In short. If you live in the United Arab Emirates, you apply for an Italian visa at the Italian office that covers the emirate that issued your residence visa: the Embassy in Abu Dhabi for the Emirate of Abu Dhabi, and the Consulate General in Dubai for Dubai and the Northern Emirates. Emirati citizens do not need a visa for short stays; other nationals follow the rules for their own passport. To live, work or study in Italy you need a national (type D) visa and, after arrival, a residence permit applied for within eight working days.
This guide shows which office covers you, how to apply in Abu Dhabi and Dubai, which long-stay visas people ask about most, including the work visa after a Decreto Flussi nulla osta, how to legalise UAE documents and what to do once you arrive in Italy. It is also useful if you already live in Italy and are waiting for a relative or a worker who lives in the UAE.
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 UAE residents need a visa for Italy?
It depends on your nationality. The EU visa regulation lists the United Arab Emirates among visa-exempt countries, under the visa waiver agreement with the European Union: with an Emirati passport you can stay in Italy and the Schengen area for up to 90 days in any 180-day period without a visa. To count your days, use our 90/180-day calculator.
If you live in the UAE with another passport, for example Indian, Pakistani, Filipino or Egyptian, the rules for your nationality apply: if your country is not visa-exempt, you need a Schengen visa even for a short trip. You can apply in the UAE if you hold a valid UAE residence visa.
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: do not pay websites that already offer one. See our guide to ETIAS and EES. To live, work or study in Italy you always need a national visa, issued before you travel.
Which Italian office covers your emirate?
What counts is the emirate that issued your residence visa: the Embassy in Abu Dhabi only accepts applicants whose residence visa was issued by the Emirate of Abu Dhabi.
| Italian office | Emirates covered |
|---|---|
| Embassy in Abu Dhabi | Emirate of Abu Dhabi, including Al Ain and Al Dhafra |
| Consulate General in Dubai | Dubai, Sharjah, Ajman, Umm Al Quwain, Ras Al Khaimah and Fujairah |
How do you apply?
First check on the Visa for Italy portal which visa matches the purpose of your trip, then follow your office’s instructions:
- Abu Dhabi, Schengen visas: tourist and business applications go to the Italy visa application centre run by BLS International at Nation Towers Mall. Tourist visas need an appointment on the BLS website; business visas do not. The Embassy points out that BLS premium services are optional.
- Abu Dhabi, national visas: an appointment on Prenot@mi, only for residents of the Emirate of Abu Dhabi and at least 15 days before departure. For employment, you first send the nulla osta to the visa office, which then invites you to apply: no more than six months and no less than 15 days before travel.
- Dubai and the Northern Emirates: according to the Embassy’s visa page, the Consulate General in Dubai works through the VFS Global centre in Dubai. Check on the consulate’s and VFS’s websites which visas go through the centre and how to book. The consulate may ask for an interview.
According to the Embassy in Abu Dhabi’s fees for October to December 2026, a Schengen visa costs AED 382 (€90), a national visa AED 492 (€116) and a national study visa AED 212 (€50); the dirham amounts change every three months with the consular exchange rate. At the visa centre you also pay a service fee. Prenot@mi is free: do not pay intermediaries for an appointment. The decision on the visa always rests with the Italian office.
For national visas, the offices require a UAE residence visa that is still valid: the Consulate in Dubai asks for at least six months’ remaining validity for employment and elective residence, and the Embassy in Abu Dhabi for at least 90 days beyond your return date for study and family reasons.
Which long-stay visas do UAE residents ask about most?
- Employment after a nulla osta: your employer in Italy applies to the Sportello Unico for the nulla osta, for example under the Decreto Flussi; then you apply for the visa at the office that covers your emirate. The Consulate in Dubai asks for a nulla osta issued no more than six months earlier and health insurance of at least €30,000; the Embassy in Abu Dhabi gives up to 90 days to complete the procedure. See work visa after an Italian nulla osta and the Decreto Flussi 2027 application.
- EU Blue Card: for highly qualified workers, with a similar route; see our guide to the EU Blue Card.
- Family reunification: to join a relative who lives in Italy you need a nulla osta from the Sportello Unico. The Embassy in Abu Dhabi gives 30 days for the visa, and asks for marriage certificates issued less than six months earlier and translations by a legal translator accredited in the UAE. Family members of EU citizens do not need a nulla osta. See our guide to family reunification.
- Elective residence: to live in Italy on income that does not come from work. The Embassy in Abu Dhabi states at least €31,000 a year per applicant; the Consulate in Dubai treats that figure as only one of the parameters and asks for substantial and steady resources, with bank statements for the last 12 months. You need accommodation in Italy, rented or owned, and insurance of at least €30,000; processing takes up to 90 days. See our guide to the elective residence visa.
- Digital nomads and remote workers: the Consulate in Dubai asks for an annual income of at least three times the threshold for exemption from health care charges, at least six months of remote work, a UAE trade or professional licence and insurance of at least €30,000 with a UAE insurer; processing takes up to 120 days. See our guide to the digital nomad visa.
