Italy Visa From Philippines – How to Apply for Italian Schengen Visa Application Requirements Guide
Italy is a stunning Schengen country with an exciting and interesting history made present by a host of wonderful attractions like Pompeii, the Forum and the Colosseum to name a few. Beautiful beach resorts, world-famous cities and a whole lot more! In this article, learn more about how to apply for an Italy visa in the Philippines, Italy visa appointment booking, processing time at the Italy visa application centre, flight itinerary for an Italy visa, hotel bookings for an Italy visa, Schengen travel insurance for an Italy visa application, and Italy visa application process at the visa office in the Philippines.
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Italy Schengen Visas
In 2019, Italian embassies around the world processed 2,053,521 visa applications and rejected 157,557. The Italian Embassy in Manila received 24,170 and rejected 1,495.
Applying for an Italy Schengen Visa from the Philippines
If you belong to any of the following categories, you can apply for an Italy Schengen visa from the Philippines:
- All Filipino citizens residing in the territory of the Republic of the Philippines, and all Filipino and Palauan citizens residing in the territory of Palau
- All nationals of other countries whose citizens who are legally residing in the Philippines with a visa
- All nationals of countries whose citizens are legally present in the Philippines on a temporary basis with a visa (if this applies, you need to justify why you are applying at the Embassy of Italy in Manila rather than your home country)
If you are a family member of a European citizen, you can submit your application to the Embassy of Italy in Manila. See the embassy’s website for more information.
All other applicants will submit their applications to the Visa Information and Application Center – VIA in Makati or Cebu. It is still the embassy’s job to process your application and make the decision about whether to grant your visa or not.
Applications are processed within 15 days for Schengen visas although it could take as long as 30 days. National visas are processed within 30 – 120 days depending on the type of visa you are applying for.
You should submit your application at least 15 days before departure. You may apply up to 6 months ahead, so don’t leave it too late!
Types of Schengen visas offered at the VIA Center/Embassy of Italy in Manila
There are different types of visas and the one you need to apply for will depend on your reason for going to Italy and how long you are going for.
If you are planning on visiting Italy for a maximum of 90 days, you will apply for a Schengen visa (C). For over 90 days, you will apply for a National visa (D). You may need a visa for any of the following reasons:
- Business
- EU relatives
- Religion
- Seaman transit
- Tourism
- Visiting friends/relatives
- Work
- Family reunion
- Study
- Other visas such as adoption or mission purposes
You can find more information about each of these visa categories, so do your research to make sure you apply for the correct one.
If you are simply planning on catching a connecting flight in the Philippines, you will need to apply for an Airport Transit visa. With this visa, you are not permitted to leave the international zone of the airport.
How Can I Apply for an Italy Schengen Visa from VIA?
To apply for your Italy visa, there are 4 easy steps to help you:
- Step 1 – Check if you need a visa
- Step 2 – Start your application
- Step 3 – Lodge your visa application
- Step 4 – Collect your passport
Step 1 – Check if you need a visa
The first thing to do is to check whether you need a visa in the first place. Go to VIA’s website and click on: “Italy”:
Click on: “Step 1 – Check if you need a visa”:
Click on the link:
Key in the requested information:
You will be presented with information about what documents you need to submit and fees etc. Read this information fully before you do anything else:
Step 2 – Start your application
Go to VIA’s website and click on: “Step 2 – Start your application”:
Choose your visa type (short-term or long-term) and click on the link for the application form:
You will be directed to the online application form which you need to go through and complete fully.
Supporting documents
You will also find checklists for the documents required on VIA’s website. Refer to these to help you prepare your documents. Do that before you start to avoid missing anything as you prepare your documents.
You should also prepare photocopies as well as providing the original documents, so don’t forget to do that too!
Documents include:
- Completely filled in Schengen visa application form
- Passport photograph – One (1) with white background and not older than 6 months
- Old (if available) and current valid passport with an expiry date of three months longer than that of the visa requested but please consider the 6 months validity as required by the Philippines Bureau of Immigration
- Photocopy of biographical and last page of passport, previous visa and immigration stamps in all countries
- Complete itinerary confirmed round trip flight booking
- Proof of financial means – copy of real estate property –title-deed (if relevant), bank certification or statement of account (six months account history for frequent traveler). If available, international credit cards statements, properties, land titles etc. For minors: proof of economic means of parents or legal guardian
- Proof of occupation: If employed, certificate of employment & approved leave of absence, income tax return (ITR). For applicants who are government staff, approved travel authority. If Self-employed, business license/ permits, BIR registration and financial statement/income tax return & Professional License Card (PRC Card) if any. For students, certificate of enrolment and approved leave of absence (if travelling during school year)
- Travel health insurance with coverage of at least 30,000 euros ( with 15 days allowance beyond travel period) for expenses for emergency hospitalization and repatriation expenses, valid throughout the Schengen area
- Hotel reservation under the name of the traveler
- Letter of invitation and document of identity, proof of citizenship or permit of stay from the inviting person. If invited by relatives, documents to prove relationship
- Birth certificate
- Marriage certificate
- For all minors & students: Notarized affidavit of support and consent from both parents
- Proof of family ties in the Philippines
- DSWD clearance for minors not traveling with parents
- If you are not a Filipino citizen – proof of permanent residency in the Philippines (ACR)
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:
- Visit the Visa Reservation website to choose the right package
- Submit the travel details and make the payment online
- Receive flight itinerary in email
Step 3 – Lodge your visa application
Once you have completed your application and gathered all the required supporting documents, it’s time to lodge your application to the VIA center for processing.
