.
Probability of Getting an Italy Schengen Visa
As with all countries' embassies, your chances of getting a visa in Italy depend on your personal profile. Your job and position are stable, your monthly income is at or above the standard salary level (in practice, visas have been issued to those with a monthly income of 400–600 AZN), your bank account has the amount that will fully cover your trip, factors that tie you to the country (for example, property registered in your name, family and children), and your good travel history are some of the main factors that increase your chances of getting an Italian Schengen visa. For those who have never received a Schengen visa before, the Italian embassy can be considered relatively risky during the first application. In our experience, if the other factors mentioned above in your profile are not at a high level, getting your first Schengen visa from the Italian embassy can be risky. The presence of previous Schengen visas is a positive factor that increases your chances of getting a visa.
Visa Support to Italy
As Vizam.az, we are ready to provide you with full support during your Italy Schengen visa application. Our services include making an appointment on your behalf at the embassy, filling out the application form, professionally preparing your documents, booking flight tickets that will cover your trip, booking hotels or providing them in the form you desire, creating your travel itinerary for a visa, providing travel insurance that fully covers your trip, consulting and monitoring your visa procedure. It should be noted that the travel insurance fee is calculated separately from our service fee - usually between 16–18 AZN for 1 week; you can also provide this insurance yourself. In addition, we also provide assistance with notarizing and certifying your documents into English; the additional fee for each document is 16 AZN. In total, the fee for the Italy Schengen visa support service in our company is 115 AZN per person.
You can click here to place an order. For more information, call 010/50/55-3000135.
Happy travels!
