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Visti/Visa

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

  1. How do I apply for a visa?

Appointments are exclusively managed through the platform “Prenotami”: https://prenotami.esteri.it . If no slots are available, try again later (appointments are made available every Monaday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday at midnight).
Applicants are not allowed to book more than one slot.
Applicants (including minors) must appear in person on the day of the appointment.

  1. Who can apply for a visa at the General Consulate of Italy in Frankfurt?

Foreign nationals who are resident in Germany.
Residency can be demonstrate through:

  • A valid German residence permit
  • A valid type D German visa
  • A German Fiktionsbescheinigung (only if the third box on page 3 is ticked)
  • A valid SOFA (only for US military or civil employees)
  1. Do I need a visa?

If you hold a German residence permit or a German type D visa, you are allowed to spend up to 90 days in the Schengen area (including Italy) for tourism, mission, business, invitation, religious, transit and study purposes.

If you intend to work (e.g. be employed) in Italy, you need a visa even if your planned stay in Italy amounts to less than 90 days.

  1. Where should I apply for a visa?

If you reside in Germany, you must apply at the visa office of the General Consulate of Italy in Frankfurt am Main. There are no other Italian visa offices in Germany.

  1. What documents do I need to provide?

All documents must be printed out and presented in original plus a photocopy.
Every application (regardless of the type of visa requested) must include:

This Consulate has full authority to evaluate and request further documentation, if deemed necessary, in addition to what has been submitted.
See below what documents are needed for each type of visa. 

  1. Passport and travel documents

Make sure that your passport has a validity of at least three months beyond the last day of your trip in the Schengen Area. If you apply for a 1 year visa, your passport must have a validity of at least 15 months.

Make also sure that your passport has at least two empty ‘VISA’ pages.

  1. How do I collect my visa?

On the day of your appointment, you can request a second appointment to collect the visa in person on a day and time that suits you. Please do not book a slot through Prenotami in this case.

In alternative, you can have your passport shipped by post. If you choose this option, on the day of your appointment you will need to provide a pre-paid envelope and submit an assumption of responsibility for posting passports.

  1. How do families apply for a visa?

Families are allowed to book 1 single appointment for all its members.A family composed by more that 5 members is requested to apply via email at visti.francoforte@esteri.it .

  1. How do minors apply for a visa?

If one or both parents do not appear in person on the application day, a parental consent notarised by a German notary is mandatory.
If the parents live abroad, the consent must be notarised by the Italian Consulate of their country of residence. This also applies when parents living abroad nominate a guardian.
A photocopy of both parents’ passports and the minor´s birth certificate must also be provided.

  1. What is the processing time?

The processing time depends on the citizenship of the applicant and on the type of visa requested.
It can take up to 20 days for the visa application to be approved or rejected. Please be aware that it is not possible to rush the processing time since the system is automated.

  1. When should I apply for a visa?

You can apply for a visa no more than six months before the start of the intended stay to Italy.

  1. How do I pay?

You can pay at the Consulate with debit card (EC-Karte Maestro and V-Pay) or cash. If you prefer, you can make a bank transfer (at least 5 days prior to the appointment) to the following bank account:

CONSOLATO GENERALE D’ITALIA
IBAN: DE12 1007 0100 0319 0030 00
BIC: DEUTDEBB101
BANK: DEUTSCHE BANK

The visa fee depends on the type of visa and on the citizenship of the applicant.
The ordinary fees are:

  • Study visa: 50€
  • Work visa (type D): 116€
  • Work visa (type C): 90€
  • Research visa: 116€
  • Re-entry visa:116€
  • Elective residence visa: 116€
  • Maritime visa: 116€
  1. What do I do after I obtain my type D (>90 days) visa?

A foreign national who has been granted an Italian National Visa (type D) must report to the Questura (Central Police Station) within 8 working days from the date of entry in Italy to apply for a Permesso di Soggiorno (Residence Permit).

  1. How do I obtain a Codice Fiscale (Tax Code)

Please visit the dedicated page: if you live in Hessen, Rheinland-Pfalt, Saarland or Unterfranken, you can find further information here:
https://consfrancoforte.esteri.it/it/servizi-consolari-e-visti/servizi-per-il-cittadino-italiano/codice-fiscale/

If you are resident in another Land, you need to refer to the competent Italian Consulate.

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DOCUMENTS TO PROVIDE PER TYPE OF VISA

  1. Study visa (type D = more than 90 days)
  • Letter of enrollment issued by the Italian University
  • Registration in the platform Universitaly (you must appear as “fully admitted”)
  • Accommodation in Italy proved through:
    – rental agreement
    – hotel reservation for at least 15 days
    – In case you intend to stay with friends/family, a letter of invitation is required along with the host’s ID (valid permit of stay for non-European Union citizens).
  • Health insurance valid for the whole Schengen area (covering at the least the first 2 weeks of period of staying in Italy, with a minimum coverage of €30,000 for emergency hospital, repatriation expense and the repatriation of the mortal remains);
  • Certificate of English or Italian proficiency (at least B2)

Attention: Students who intend to enroll in an Italian University must apply for a visa within the 30th of November 2025.

Students participating in exchange programs (e.g. Erasmus)

Students enrolled in a German University who intend to spend in Italy 1 or o 2 Semester/s in the framework of an exchange program, do not need a visa if the German residence permit or type D visa was issued for study purposes and covers the entire duration of the exchange Semester/s. Exchange students are expected to report to the Questura (Central Police Station) within 8 working days from the date of entry in Italy.

Language course

To attend an Italian course in Italy, beyond the documents mentioned above, students must provide proof that the course is:

  • full time
  • provided by a higher or technical institution
  • coherent with the applicant´s background

Extracurricular internships

Beyond the documents mentioned above, interns must provide a “Progetto formativo” (learning agreement) stamped by the Assessorato of the competent Italian Region.

  1. Research visa
  1. Work visa (salaried employment)
  1. Self employment/Artists visa (type C = less than 90 days)
    ATTENTION: only for artists of proved reputation.
  • Passport + hard copy
  • German residence permit (or type D German visa) + hard copy
  • Application form (find it here: https://consfrancoforte.esteri.it/it/servizi-consolari-e-visti/servizi-per-il-cittadino-italiano/altri-servizi/modulistica/ )
  • 1 recent passport-size photo (not older than 6 months)
  • Letter of invitation from the Theater
  1. Elective residence visa
  1. Mission visa
    ATTENTION: each document must be provided by each family member in case the applicant intends to move to Italy accompanied.
  • Orders
  • Work contract or letter of employment (only if you are a contractor)
  • Marriage Certificate: original + hard copy (only for the spouse)
  • Birth Certificate: original + hard copy (only for the children)
  1. Family visa (family members of non-EU citizens)

Attention: The Nulla Osta is forwarded by the Prefettura to the Consulate. To know the status of your Nulla Osta and make sure it is ready on the day of your appointment, please refer to visti.francoforte@esteri.it .

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CONTACTS:
E-mail: visti.francoforte@esteri.it

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DATA PROTECTION:
Please, take a look at our notice on data protection