When you submit your application you will need to remember the following things:
- Take originals and photocopies of all the required documents
- Take both your original old and most recently issued passport
- Photocopies of the first page and last page of both the old passport and most recently issued passport are required
- Photocopies of previous visas and immigration stamps from countries previously visited are required
- Each applicant must have their own file
- Fill in your application form accurately. Indicate N/A for items that are not applicable. Do not forget to sign the document
Your application must be arranged in the following order:
- Passport
- Application form with picture
- Introduction Letter
- If invited by friends/relatives: (1) invitation letter (2) copy of proof of identity (3) proof of relationship
Or, if you are staying in a hotel: (1) Hotel Booking
- Copy of Passport, visas and immigration stamps
- Proof of Occupation
- Proof of Economic Means
- Travel Health Insurance
- Certified NSO documents
- Flight Booking
Please note, you do NOT need an appointment to hand over your documents. All you need to do is visit the VIA center during their available hours for submission of visa applications which are:
- Monday to Thursday – 08.00 am to 2.30 pm
- Friday – 8.00 am to 1.30 pm
You will also provide your biometric data which is a 10-digit finger scan and a digital photograph. If you have provided this information within the last 5 years, you should not have to provide it again.
Once you have submitted your application to the VIA center, it will be sent to the embassy for processing. The embassy may call you for an interview if they need to verify any of the information you have provided. At the interview, you may be asked questions such as:
- What do you know about Italy?
- Are you going to work there?
- How much do you earn?
- Are you traveling alone?
Don’t panic! Simply answer any questions put to your honestly and be clear!
Don’t jeopardize your Schengen visa interview at the last minute. Use this comprehensive and thorough visa interview guide to crack the visa interview!
Visa fees
All fees are non-refundable even if your application gets rejected. You will pay the fees when you submit your application in cash in Philippine Pesos.
| Type of Visa | Fee in PHP | Fee in Euro |
| Short-term visa – up to 90 days – aged 12 years and above | 4,605 | 80 |
| Short-term visa – up to 90 days – aged 6-11 years | 2,303 | 40 |
| Short-term visa – up to 90 days – aged 0-5 years | Free | Free |
| Long-term visa – over 90 days | 6,677 | 116 |
| Study visa – up to 90 days | Free | Free |
| Study visa – over 90 days | 2,878 | 50 |
| VIA Service/Handling fees | Makati | Cebu |
| Visa lodgement & biometric service (including delivery) | 1,350 PHP | 1,350 PHP |
| Courier service (No biometrics required. Applications only) | 1,350 PHP | 1,350 PHP |
| Submission of additional documents | 75 PHP | 75 PHP |
| Courier service (one-way) | 215 PHP | 215 PHP |
Step 4 – Collect your passport
When your passport has been returned to the VIA center, you can collect your passport or have it returned to you via courier for an additional fee.
The decision will be either:
- Approved – your visa will be inside your passport
- Rejected – this would have been for a specific reason and you can appeal the decision
Common rejection reasons include:
- No invitation letter – if you are being invited to Italy by someone, you must provide an invitation letter
- Passport invalid – if your passport is invalid in any way, you must get a new one before applying for a visa
- The purpose of your trip is not clear – the reason you are going to Italy must be clear and you should provide documents such as an itinerary to show this
- Your intent to return to the Philippines is not clear – you must show that you have ties to your home country and that you will depart from the Schengen zone before your visa expires
How to contact VIA in the Philippines
Makati
Address: 3rd Flr Allegro Center, Chino Roces Ave, Makati, 2284 Metro Manila, Philippines
Email: ita_inquiry@via.ph
Tel: (02) 88459200 – Setting an appointment/(02) 88459215 – General inquiries/(02) 88459214 – Seafarers/(02) 88459211 – Legalization of documents
Cebu
Address: 1004, Keppel Bldg, Cardinal Rosales Avenue Cor Samar Loop, Cebu City, 6000 Cebu, Philippines
Email: ita_inquiry@via.ph
Tel: +63-32-412-7447
Conclusion
To apply for a Schengen visa for Italy in the Philippines, follow these simple steps:
- Step 1 – Check if you need a visa
- Step 2 – Start your application
- Step 3 – Lodge your visa application
- Step 4 – Collect your passport
Once you get your visa, you can enjoy counting down to your trip to 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
How to Apply for Schengen Visa from Philippines
How to Apply for Austria Schengen Visa from Philippines
How to Apply for Belgium Schengen Visa from Philippines
How to Apply for Czech Republic Schengen Visa from Philippines
