Italian Consulate London – 5 Easy Steps to Apply for Italy Schengen Visa

Italy is an extremely beautiful Schengen country with mountains and a lake region – perfect for hiking and skiing throughout the year. Its iconic cities, like Rome, Pisa, Venice, and Naples, have wonderful architecture, delicious cuisine, and lots of exciting things to do. Head to the coast and spend time on any of the dazzling beaches or glitzy resorts – lazy days and fun evenings for everyone! In this article learn more about how to apply for Italy visa at the Italian consulate in London, UK, Italy visa appointment booking, Processing time at the Italy visa application center, flight itinerary for Italy visa, hotel bookings for Italy visa, Schengen travel insurance for Italy visa application, and Italy Visa Application Process at the London embassy.

Italy Schengen Visas

In 2017, there were 1,850,260 Italy Schengen visas received and processed by visa offices worldwide. Of this total amount, 141,722 (7.66%) were rejected. The Consulate General of Italy in London received 20,997 and rejected 370 (1.8%).

Applying for an Italy Schengen Visa from London

If you are from any of the following countries you do NOT need to apply for an Italy Schengen visa. You are allowed to visit Italy for up to 90 days as long as you hold a valid passport:

If you are a citizen of any other country, you DO need to apply for an Italy Schengen visa. If you currently reside in the United Kingdom, you can easily apply for the visa as long as you can prove you have a legal right to remain the country.

You have to make sure you apply at the right Italian embassy and consulate. To apply for your Italy visa, you may apply at the Consulate General of Italy in London. Please note, you can only apply at the consulate in London if you reside in England, Wales, Isle of Man, Isle of Wight, Channel Islands, Gibraltar and South Georgia & Sandwich Islands.

Types of Schengen Visas Offered at the Consulate General of Italy in London

There are different types of visas that you may apply for and the one you need will depend on the duration of your trip and your reason for traveling to Italy.

1. Schengen visa – this visa is for stays of up to 90 days for the purposes of tourism, business, visiting family/friends, other family reasons and airport transit. Applications for Schengen visas are received by VFS Global
2. National visa – this visa is for stays of over 90 days for the purposes of employment, study, family reasons, etc. If you wish to apply for this type of visa, you will need to apply for a residence permit. Applications for National visas are dealt with by the consulate in London

Visas are usually issued as:

• Single entry – Maximum of 1 entry during 90 day period
• Double entry – Maximum of 2 entries during the 90 day period
• Multiple entry – Unlimited entries during the 90 day period

Schengen Visa Application Process at the Consulate General of Italy in London

Visa applications are processed in 2-10 days, but it could take longer depending on your nationality. You can apply up to 3 months ahead of your departure date, so you should do so well in advance. If you leave it too late, there might not be enough time for your application to be processed.

Here are a few steps to help you apply for your Italy visa:

Step 1: Book an appointment               

Making appointments with the embassy or visa application center is generally free and can be done yourself. However, If you are running short of time or not sure which consulate to apply to or have no idea on how to get this done yourself then not to worry, we will make the appointment for you for a small service fee!

Booking a visa appointment using our services is pretty simple! All you have to do is follow the 3 simple steps below:

1. Visit the link to schedule the visa appointment
2. Submit the appointment details, visa you are applying for, consulate you need the appointment for, the country you need the appointment IN and make the payment
3. Receive appointment confirmation in email

You can also make an appointment on your own by following the steps below:

The first thing you need to do is to book an appointment in order to submit your visa application.

1. Go to VFS Global’s website and click on: “Schedule an appointment”:
2. On the next page, click on the link:
3. You will need to register as a new user:
4. Then, you can log in:

You will then be able to make a suitable appointment to submit your Italy Schengen visa application to VFS Global in London.

Once the Appointment booking process has been completed, you will receive an email confirming your appointment. You will also receive the appointment letter which you must print off because you will need to take this to your appointment at VFS Global.

