Entry
Italy belongs to the Schengen Area, whose European member countries all apply one set of rules to short stays. Non-EU visitors, that is, anyone who does not hold the nationality of Switzerland, Norway, Liechtenstein, Iceland or an EU country, may stay 90 days at most within any period of 180 days, and the days are counted over the entire area. Passport nationality determines the next step: for some nationalities a Schengen visa must be obtained before the journey, whereas for others a short stay needs no visa. Country lists can be checked by following the link to the EU's page on visa policy below. A visa application goes to the consulate of the country being visited. If several countries are on the itinerary, the right consulate is the one belonging to the country with the longest stay, or to the first country visited when the stays are equal. The consulate for the applicant's country of legal residence is the one to apply through. Medical insurance is something applicants need, covering repatriation, hospital treatment and emergency care. They also need documents showing why they are travelling, how much money they have, where they will stay and that they intend to go home, and the consulate may ask for further documents. The passport should stay valid for 3 months or longer after the planned date of leaving, and its issue date must fall within the past 10 years. Border staff may ask you to explain your reasons for visiting and the particulars of the stay, and to prove you have sufficient funds. The EU's Entry/Exit System (EES), which replaces passport stamps, became fully operational on 10 April 2026. Non-EU visitors on short stays, visa or no visa, have their face photographed and/or fingerprints taken and passport data recorded at the border, and every refusal, entry and exit is logged. Exempt travellers exist; they are listed below. The first crossing takes longer than later ones, so extra time is advisable for it. Travellers exempt from visas will need ETIAS, a travel authorisation, for 30 European countries, Italy among them. At November 2026 it has not started: applications are not being accepted, and the start date remains unconfirmed. The EU says the date will be announced several months in advance of launch, so check the official page for ETIAS ahead of travel, while a site selling an ETIAS today is best ignored.
- EU - Visa policy (Schengen) OfficialOfficial EU information on Schengen visas, with links to the country lists.
- EU - Applying for a Schengen visa OfficialWhere to apply and which documents you need.
- Your Europe - Travel documents for non-EU nationals OfficialPassport validity and entry conditions.
- EU - Entry/Exit System (EES) OfficialWhat the new border registration means for you.
- EU - How the EES works OfficialWhat happens at the border on your first and later crossings.
- EU - Who the EES does not apply to OfficialThe full list of exempt travellers.
- European Commission - EES status OfficialStates that the system became fully operational on 10 April 2026.
- EU - ETIAS OfficialFor visa-free nationalities only; check the current status and start date here.
- EU - ETIAS: who should apply OfficialWhich nationalities and countries ETIAS will cover.
- EU - Short-stay (90/180) calculator OfficialCount how many days you may still stay.
