Getting a visa is the first necessity for traveling to a foreign country. However, the need to have a permit before moving to the destination country depends on the applicant’s nationality.
So, always make sure to identify the visa requirements and the guidelines before starting your journey.
If you want to visit this European Schengen country, read the following article to analyze the requirements for an Italy visa from Pakistan.
Italy: A Schengen Country
Italy is the power block of the European Union. Moreover, it is one of the 29 Schengen countries that allows you to travel freely without any internal border checks.
The Schengen Area permits foreigners worldwide to travel to any member state for tourism, work, or study purposes. If you succeed in getting a visa for Italy, you can visit other countries within the Schengen Zone as well. This also includes Romania and Bulgaria (the latest to join the Schengen Region).
However, you cannot travel to non-Schengen countries including The Republic of Ireland and the United Kingdom with a Schengen visa.
What is an Italy Visa from Pakistan?
An Italy visa is an endorsement that allows Pakistanis to travel to Italy from Pakistan legally. The purpose of your trip could be anything, from short-term to long-term stays.
It is a mandatory requirement for Pakistani citizens to have an Italian Schengen visa, as Italy is not a visa-free country for the nationals of Pakistan.
For this purpose, you must have a pre-approved visa obtained through the embassy or any authorized third-party visa application center.
Important: Pakistani citizens are not eligible to get a visa on arrival in Italy. Besides, the target Schengen country does not offer e-visa services for travelers coming from Pakistan. So, the only available method is an embassy or paper visa.
Validity
The validity of the visa depends on the type of permit you have applied for. Generally, an Italian Schengen visa allows you to stay for up to three months in the destination country. Besides, it is valid for up to one hundred and eighty days.
Staying in Italy for even a single day than the approved period will be considered illegal and you have to pay for the consequences. This includes fines, jail, or deportation.
Italian Visa Types
When traveling to Italy, Pakistanis can choose their preferred visa from a wide range of types. However, this depends on the purpose of your trip to the host country.
Some of the common visa types have been explained below.
Tourist visa
As the name indicates, a tourist visa allows you to travel to Italy for tourism. Besides, it also includes exploring the country for sightseeing and leisure purposes.
Therefore, you can stay for up to 90 days in Italy. A tourist visa has a validity period of almost 180 days.
Business visa
As a Pakistani, you can travel to Italy for short-term business purposes by applying for a business visa. For instance, this includes attending a business meeting, or conference, negotiating a contract, or trade affairs.
A Schengen business visa can be used for single, double, or multiple entries. Similar to a tourist visa, you can use it within six months from the date of its issuance.
Study visa
An Italian study visa can be categorized into two types depending on the duration of the course or program.
So, if you are traveling to Italy for a study course or training program that has a duration of less than three months, you can apply for a Schengen study visa.
On the other hand, courses or programs with a period of more than three months require you to apply for a long-term student visa.
Transit visa
This visa type has two subclasses, i.e., transit visa and airport transit visa.
- A transit visa allows you to travel to another destination country en route to Italy. However, you can stay in Italy for a few days and leave the airport before you get your next connecting flight. Usually, it is valid for up to 48 to 72 hours.
- On the other hand, an airport transit visa has a similar nature as a transit visa but it does not allow the Pakistani traveler to leave the transit area at the airport.
Medical treatment visa
If you are traveling to Italy for medical treatment in a medical facility or hospital, you can apply for a medical visa. However, this requires you to submit an appointment letter issued from the Italian health facility.
Therefore, before choosing a specific visa type, make sure that you have the relevant documents to support your application.
Documents Required for an Italy Schengen Visa from Pakistan
Some of the supporting documents required for an Italy visa from Pakistan are mentioned below.
Travel document or passport
Submit your Pakistani passport to the embassy as it helps identify the nationality of the applicant. In addition, it should be valid for almost three months ahead of your stay in Italy. Moreover, your passport must have two blank pages and should not be older than the last ten years.
Application form for visa
After downloading the visa application form from online resources, you can print it. Another method is to get it through the embassy. Make sure to complete it, sign the form, and put the date at the end.
Pictures
Traveling to Schengen member countries requires you to apply for a visa. For this purpose, you need to submit two pictures according to the Schengen photo guidelines.
For example, the pictures should be,
- Not older than the last three months
- Clear
- Colored
- HD quality
- Have a dimension of 35*40mm
- Cover 70-80% of your face and shoulders
Copies of previous visas
If you have been to any Schengen country or other states in the past, make sure to attach copies of your previous visas to the application form.
Proof of travel (flight reservation)
Your trip to Italy requires you to show your flight details by submitting proof of airline reservation. This represents the embassy the details of your flight including,
- Flight number
- Passenger name
- Airline company
- Travel dates and times
- IATA codes
- 6-digit PNR
Moreover, this document allows the embassy to analyze that you have true intentions of flying to the target country.
Proof of accommodation
Another requirement is to submit proof of accommodation to show that you have a place to stay in Italy. For this purpose, you can submit documents including a hotel reservation, a rental contract for an apartment or house, or an invitation letter in case the host sponsors your trip.
For a more detailed step-by-step guide, read this article on how to reserve a hotel.
Cover letter
Writing and submitting a cover letter is an additional document that you can submit to increase the chances of your visa approval. This is because this document allows you to disclose your information from a personal point of view.
For instance, you can include details such as the purpose of your visit, stay duration, the intended activities, any other plans, etc.
You can get a well-drafted cover letter from coverletterforvisa.com at a minimal cost to save you time and effort.
