In short. Australian passport holders can enter Italy without a visa for stays of up to 90 days in any 180-day period. To live, work, study or retire in Italy you need a national (type D) visa, applied for before you leave at the Italian office that covers the state or territory where you live: the Embassy in Canberra, the consulates general in Sydney and Melbourne or the consulates in Adelaide, Brisbane and Perth. Sydney, Melbourne, Adelaide and Perth take applications by Prenot@mi appointment. After arrival you apply for a residence permit within eight working days.
This guide shows which Italian office covers each state, how to apply, which long-stay visas Australians ask about most, including the working holiday visa, how to prepare Australian documents and what to do once you arrive in Italy. It is also useful if you already live in Italy and are helping a spouse or relative who lives in Australia.
Reviewed 13 November 2026. These are general rules, not personalised advice: the type of visa, the office’s current document list and your personal situation can change the procedure.
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Do Australians need a visa for Italy?
Not for short stays. The Embassy in Canberra states that Australian citizens do not need a visa for stays in Italy of less than 90 days. The limit is counted across the whole Schengen area, 90 days in any 180-day period: before a long trip, use our 90/180-day calculator.
Two European systems matter at the border. The EES (Entry/Exit System), fully operational since 10 April 2026, records the entries and exits of short-stay travellers, including biometric data. ETIAS, the travel authorisation for visa-exempt travellers, is not yet in operation: the European Commission says no applications are being collected, so do not pay websites that already offer one. See our guide to ETIAS and EES.
Visa-free entry covers visits, tourism and short business trips. It does not let you live or work in Italy: for that you need a national visa issued before you travel. If you live in Australia without being an Australian citizen, the rules for your nationality apply and you must prove that you reside legally in Australia: several consular document lists ask for a VEVO check.
Which Italian office covers your state?
What counts is the state or territory where you legally reside, not your citizenship. Italy’s consular network in Australia is divided as follows:
| Italian office | States and territories covered |
|---|---|
| Embassy in Canberra | Australian Capital Territory (ACT) and, in New South Wales, Queanbeyan and Cooma |
| Consulate General in Sydney | New South Wales (except Queanbeyan and Cooma) and Norfolk Island |
| Consulate General in Melbourne | Victoria and Tasmania |
| Consulate in Brisbane | Queensland and the Northern Territory |
| Consulate in Adelaide | South Australia |
| Consulate in Perth | Western Australia, Christmas Island and the Cocos (Keeling) Islands |
Honorary consular offices, for example in Hobart, Cairns or Darwin, do not issue visas.
How do you apply for a national visa?
First check on the Visa for Italy portal which visa matches the purpose of your stay, then follow your office’s visa page:
- Sydney, Melbourne, Adelaide and Perth: you apply in person, with an appointment on Prenot@mi. Each office only accepts residents of its own area and asks for proof of address; Melbourne accepts documents in hard copy only.
- Canberra: the Embassy states that no appointment is needed and that you apply at the counter during the hours published on its visa page.
- Brisbane: the consulate’s visa page could not be accessed when we wrote this guide: check the current instructions on the consulate’s website before booking.
Sydney, Melbourne and Perth do not process applications made more than 180 days before departure and advise applying at least two weeks beforehand. Sydney and Melbourne quote anything from a few hours to 15 days depending on the case; Perth up to 30 days for remote work and up to 120 days for digital nomads. The Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs states that biometric data (fingerprints) is also collected for national visas, with an exemption for children under 12.
According to the Embassy in Canberra’s fees page, the fee is €116 for a national visa or a working holiday visa and €50 for a study visa, paid in Australian dollars at the consular exchange rate updated every three months. Prenot@mi is free: do not pay intermediaries for an appointment. The decision on the visa always rests with the Italian office.
Which long-stay visas do Australians ask about most?
- Elective residence: for people who want to live in Italy on income that does not come from work, such as retirees. The document lists of Sydney, Melbourne and Perth require at least €2,600 a month (about €31,200 a year; Perth specifies after tax) from pensions, annuities, property, investment funds or a registered business. Salaries and bank savings are not taken into account; you attach your latest income tax return. You need a lease registered with the Italian Revenue Agency or a property deed: Sydney does not accept invitation letters from relatives. The visa does not allow you to work in Italy. See our guide to the elective residence visa.
- Digital nomads and remote workers: for highly qualified work done remotely, with at least six months’ experience, accommodation and health insurance of at least €30,000. Sydney, Melbourne and Perth state an income of at least €25,500 a year; for remote employees the salary must be at least €33,000 gross a year. See our guide to the digital nomad visa.
- Working holiday: the document lists of Sydney, Melbourne and Perth, updated in July 2026, give an age range of 18 to 35, a visa of 365 days and the condition that you have never held an Italian working holiday visa before. You need at least the equivalent of €10,000 in your own name for a one-year visa (Sydney does not accept a sponsor’s bank statements). For health cover, Sydney and Melbourne ask for your Medicare card, which covers the first six months under the reciprocal health agreement between Italy and Australia, plus travel insurance for the whole stay; Perth asks for insurance of at least €30,000 for 365 days. You apply in person at the consulate for your area. See our guide to the working holiday visa.
- Study: for university and other courses in Italy. The Embassy in Canberra asks, among other things, for your Universitaly application summary and the university’s admission letter, a Declaration of Value or CIMEA statements, bank statements for the last three months and insurance of at least €30,000. See our guide to the study visa.
- Work and EU Blue Card: your employer in Italy first obtains the nulla osta, then you apply for the visa; highly qualified workers can use the EU Blue Card. See work visa after an Italian nulla osta.
