Italy’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation (MAECI) late on 27 February issued an unprecedented “leave immediately” advisory for all non-essential Italian nationals in Iran, citing a rapid deterioration of security following the region-wide escalation with Israel and the United States. The notice also urges citizens to defer travel to Iraq and Lebanon and to exercise "maximum caution" in Israel.
The Farnesina has activated its Crisis Unit and set up a dedicated hotline (+39 06 36225) for those requiring evacuation assistance. Although commercial flights are still technically operating via indirect routes, seat availability is shrinking fast after multiple carriers suspended Tehran and Baghdad services.
Employers with expatriate staff in Iran must now update risk assessments, consider duty-of-care evacuations and verify that medical-assistance providers can operate under sanctions-related constraints. Insurance brokers warn that some corporate travel policies exclude cover once a formal government evacuation notice is published, making prompt repatriation the safest option.
![Foreign Ministry tells Italians to leave Iran and avoid wider Middle East hotspots]()
In this context, travellers scrambling to adjust itineraries—or companies reallocating staff—can tap VisaHQ’s digital portal for Italy (https://www.visahq.com/italy/) for real-time embassy updates, step-by-step visa guidance and emergency document assistance. The service tracks sudden consular closures and shifting entry rules, helping users secure alternative visas or replace lost passports without wading through fragmented government advisories.
The advisory may also complicate ongoing business-immigration procedures. Italian consulates in Tehran and Erbil are suspending visa appointments except for humanitarian cases, and companies planning short-term assignments should expect processing delays or outright refusals until the alert level is downgraded.
In the medium term, analysts forecast tighter scrutiny of Iranian nationals applying for Schengen visas in Italy and possible ripple effects on Italian firms that rely on specialised technicians travelling between the two countries.
The Farnesina has activated its Crisis Unit and set up a dedicated hotline (+39 06 36225) for those requiring evacuation assistance. Although commercial flights are still technically operating via indirect routes, seat availability is shrinking fast after multiple carriers suspended Tehran and Baghdad services.
Employers with expatriate staff in Iran must now update risk assessments, consider duty-of-care evacuations and verify that medical-assistance providers can operate under sanctions-related constraints. Insurance brokers warn that some corporate travel policies exclude cover once a formal government evacuation notice is published, making prompt repatriation the safest option.
In this context, travellers scrambling to adjust itineraries—or companies reallocating staff—can tap VisaHQ’s digital portal for Italy (https://www.visahq.com/italy/) for real-time embassy updates, step-by-step visa guidance and emergency document assistance. The service tracks sudden consular closures and shifting entry rules, helping users secure alternative visas or replace lost passports without wading through fragmented government advisories.
The advisory may also complicate ongoing business-immigration procedures. Italian consulates in Tehran and Erbil are suspending visa appointments except for humanitarian cases, and companies planning short-term assignments should expect processing delays or outright refusals until the alert level is downgraded.
In the medium term, analysts forecast tighter scrutiny of Iranian nationals applying for Schengen visas in Italy and possible ripple effects on Italian firms that rely on specialised technicians travelling between the two countries.