Travel medical insurance
Having travel medical insurance is a mandatory requirement for a visa when traveling to the Schengen Region. This document ensures the officials that you can manage the unexpected expenses related to your trip and health issues.
For example, this includes hospitalization, surgery, accident, luggage loss, flight cancellation, etc.
Moreover, the average coverage amount of a travel medical insurance policy is 30,000 to 45,000 euros.
Proof of sufficient financial means
An Italian visa requires you to have sufficient financial resources to bear the daily expenses such as food, accommodation, and transportation. Therefore, you are supposed to submit financial documents such as your bank statement from the last six months, income tax returns, or salary slips.
On average, you must have 75-100 euros daily to cover the costs.
Proof of civil status
Pakistani citizens should disclose their civil statuses by submitting evidence such as a marriage certificate, a certificate of their children, or the death certificate of the spouse.
Visa fees
Another document is the payment receipt of the visa fees that you can submit after depositing the specific amount to the relevant authorities.
Documents based on employment status
Depending on your employment status, make sure to submit the following documents.
- Employment contract, bank statement, NOC letter from the current employer if you are employed.
- An income tax return, business license, and bank statement of the company if you are self-employed.
- Lastly, pension slips from the last six months if you are a retired individual.
Any additional documents for minors
In case a minor is traveling with you, keep the following documents when visiting the embassy.
- Birth certificate of the child
- Passport or any other travel document of the parent/guardian
- Visa application form signed by the parents
Where Can I Submit My Application?
Pakistani nationals can submit their Italian visa application to either a consulate or an embassy. Other than that, a visa application center (BLS International) is an authorized third party that is responsible for receiving and processing your application.
Italian Embassy in Islamabad
Address: Plot 196/208, Street 16, Diplomatic Enclave
Phone no: +92512833183 | +92512833184
Website: https://ambislamabad.esteri.it/it/
Italian Consulate in Karachi
Address: 85, Clifton – Karachi
Phone no: +922135870031
Website: https://conskarachi.esteri.it/it/
How Can I Apply for an Italy Visa from Pakistan?
Follow the simple steps mentioned below to submit your Italian visa application in Pakistan.
This procedure allows you to submit your application to the third-party visa application center, known as BLS International.
Step 1:
The first step requires you to search ‘BLS International’ on Google. You can visit this website as it is authorized by the Embassy of Italy to work on their behalf.
Step 2:
Secondly, head over to the ‘visa services’ tabs. This allows you to choose either a ‘short-term or long-term stay’. After that, choose the nearest visa application center such as ‘Lahore, Karachi, Islamabad’, etc. Then, you can select the visa type considering the purpose of your trip to Italy including ‘tourism, business, study,’ etc.
Step 3:
After that, you can download the visa application form and fill it out completely. Make sure to not leave any blanks unfilled as it may lead to visa rejection.
Step 4:
Once done, start collecting your documents considering the visa type you have chosen. Also, the documents should be in a logical sequence to save time and effort later on.
Step 5:
Then, schedule an appointment using the same website by heading over to the tab shown in the screenshot. This will allow you to provide your biometric data including fingerprints and photos.
Step 6:
On the day of your appointment, submit your documents along with the application form. The officials may ask you to deposit the visa fee. Moreover, you are also required to attend the visa interview before or after paying the due visa application amount.
Step 7:
Once the above steps are completed, it is time to wait for the response. Meanwhile, you can track your application either online or by physically visiting the center. For this purpose, you need to add the reference number and date of birth.
Step 8:
Lastly, if your application is approved, the officials will notify you about the date and time to pick up your passport. Then, you can start your trip to Italy.
Are Pakistanis Required to Pay the Italian Visa Fee?
Yes. Pakistani citizens need to pay the Italian visa fee to the embassy when submitting their application. The amount varies depending on certain factors. For instance,
- The visa type
- Age of the applicant
- The country from where the traveler belongs
See the following table for a standard fee structure.
| Visa types | Fee in Euros | Fee in Pakistani Rupees |
| Short-stay visa | Adults over 12 years of age, 90 euros | 26,358 PKR |
| Children between six and twelve, 45 euros | 13,179 PKR | |
| Minors below six, FREE | FREE | |
| Long-stay visa | 100 euros | 29,241 PKR |
| Transit visa | 80 euros | 23,393 PKR |
Please note that this visa fee is non-refundable. This means that you cannot get it back if your visa is rejected. A visa can be rejected due to several reasons, i.e., missing documents, fake information, etc.
Processing Time for an Italy Visa from Pakistan
From the moment of the application submission, the embassy may take 15-30 days to process your Italy visa from Pakistan. However, this processing period gets extended to almost 45 working days in case of application backlog or peak travel season.
Therefore, it is usually recommended to submit your application at least three to four months earlier before your intended departure date.
FAQs
- How can I pay the Italy visa fee?
On the day of your appointment, you can pay the application fee for an Italian visa depending on the type of your permit. It is advisable to deposit the amount in local currency either in cash or through a debit or credit card.
- Is the Italy work visa for Pakistanis free?
No. Since Italy is a part of the Schengen Area, therefore, none of the Schengen member states issue work visas to Pakistanis free of cost. You need to pay a specific amount along with sufficient financial resources to manage your stay.
- Does Italy give 1 year Schengen visas to Pakistanis?
No. Italy does not issue 1 year Schengen visas to Pakistanis or any other foreign travelers. The maximum duration of the stay under a Schengen visa is 180 days. If you want to extend your stay, leave the country, go to your home state, and then apply for a new visa.
Read Also: Iceland Visa from Pakistan