- Family members of Italian citizens: spouses and other eligible relatives follow a dedicated route; see family reunification with Italian citizens.
Many Australians of Italian descent also ask about citizenship. It is a separate procedure, not a visa: read our guides to Italian citizenship by descent and citizenship by marriage, and have your case checked before collecting documents.
How do you prepare Australian documents for Italy?
Australian documents for use in Italy need an apostille, issued by the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT): the Consulate in Perth points out that Italian consulates cannot legalise them. For translations from English into Italian, the same consulate refers to a sworn translator registered with a Chamber of Commerce or a court. Each visa has its own list: for study, for example, you also need a Declaration of Value or CIMEA statements. See our guide to legalisation and apostille.
What do you do after arriving in Italy?
- Residence permit: apply within eight working days of entry, as required by Article 5 of the Consolidated Immigration Act. See the types of residence permit.
- Tax code (codice fiscale): needed for leases, contracts and health registration; see tax code for foreigners.
- Residence: once you settle in a municipality you register with the registry office; see registering residence in Italy.
- Health care: depending on your permit, you register with the national health service or keep private insurance; see health insurance for foreigners.
- Taxes: moving to Italy can make you an Italian tax resident; before you leave, get advice from a professional who knows both the Italian and the Australian systems.
Which mistakes should you avoid?
- Applying to the wrong office or to an honorary consulate: what counts is the state where you legally reside today, and honorary offices do not issue visas.
- Booking on Prenot@mi too early or too late: applications are not processed more than 180 days before departure.
- For elective residence, counting a salary or savings as income, or submitting an invitation letter instead of a registered lease.
- Applying for a working holiday visa if you have already had one for Italy, or with funds held in someone else’s name.
- Buying non-refundable flights before the visa is issued, or staying more than 90 days in 180 without a national visa: the EES records entries and exits.
Frequently asked questions
Do Australian citizens need a visa for Italy?
Not for short stays: with an Australian passport you can stay in Italy and the Schengen area for up to 90 days in any 180-day period for tourism, visits or short business trips. To live, study or work in Italy you need a national visa, applied for before departure at the Italian office that covers your state.
Which Italian consulate covers you in Australia?
It depends on your state of residence: the Embassy in Canberra for the ACT, Queanbeyan and Cooma, Sydney for New South Wales, Melbourne for Victoria and Tasmania, Brisbane for Queensland and the Northern Territory, Adelaide for South Australia and Perth for Western Australia.
What is the age limit for the working holiday visa from Australia?
The document lists of the consulates in Sydney, Melbourne and Perth give an age range of 18 to 35. The visa lasts 365 days, is granted only once and requires at least the equivalent of €10,000 in your own name for a one-year stay.
How much income do you need for elective residence from Australia?
Sydney, Melbourne and Perth require at least €2,600 a month, about €31,200 a year, from pensions, annuities, property or investments. Salaries and bank savings do not count, and the visa does not allow you to work in Italy.
How long does an Italian national visa take in Australia?
It depends on the office and the visa: Sydney and Melbourne quote from a few hours to 15 days, Perth up to 30 days for remote work and up to 120 for digital nomads. You cannot apply more than 180 days before departure, and it is best to apply at least two weeks beforehand.
Official sources
- The consular network – Embassy of Italy in Canberra
- Where to apply for a visa – Embassy of Italy in Canberra
- Visa fees and how to pay – Embassy of Italy in Canberra
- Study visa document list – Embassy of Italy in Canberra (PDF)
- Where to apply for a visa – Consulate General of Italy in Sydney
- Working holiday visa checklist – Consulate General of Italy in Sydney (PDF)
- Elective residence visa checklist – Consulate General of Italy in Sydney (PDF)
- Digital nomad and remote worker checklist – Consulate General of Italy in Sydney (PDF)
- Where to apply for a visa – Consulate General of Italy in Melbourne
- Working holiday visa checklist – Consulate General of Italy in Melbourne (PDF)
- Elective residence visa checklist – Consulate General of Italy in Melbourne (PDF)
- Where to apply for a visa – Consulate of Italy in Adelaide
- Digital nomad and remote salaried employment visa – Consulate of Italy in Perth
- Working holiday visa checklist – Consulate of Italy in Perth (PDF)
- Elective residence visa checklist – Consulate of Italy in Perth (PDF)
- Translation and legalisation of documents – Consulate of Italy in Perth
- Useful visa information – Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs
- Visa for Italy – Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation
- European Travel Information and Authorisation System (ETIAS) – European Commission
- Legislative Decree 286 of 25 July 1998, Article 5 – Normattiva (in Italian)
Sources checked on 13 November 2026. Procedures, fees and booking channels can change: always check the current instructions of the office that covers your state.
How can SH Immigration Specialists help?
SH Immigration Specialists offers administrative help to people moving from Australia: checking which visa fits your plans, organising your documents for the consular office, apostilles and translations, and the residence permit application after arrival. Legal advice, appeals and representation are handled by the lawyers of SH Immigration Specialists. The outcome depends on the competent authorities. For an assessment, contact us.
This content provides general information and does not constitute legal advice.
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Which other guides may help you?
- Working holiday visa Italy: countries, age, duration and how to apply
- Elective Residence Visa Italy: Requirements, Income and Permit
- Italy digital nomad visa: 2026 requirements, income and how to apply
- Italy visa for Canadian citizens: where to apply and which visa you need
- Italy visa for UK citizens: where to apply and which visa you need
- ETIAS and EES: Italy entry rules for non-EU travellers today