- Study: for 2026/27 university courses, the Consulate in Dubai sets a visa application deadline of 30 November 2026 and asks for resources of at least €10,179.85 a year. The Embassy in Abu Dhabi takes applications on Prenot@mi and gives up to 90 days. You need a Declaration of Value or CIMEA statements. See our guide to the study visa.
How do you legalise UAE documents for Italy?
The Embassy in Abu Dhabi explains that UAE documents must first be legalised by the UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA), then translated into Italian and finally legalised by the Italian office, by appointment on Prenot@mi; legalisation costs AED 102 (€24). Documents in Arabic go first to the UAE Ministry of Justice and then to MOFA.
Documents issued in your country of origin follow that country’s rules: an apostille, if it is a party to the Hague Convention, or legalisation by the Italian mission that covers the issuing authority. The Consulate in Dubai gives the example of a degree from an Indian university, to be legalised by the Italian mission in India. See our guide to legalisation and apostille.
What do you do after arriving in Italy?
- Employment: within eight days of entry you go to the Sportello Unico to sign the residence contract (contratto di soggiorno) and start the residence permit application.
- Residence permit: for other visas, 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 and residence: needed for contracts, leases and health registration; see tax code for foreigners and 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.
Which mistakes should you avoid?
- Applying to the wrong office: what counts is the emirate that issued your residence visa, not only where you live.
- Travelling with a UAE residence visa about to expire: the offices require a minimum remaining validity.
- Submitting UAE documents without MOFA legalisation, or civil status certificates issued more than six months earlier.
- Paying for premium services or intermediaries in the belief that they are compulsory: Prenot@mi is free and BLS extras are optional.
- 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 Emirati citizens need a visa for Italy?
Not for short stays: the EU visa regulation exempts Emirati citizens, who can stay in Italy and the Schengen area for up to 90 days in any 180-day period. To live, study or work in Italy you need a national visa, applied for before departure.
Where do Dubai residents apply for an Italian visa?
At the Consulate General of Italy in Dubai, which covers Dubai, Sharjah, Ajman, Umm Al Quwain, Ras Al Khaimah and Fujairah and works through the VFS Global centre in Dubai. If your residence visa was issued by the Emirate of Abu Dhabi, you apply at the Embassy in Abu Dhabi instead.
Can you apply for an Italian visa in the UAE without being an Emirati citizen?
Yes, if you hold a valid UAE residence visa: you apply at the Italian office that covers the emirate that issued it. For national visas, the offices require a minimum remaining validity on your residence visa, for example at least six months in Dubai for employment and elective residence.
How do you legalise UAE documents for Italy?
First legalisation by the UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA), then a translation into Italian and finally legalisation by the Italian Embassy or Consulate. Documents in Arabic go to the UAE Ministry of Justice first.
How long does an Italian national visa take in the UAE?
It depends on the visa: the Embassy in Abu Dhabi gives up to 90 days for employment, elective residence and study and 30 days for family reasons; the Consulate in Dubai up to 90 days for elective residence and up to 120 for digital nomads. Do not buy non-refundable travel before the visa is issued.
Official sources
- The consular network – Embassy of Italy in Abu Dhabi
- Visas – Embassy of Italy in Abu Dhabi
- National visa – Embassy of Italy in Abu Dhabi
- Employment, Blue Card and ICT checklist – Embassy of Italy in Abu Dhabi (PDF)
- Elective residence checklist – Embassy of Italy in Abu Dhabi (PDF)
- Family reasons checklist – Embassy of Italy in Abu Dhabi (PDF)
- Study visa 2026/27 – Embassy of Italy in Abu Dhabi (PDF)
- Consular fees October–December 2026 – Embassy of Italy in Abu Dhabi (PDF)
- UAE documents for use in Italy – Embassy of Italy in Abu Dhabi
- Visa forms and checklists – Consulate General of Italy in Dubai
- Employment checklist – Consulate General of Italy in Dubai (PDF)
- Elective residence checklist – Consulate General of Italy in Dubai (PDF)
- Digital nomad checklist, May 2026 – Consulate General of Italy in Dubai (PDF)
- Study visa 2026/27 – Consulate General of Italy in Dubai (PDF)
- Family members of EU citizens – Consulate General of Italy in Dubai (PDF)
- Document attestation – UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs (in Arabic)
- Regulation (EU) 2018/1806 on visas – European Commission (PDF)
- Visa for Italy – Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation
- 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 emirate.
How can SH Immigration Specialists help?
SH Immigration Specialists offers administrative help to people moving from the UAE and to companies hiring from there: checking which visa fits your plans, the nulla osta application for the employer, organising documents for the consular office, legalisations 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?
- Work visa after an Italian nulla osta: steps and documents
- Decreto Flussi 2027: pre-filling dates, click days and new rules
- Family reunification in Italy 2026: requirements, income, documents and procedure
- Elective Residence Visa Italy: Requirements, Income and Permit
- Italy digital nomad visa: 2026 requirements, income and how to apply
- ETIAS and EES: Italy entry rules for non-EU travellers today