For national visas, go to the consulate’s website and click on: “Visas”

On the next page, click on: “Consulate general”:

On the next page, scroll down to the information regarding appointment booking and click on the link:

You will be directed to the consulate’s online booking system – Prenota online. First, register as a new user:

Then, you can log in to make your appointment:

Please note, 10 days prior to your appointment, you’ll receive an email asking you to reconfirm your appointment at the consulate. You must do this within 7 days, otherwise, your appointment will be cancelled. You have until 3 days prior to your appointment to do this.

Step 2: Complete your application form

The application for short-stay Schengen visas for Italy can be completed online. Go to the consulate’s website’s visa page again and click on: “E-@pplication“:

Click on the link:

You will be directed to the e-application system. Click on: “Proceed to online form”:

Then, you can complete your application form:

Please note, this system can ONLY be used for short-term Schengen visas. Alternatively, the application forms for Schengen visas can be found here if you don’t want to use the online system. If you are applying for a National visa, you can find the application form here. Download it in order to complete it.

Step 3: Prepare your documents

Before you begin this step it’s a good idea to check what documents are required for your visa application. If you fail to comply with these requirements, your application may be rejected. This information can be found on the consulate’s website or VFS Global’s website.

Original documents AND photocopies must be provided. Foreign documents must also be translated into English and properly legalized.

Documents include:

1. Duly completed application form (click here) (E@pplication)
2. Passport valid for at least 3 months beyond the departure date of your trip and with at least two blank pages. Must have been issued within the last 10 years
3. Valid UK residence permit
4. 1 x color, white background, recent passport-size photo (not older than 6 months). See full guidelines for acceptable photos
5. Fully paid return flight tickets. Note that Embassies in UK may require actual fully paid tickets for the visa application and not the flight reservation based on the jurisdiction you live in. So double check the embassy requirements within your jurisdiction before submitting the documents for visa application.
6. Fully booked hotel reservation OR invitation letter from your host in Italy (for a template click here) along with host’s  ID/passport and/or residence permit in Italy
7. Recent (not older than one month) reference letter either from your employer or University/College addressed to the Italian Consulate
8. Proof of financial means to cover the cost of the intended stay such as last 3 x bank statements)
9. Schengen Travel insurance covering the intended period of stay
10. Letter from current employer confirming information about your position in the company and the purpose of the trip to Italy. If self-employed, a letter from the company director or accountant
11. Invitation letter from the Italian company duly signed, dated and addressed to the Italian Consulate together with a copy of the host’s ID/Passport. The letter must confirm the purpose of the trip, dates of travel, who is responsible for the expenses, travel health insurance and accommodation in Italy
12. Proof of sponsorship and/or accommodation for companies or organizations. 
13. Acceptance letter from the university in Italy with details of the study program
14. Presentation letter from the university in the UK
15. Nulla Osta (entry clearance) provided by the “Sportello Unico” (Unified Immigration Desk), to be requested by the employer in Italy
16. Contratto di lavoro (job contract)
17. Birth certificate and written consent from both parents, plus, parent’s passport (minors)
18. Marriage certificate

If you’re planning to obtain your flight reservation for visa without paying for the ticket, all you have to do is follow the 3 simple steps below:

1. Visit the Visa Reservation website to choose the right package
2.  Submit the travel details and make the payment online
3. Receive flight itinerary in email

Step 4: Attend your appointment

On the day of your appointment, whether you attend it at VFS Global or the consulate it’s important to remember the following things:

1. Arrive early – VFS Global specify you arrive at least 20 minutes early. If you are late, you will have to reschedule and this could delay your travel plans
2. Don’t forget anything – check and recheck that you have everything you need for your appointment BEFORE you get there. If you submit an incomplete application, it won’t be processed and/or it will be rejected
3. Dress smartly – it’s a good idea not to dress too casually. Every little thing helps to make a good impression when you are applying for a visa

When the visa officer starts to review your application, they may ask you extra questions to confirm the information you have stated. If this happens, just answer honestly and be polite.

