In a press briefing on 25 February 2026 the Interior and Foreign Affairs ministries jointly confirmed that Italy will switch to an end-to-end electronic visa (e-visa) platform from June 2026, making it one of the first Schengen members to digitise both short-stay and long-stay visas. All applicants—tourists, business travellers, intra-company transferees and family-reunion migrants—will complete a single online form, upload supporting documents and pay fees through a government portal that links directly to consular case-management tools and the EU’s Visa Information System (VIS).
During the first phase consulates will continue to collect fingerprints and photos in person, but the authorities are piloting remote identity verification for low-risk frequent travellers. Italian gateways are preparing accordingly: Rome–Fiumicino, Milan–Malpensa and the ferry ports of Genoa and Bari will double the number of automated e-gates and integrate facial-recognition kiosks that feed data into the forthcoming EU Entry/Exit System (EES). Airlines are being asked to run “ready-to-fly” checks to ensure passengers have enrolled before boarding.
In the meantime, travellers who want an extra layer of assistance can turn to VisaHQ’s dedicated Italy portal (https://www.visahq.com/italy/). The service pre-screens documentation, supplies real-time status updates and channels expert guidance, helping both individual applicants and corporate mobility teams navigate the switch to e-visas with minimal friction.
![Italy sets June launch date for new fully-digital Schengen and national visas]()
The government argues that the overhaul will cut average processing times from 15 calendar days to five, reduce paperwork for corporate mobility teams and make capacity planning for seasonal sectors easier. Travel associations broadly welcome the change but warn of a bumpy transition, noting the recent mid-February VIS-IT maintenance shutdown that temporarily halted visa issuance worldwide. VFS Global and TLScontact, which handle much of Italy’s external intake, say they are upgrading appointment software and adding multilingual chatbots in anticipation of a surge in user queries.
For employers the biggest win is the promise of real-time application-tracking and API access that could be integrated into HR information systems. However, legal advisers caution that the underlying immigration code has not changed—supporting evidence, minimum salary thresholds and compliance audits remain in force—and recommend budgeting extra lead time during the summer rollout. Travellers should also remember that a separate EES biometric enrolment will still be required at first point of entry into the Schengen Area until the databases are fully synchronised.
Ultimately, Italy’s move accelerates the EU’s wider push toward “digital-by-default” mobility. If the system performs as advertised, other member states may feel pressure to match Italy’s timeline, potentially smoothing travel across the bloc ahead of the 2026/27 tourist seasons.
During the first phase consulates will continue to collect fingerprints and photos in person, but the authorities are piloting remote identity verification for low-risk frequent travellers. Italian gateways are preparing accordingly: Rome–Fiumicino, Milan–Malpensa and the ferry ports of Genoa and Bari will double the number of automated e-gates and integrate facial-recognition kiosks that feed data into the forthcoming EU Entry/Exit System (EES). Airlines are being asked to run “ready-to-fly” checks to ensure passengers have enrolled before boarding.
In the meantime, travellers who want an extra layer of assistance can turn to VisaHQ’s dedicated Italy portal (https://www.visahq.com/italy/). The service pre-screens documentation, supplies real-time status updates and channels expert guidance, helping both individual applicants and corporate mobility teams navigate the switch to e-visas with minimal friction.
The government argues that the overhaul will cut average processing times from 15 calendar days to five, reduce paperwork for corporate mobility teams and make capacity planning for seasonal sectors easier. Travel associations broadly welcome the change but warn of a bumpy transition, noting the recent mid-February VIS-IT maintenance shutdown that temporarily halted visa issuance worldwide. VFS Global and TLScontact, which handle much of Italy’s external intake, say they are upgrading appointment software and adding multilingual chatbots in anticipation of a surge in user queries.
For employers the biggest win is the promise of real-time application-tracking and API access that could be integrated into HR information systems. However, legal advisers caution that the underlying immigration code has not changed—supporting evidence, minimum salary thresholds and compliance audits remain in force—and recommend budgeting extra lead time during the summer rollout. Travellers should also remember that a separate EES biometric enrolment will still be required at first point of entry into the Schengen Area until the databases are fully synchronised.
Ultimately, Italy’s move accelerates the EU’s wider push toward “digital-by-default” mobility. If the system performs as advertised, other member states may feel pressure to match Italy’s timeline, potentially smoothing travel across the bloc ahead of the 2026/27 tourist seasons.
