Italian Embassy in Cape Town
Embassy 
Italy Cape Town, South Africa
No opening hours on record. Most missions receive visitors by appointment only.
Sources: OpenStreetMap · Record last updated on 21 October 2023
Italy’s embassy to South Africa is in Cape Town. South African citizens need a visa for Italy, obtained before travel.
Opening hours
No opening hours on record. Most missions receive visitors by appointment only.
Upcoming closures
Public holidays in South Africa
-
Day of Reconciliation
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Christmas Day
Public holidays in Italy
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Immaculate Conception
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Christmas Day
Italy visa for South African citizens
South AfricaItaly Visa required Italy visa for citizens of South Africa
ItalySouth Africa Visa-free, 90 days South Africa visa for citizens of Italy
South African citizens need a visa for Italy, obtained before travel. Applications may be taken here or by a visa centre working for Italy.
Visa statistics
| Year | Applications | Visas issued | Refused | Refusal rate | Multiple-entry share |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | 12,106 | 11,894 | 212 | 1.8% | 98.9% |
| 2024 | 11,217 | 10,992 | 225 | 2.0% | 97.1% |
| 2025 | 11,891 | 11,614 | 277 | 2.3% | 99.9% |
Italy’s visa offices in South Africa, 2025
| Visa office | Applications | Refusal rate |
|---|---|---|
| Johannesburg | 20,725 | 3.3% |
| Cape Town (this office) | 11,891 | 2.3% |
| Pretoria | 916 | 5.7% |
2025 figures: 11,891 short-stay Schengen visa applications were lodged at Italy’s embassy in Cape Town, and 11,614 visas were issued. 277 applications were refused, a refusal rate of 2.3%. That is barely different from 2024 (2.0%). Applications rose by 6% compared with 2024 (11,217).
Over 2023–2025 the rate ranged from 1.8% (2023) to 2.3% (2025).
Italy issues Schengen visas at 3 locations in South Africa; this office handled 35% of their 33,532 applications in 2025. Refusal rates elsewhere: Johannesburg 3.3% and Pretoria 5.7%, which makes Cape Town the lowest of the group. Each office serves the applicants who live in its own consular district, so the rates also reflect who applies where, not only how strictly files are assessed.
Across all Schengen consulates in South Africa, 5.3% of applications were refused in 2025; Italy’s rate worldwide was 10.8%. Italy received the largest number of applications of the 21 Schengen states represented here.
Almost every visa issued here allows multiple entries. The statistics count applications, not people, and include every nationality that applies here, not only citizens of South Africa.
Source: European Commission, Directorate-General for Migration and Home Affairs, visa statistics for consulates 2023–2025 (© European Union, reused under CC BY 4.0). Short-stay (type C) visas. How these figures are made
Other missions nearby
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Consulate General of France in Cape TownQueen Victoria Street 78, 8001 Cape Town
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Consulate General of Russia in Cape Town12-th Floor, Norton Rose House, 8 Riebeek Street, Cape Town, Republic of South Africa
Italy’s other missions in South Africa
- Embassy of Italy in Pretoria
George Avenue 796, Pretoria
- Consulate General of Italy in Johannesburg
37 1st Avenue (Corner 2nd Street) - Houghton Estate, 2198, Johannesburg
- Consulate of Italy in Cape Town
2 Greys Pass, Gardens - 8001 Cape Town, Cape Town
- Honorary Consulate of Italy in Port Elizabeth
Italian Club, Harold Road, Charlo, Gqeberha, Gqeberha
- Honorary Consulate of Italy in East London
14 BRIAR LANE EXTENSION, BEACON BAY, EAST LONDON, SOUTH AFRICA, 5241, East London
- Honorary Consulate of Italy in Durban
3 Meadway, Drummond, KwaZulu-Natal, Durban
All missions of Italy in South Africa (7)
The Italian embassy in Cape Town is one of 7 missions of Italy in South Africa. Consulates: Johannesburg and Cape Town. Honorary consulates: Port Elizabeth, East London and Durban. South Africa in turn has 9 missions in Italy, its embassy being in Rome.
Good to know
About the Italian embassy in Cape Town
It appears in official lists as Embassy of Italy in Cape Town.
Italian citizens travelling to South Africa
South Africa admits Italian citizens without a visa for stays of up to 90 days.
When the Italian embassy in Cape Town is closed
The next closures of the Italian embassy in Cape Town for public holidays in South Africa are Day of Reconciliation on Wednesday 16 December 2026 and Christmas Day on Friday 25 December 2026; it may also close for Immaculate Conception (Immacolata Concezione) on Tuesday 8 December 2026.
Near the Italian embassy in Cape Town
The Italian embassy in Cape Town has 2 other foreign missions within 1 km.
Frequently asked questions
When is the Italian Embassy in Cape Town closed?
The Italian embassy in Cape Town closes on South Africa’s public holidays, the next being Day of Reconciliation on Wednesday 16 December 2026, and usually on the national day of Italy.
Do South African citizens need a visa for Italy?
South African citizens need a visa for Italy, obtained before travel.
Report a change
This is an independent guide, not an official website of Italy.