ItalyVisits and short stays

Italy visa for visiting family and friends

Schengen visa (type C) for visiting family or friends

In short

Visits to relatives or friends in Italy use the same Schengen checklist as tourism, with a hospitality declaration from your host instead of hotel bookings. Relatives of Italian, EU, EEA or Swiss citizens benefit from facilitated rules and can ask the mission for an appointment.

checked 25 October 2026

Key facts

Maximum stay
Up to 90 days in any 180-day period
Fee
€90Adults EUR 90; children aged 6–12 EUR 45; under 6 free. The mission states the currency and method of payment; an external service provider, where used, charges a separate service fee. No surcharge for urgent processing; the fee is refunded only if the application is inadmissible.
Funds required
€269.60 for the stayItaly uses a fixed table: a lone traveller staying 1–5 days needs a lump sum of EUR 269.60; 6–10 days EUR 44.93 a day; 11–20 days EUR 51.64 plus EUR 36.67 a day; over 20 days EUR 206.58 plus EUR 27.89 a day (lower per-person amounts for groups). Means for the return trip and accommodation come on top.
Work
No.
Where to apply
Italian embassy or consulate responsible for your place of residence, or its external service provider.

Relatives of Italian and EU citizens

Family members of Italian, EU, EEA or Swiss citizens can ask the Italian mission responsible for their residence for an appointment and benefit from facilitated rules.

Host documents

Your host in Italy completes the declaration of hospitality (Italian missions publish a model) and adds a copy of their identity document and, if not an EU citizen, their Italian residence permit. The rest of the file follows the tourism checklist.

Required documents

Identity

  • Schengen application form, completed, dated and signed at item 37 and on the last page
  • One recent ICAO photo, light background, 35 × 40 mm
  • Passport issued in the last 10 years with two blank pages, valid at least three months after you leave the Schengen area (some mission checklists ask for more)
  • Copy of your national ID card; non-nationals: residence permit in the country where you apply

Travel

  • Round-trip bookings

Money

  • Bank statement for the last three months, stamped and signed by the bank, plus payslips, tax returns or pension records

Work

  • Employees: employer letter and proof of social insurance registration; self-employed: proof of business activity, tax registration and company registration

Family

  • Declaration of hospitality signed by the host, with ID copy and residence permit if non-EU

Insurance

  • Travel medical insurance of at least EUR 30,000 covering emergency care, hospitalisation and repatriation

Supporting documents (where they apply)

Money

  • Guarantee letter from a supporting family member with their financial documents

Funds

The same means table applies as for tourism, although accommodation offered by your host reduces your costs. Dependants such as students or spouses may rely on a supporting family member's documents with a signed guarantee letter and proof of the family relationship.

Fees

EUR 90 for adults, EUR 45 for children aged 6–12, paid as the mission indicates, plus any external service provider's fee.

How to apply, step by step

  1. Check which Italian embassy or consulate covers your place of residence.
  2. Download the official checklist for "tourism and visits to family or friends" from the mission website and fill in the Schengen application form.
  3. Book an appointment with the mission or with the external service provider it authorises to receive applications.
  4. Lodge the file in person, give fingerprints and pay the visa fee as the mission indicates, plus any service provider fee.
  5. The mission examines the application and decides; a service provider only receives files.
  6. When collecting the passport, check every detail on the visa sticker immediately; Italy treats this as the applicant's duty.

Frequently asked questions

Does my host need to be Italian?

No. Any resident can host you; non-EU hosts add a copy of their Italian residence permit.

Is there a separate checklist for family visits?

No, the tourism checklist covers visits to family or friends.

Can my son pay for my trip?

Yes, a supporting family member can provide a guarantee letter with their documents.

Official sources

Summarised from the official sources above. Rules, fees and processing times change: confirm with the embassy or the official portal before you apply.

Other visa types for Italy

Visits and short stays

  • Tourist visa Maximum stay: Up to 90 days in any 180-day period

Business and self-employment

  • Business visa Maximum stay: Up to 90 days in any 180-day period

Study and training

Work

  • Work visa Maximum stay: 91 to 365 days on the visa; then a residence permit in Italy
  • EU Blue Card Validity: Two years for an open-ended contract; for fixed-term contracts, the contract length plus three months.
  • Digital nomad visa Maximum stay: 91 to 365 days on the visa; then a residence permit in Italy

Family

Residence

  • Retirement visa Maximum stay: 91 to 365 days on the visa; then a residence permit in Italy
  • Permanent residence Validity: 10 years for adults, 5 years for minors; the status is permanent.

Protection

  • Asylum and international protection Validity: Asylum-seeker permit: until the decision; refugee and subsidiary protection: five years, renewable; special protection: two years, renewable.

Italy visa guide