The Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs has warned that the nationwide ‘Portale Visti’ processing platform will be shut down from 18:00 (CET) on Thursday 12 February until 00:00 on Wednesday 18 February for a planned software migration.
According to a notice issued on 25 January by the Italian Embassy in Muscat, the outage will halt the intake and adjudication of all visa applications worldwide, including those lodged through outsourcing partners such as VFS Global and TLScontact. Consular posts will not be able to issue new appointments, print visa vignettes or retrieve pending files while the migration is under way. (ambmascate.esteri.it)
The Farnesina is moving the decades-old system to a cloud-based architecture that can interface with the upcoming EU Entry/Exit System (EES) and ETIAS authorisation platform. The upgrade will also introduce two-factor authentication for applicants and allow embassies to exchange biometric data with Italian border police in real time.
![Italian Visa Platform Offline 12–18 February for Major System Upgrade]()
For organisations and travellers looking to stay ahead of these changes, VisaHQ’s dedicated Italy portal (https://www.visahq.com/italy/) offers real-time alerts, document pre-checks and post-migration appointment scheduling, ensuring that applications are filed correctly and passports are expedited as soon as consulates come back online.
Companies that relocate staff to Italy or move talent through Schengen for short business trips should anticipate delays of at least a week. Mobility managers are advised to front-load February applications or postpone travel until late month. Where deadlines cannot be moved, employers may consider using the intra-Schengen movement of existing permit holders, or—if available—remote work from a neighbouring EU state.
The shutdown comes at a busy time: the Decreto Flussi click-day for 2026 work-permit quotas is expected in March, and universities are preparing hundreds of pre-enrolment dossiers for the 2026-27 academic year. Advance communication to travellers and HR stakeholders is therefore critical.
According to a notice issued on 25 January by the Italian Embassy in Muscat, the outage will halt the intake and adjudication of all visa applications worldwide, including those lodged through outsourcing partners such as VFS Global and TLScontact. Consular posts will not be able to issue new appointments, print visa vignettes or retrieve pending files while the migration is under way. (ambmascate.esteri.it)
The Farnesina is moving the decades-old system to a cloud-based architecture that can interface with the upcoming EU Entry/Exit System (EES) and ETIAS authorisation platform. The upgrade will also introduce two-factor authentication for applicants and allow embassies to exchange biometric data with Italian border police in real time.
For organisations and travellers looking to stay ahead of these changes, VisaHQ’s dedicated Italy portal (https://www.visahq.com/italy/) offers real-time alerts, document pre-checks and post-migration appointment scheduling, ensuring that applications are filed correctly and passports are expedited as soon as consulates come back online.
Companies that relocate staff to Italy or move talent through Schengen for short business trips should anticipate delays of at least a week. Mobility managers are advised to front-load February applications or postpone travel until late month. Where deadlines cannot be moved, employers may consider using the intra-Schengen movement of existing permit holders, or—if available—remote work from a neighbouring EU state.
The shutdown comes at a busy time: the Decreto Flussi click-day for 2026 work-permit quotas is expected in March, and universities are preparing hundreds of pre-enrolment dossiers for the 2026-27 academic year. Advance communication to travellers and HR stakeholders is therefore critical.
