In short. British citizens can visit Italy without a visa for up to 90 days in any 180-day period. To live, study, work or retire in Italy you need a national (type D) visa. In the United Kingdom all Italian visa services are handled by the Consulate General of Italy in London, and appointments are managed only by VFS Global, with visa centres in London, Manchester and Edinburgh. After arriving, you apply for a residence permit (permesso di soggiorno) within eight working days.
Here you will find the passport rules for short trips, where and how to apply from the UK, which long-stay visas British citizens use most, how to prepare UK documents and what to do after you arrive in Italy.
Reviewed 12 November 2026. These are general rules, not personalised advice: the visa type, the consulate’s current checklist and your personal situation can change the procedure.
Leggi questa guida in italiano
Do British citizens need a visa to visit Italy?
No, not for short stays. According to GOV.UK, you can travel to the Schengen area, which includes Italy, without a visa for up to 90 days in any 180-day period. The days are counted across the whole Schengen area: use our 90/180 day calculator before a long trip.
Your passport must have been issued less than 10 years before the day you arrive and must be valid for at least 3 months after the day you plan to leave the Schengen area. The Entry/Exit System (EES) now records your entries and exits at the external border, and GOV.UK says your EES record is valid for 3 years. ETIAS, the future travel authorisation for visa-free travellers, is not yet in operation: the European Commission says no applications are being collected. Details are in our guide to ETIAS and EES entry rules.
Visa-free entry is for visits and short trips. To stay longer, or to work in Italy, you need to meet the Italian entry requirements and obtain a visa before you travel. If you live in the UK but are not a British citizen, the short-stay rules depend on your nationality: check the official Visto per l’Italia (Visa for Italy) portal.
Where do you apply for an Italian visa in the UK?
The Consulate General of Italy in Edinburgh states that all visa services in the UK are offered by the Consulate General in London, which decides on the applications. London asks applicants to be resident in its consular district, and Edinburgh explains that applicants from Scotland and Northern Ireland can book at the Edinburgh visa centre. If you do not live in the UK, you apply in the country where you legally reside.
Appointments are managed exclusively by VFS Global, the service provider appointed by the consulate, at three visa application centres:
- London: the main centre.
- Manchester: a satellite centre; VFS says to allow 2 extra working days.
- Edinburgh (Leith): a joint visa application centre where applicants from Scotland and Northern Ireland can book; VFS also says to allow 2 extra working days.
VFS collects the documents, but the decision on the visa always rests with the Consulate General in London. Visa fees are charged in pounds, and VFS adds its own service fee: check the accepted payment methods for your centre before the appointment.
How do you apply for a national visa from the UK?
- Check which visa fits your purpose and the documents required on the Visto per l’Italia portal, then read the consulate’s page for your visa type.
- Register and book your appointment on the VFS Global website for Italy in the UK. The consulate does not take visa bookings through Prenot@mi.
- Attend the appointment in person with your passport, the original documents and copies. For elective residence, the London consulate says applicants should always appear in person.
- Wait for the decision. London indicates up to 90 days for a national visa, with a minimum of 15 days. The Foreign Ministry’s general limit is 90 days from the application (30 days for work within the Decreto Flussi quotas and for family reunification, 120 days for self-employment), although checks can take longer.
Which long-stay visas do British citizens use most?
- Elective residence: for people who want to live in Italy on passive income, such as retirees. The London consulate does not publish a fixed amount: it asks for a documented, substantial and stable private income from pensions, annuities, property, investment funds or stable business activities, and it does not consider income from employment. It also asks for your last 2 years of income tax returns and a registered lease or deed for a property in Italy. The visa does not allow you to work. Spouses and children can be included if your resources also cover them. See the guide to the elective residence visa.
- Digital nomad or remote worker: for highly qualified work done remotely, with at least six months of relevant experience, a minimum income set by a legal formula, health insurance and accommodation. It is outside the Decreto Flussi quotas and needs no work clearance (nulla osta). See the guide to the Italy digital nomad visa and, for tax questions, digital nomad taxes in Italy.
- Employment and EU Blue Card: the employer in Italy first obtains the work clearance (nulla osta) from the Sportello Unico per l’Immigrazione (the immigration desk), then you apply for the visa through VFS. Highly qualified workers can use the EU Blue Card. See work visa after a nulla osta.
- Study: for university degrees and other courses in Italy; see the study visa guide.
- Investor visa: for significant investments or donations in Italy, with a clearance issued in Italy before the consulate grants the visa; see the Italy investor visa.
- Family of an Italian citizen: spouses and other eligible relatives of Italian citizens follow a dedicated route; see family reunification with an Italian citizen.
If you have Italian ancestry or an Italian spouse, citizenship is a separate procedure, not a visa: read our guides to citizenship by descent and citizenship by marriage, and have your case checked before collecting documents.
How do you prepare UK documents for Italy?