Typical questions include:

1. What do you know about Italy?
2. Is this your first time traveling to the EU?
3. Are you meeting anyone in Italy?
4. What is your salary?
5. Can you tell me what you do in the UK?

Don’t jeopardize your Schengen visa interview at the last minute. Use this comprehensive and thorough visa interview guide to crack the visa interview!

You will also pay the fee for your visa. You can pay in cash or by credit/debit card at VFS Global. Please note, there is also a service fee of £8.58. If you are attending your appointment at the consulate in London, you can pay by cash only. These fees will not be refunded to you, even if your application gets rejected.

You will also provide a scan of your fingerprints and a photo. This biometric data will be uploaded on the Visa Information System (VIS) and will be used by the immigration authorities.

Step 5: Receive your visa

Once you have submitted your application, you can track its progress.

1. Go to VFS Global’s website and click on: “Track your application”:
2. On the next page, click on the tracking link:
3. Key in the requested information and you can find out what stage your application is at:

Please note, this tracking service is only for Schengen visas. If you have applied for a National visa, the consulate will contact you once they have reached a decision.

When a decision about your visa application has been made, you can collect your passport from the consulate or VFS Global in London. VFS Global has a postal service available for your passport to be returned by Special Delivery for an additional fee of £25.28 per application.

The decision will be either:

1. Approved – you will find your Italy visa inside your passport
2. Rejected – your visa application has been rejected for a reason

Common rejection reasons

1. Purpose of travel is not clear – the reason for your stay in Italy must be clear and you must provide documents to prove this, such as itinerary, work contract, university enrollment letter etc
2. Invalid passport – if your passport is not valid in any way (see above requirements) you must obtain a new one before you apply for your visa
3. Insufficient funds – you must be able to afford your trip and the documents you provide must prove that you can do so
4. Invitation letter missing – if you are being invited to Italy by a person or a company etc., you must submit an invitation letter

Contact details for the Consulate General of Italy in London

Address: Harp House, 83/86 Farringdon Street, London, EC4A 4BL (nearest underground/rail stations: Blackfriars or Farringdon)

Email: visti.londra@esteri.it

Hours: Monday to Friday; 9.00 am to 12.00 pm

Contact details for VFS Global in London

Address: 66 Wilson Street, London, EC2A 2BT

Phone: 0871 376 0023 between 8.30 am and 5.30 pm

Email: info.schengen@vfshelpline.com

Hours: Monday to Friday; 4.00 pm to 5.30 pm (Passport collection)

Conclusion

There are just 5 easy steps to follow when you apply for your Italy Schengen visa:

1. Book an appointment
2. Complete your application form
3. Prepare your documents
4. Attend your appointment
5. Receive your visa

The next step is to start packing for your time in Italy!

At Visa Reservation, we strive to simplify the visa process by providing free visa consultations, cover letter templates and no objection letter templates for our clients from US, UK, Canada, Philippines, India, China, UAE, Europe, Nigeria and globally. We also offer flight itinerary for visa, travel medical insurance, hotel reservations for visa , Book Visa Appointment, Travel Guides, Visa Interview Guides and many more. To learn more about how we can help you with our visa services, please feel free to contact us today.

See Also

Apply Schengen Visa From UK

Apply France Visa From UK

Apply Germany Visa From UK

Apply Spain Visa From UK

Apply Italy Visa From UK

Apply Switzerland Visa From UK

Apply Netherlands Visa From UK

Apply Greece Visa From UK

Apply Portugal Visa From UK

Apply Belgium Visa From UK

Apply Sweden Visa From UK

Apply Norway Visa From UK

Apply Czech Republic Visa From UK

Apply Denmark Visa From UK

Apply Iceland Visa From UK

Apply Malta Visa From UK