UK public documents used in Italy, such as birth or marriage certificates, are usually legalised with an apostille issued by the Legalisation Office, the UK service described on GOV.UK. Documents from a court, a public registry, a government department or a registered doctor can be legalised directly; other documents must first be certified by a UK public official, such as a notary or solicitor. GOV.UK indicates up to 25 working days for the standard paper service and up to 2 working days for an e-Apostille. You will usually also need an Italian translation.
Check the dates of your certificates too: the London consulate does not accept marriage or civil partnership certificates older than six months. See the guide to apostille and legalisation.
What do you do after arriving in Italy?
- Residence permit: apply for the permesso di soggiorno within eight working days of arrival, as Article 5 of the Consolidated Immigration Act requires. See the types of residence permit.
- Tax code: you need a codice fiscale for leases, contracts and health registration; see how to get your codice fiscale.
- Registered residence: when you settle in a municipality, you register with its Anagrafe (registry office); see registering residence in Italy.
- Health cover: depending on your permit, you register with the National Health Service or keep private insurance; see health insurance for foreign nationals.
- Taxes: moving to Italy can make you tax resident there; get advice from a tax professional who knows both the Italian and the UK systems before you move.
Which mistakes should you avoid?
- Travelling with a passport that is more than 10 years old or will expire less than 3 months after you leave the Schengen area.
- Staying more than 90 days in any 180 without a national visa: the EES now records your entries and exits.
- Booking non-refundable flights or shipping your belongings before the visa is issued: no consulate guarantees a date.
- For elective residence, presenting hotel bookings instead of a registered lease, or counting a salary as income.
- Bringing marriage or civil partnership certificates older than six months, or documents without an apostille and translation.
Frequently asked questions
Do British citizens need a visa for Italy?
Not for short stays. British citizens can stay in Italy and the rest of the Schengen area without a visa for up to 90 days in any 180-day period. To live, study or work in Italy you need a national visa, which you request from the UK through VFS Global before you travel.
Where do I apply for an Italian visa in the UK?
All Italian visa services in the UK are handled by the Consulate General of Italy in London. You book your appointment with VFS Global at the London, Manchester or Edinburgh visa centre; applicants from Scotland and Northern Ireland can use the Edinburgh centre. The decision always rests with the consulate.
Can I apply from the UK if I am not a British citizen?
Yes, if you live in the UK: the consulate asks applicants to be resident in its district. For elective residence, its checklist includes a valid UK residence permit and a UK eVisa share code, which concern residents who are not British. Whether you need a visa for a short stay depends on your nationality.
How long does an Italian national visa take from the UK?
The London consulate indicates up to 90 days for a national visa, with a minimum of 15 days, and VFS says to allow 2 extra working days if you apply in Manchester or Edinburgh. Do not book non-refundable travel before the visa is issued.
Do I need ETIAS to travel to Italy now?
Not yet. ETIAS is not in operation and no applications are being collected; the EU will announce the start date several months before launch. The Entry/Exit System (EES), however, already records your entries and exits at the Schengen external border.
Official sources
- Visas – Consulate General of Italy in Edinburgh
- Visas – Consulate General of Italy in London
- Elective residence – Consulate General of Italy in London
- Italy visa information for the UK – VFS Global
- Italy entry requirements – GOV.UK
- Get your document legalised – GOV.UK
- Visto per l’Italia (Visa for Italy) – Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs
- Time limits for issuing visas – Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs
- European Travel Information and Authorisation System – European Commission
- Legislative Decree no. 286 of 25 July 1998, Article 5 – Normattiva (Italian text)
Sources consulted on 12 November 2026. Procedures, fees and appointment channels can change: always check the current instructions of the consulate and of VFS Global before you apply.
How can SH Immigration Specialists help?
SH Immigration Specialists offers administrative help to people moving from the United Kingdom: checking which visa fits your plans, organising the documents for your VFS appointment, 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.
Do you have a case like this? Talk to a specialist consultant
In 30 minutes a specialist consultant at SH Immigration Specialists looks at your situation and tells you what to do, which documents you need and which mistakes to avoid. Online, from any country, in Italian or English.
Want us to handle it for you? See our entry visa service.
How would you like to pay?
After payment we email you to set the date and time.
- Account holder
- SH Group di Hamza Ameer
- IBAN
- IT55 H030 6902 5201 0000 0018 632
- Amount
- €199 (Basic) · €249 (Priority)
- Reference
- Consultation + your full name
After the transfer, fill in the booking form: we set the date and time as soon as we receive the payment.
Questions before booking? Use the contact form · Details and booking form
Secure online payment with Stripe. SH Immigration Specialists is not a law firm: appeals and legal advice are handled by the lawyers on the team.
Which other guides may help you?
- Italy visa for US citizens: where to apply and which visa you need
- Italy visa for Canadian citizens: where to apply and which visa you need
- Italy visa for Australian citizens: where to apply and which visa you need
- Elective Residence Visa Italy: Requirements, Income and Permit
- Italy digital nomad visa: 2026 requirements and application
- ETIAS and EES: Italy entry rules for non-EU travellers today
- 90/180 Schengen rule in Italy: calculate your stay today
- Types of Italian visa: complete list, requirements and guides
