Visa Free Countries for Italian Passport Holders
In this article
The Italian passport ranks 6th in the world as of October 2023 according to VisaGuide Passport Index. This means that Italian citizens can travel visa-free to 159 countries in the world. However, to enter the remaining countries, Italian passport holders must apply for a visa beforehand.
Where Can Italian Passport Holders Travel Without a Visa?
As of October 2023, Italian passport holders can travel visa free to 159 countries and territories:
- Albania
- American Samoa
- Andorra
- Anguilla
- Antigua and Barbuda
- Argentina
- Armenia
- Aruba
- Australia
- Austria
- Bahamas
- Barbados
- Belarus
- Belgium
- Belize
- Bermuda
- Bolivia
- Caribbean Netherlands
- Bosnia and Herzegovina
- Botswana
- Brazil
- British Virgin Islands
- Brunei
- Bulgaria
- Canada
- Cabo Verde
- Cayman Islands
- Chile
- Colombia
- Cook Islands
- Costa Rica
- Croatia
- Curaçao
- Cyprus
- Czechia
- Denmark
- Dominica
- Dominican Republic
- Ecuador
- El Salvador
- Estonia
- Falkland Islands
- Faroe Islands
- Fiji
- Finland
- France
- French Guiana
- French Polynesia
- French West Indies
- Gabon
- Georgia
- Germany
- Gibraltar
- Greece
- Greenland
- Grenada
- Guam
- Guatemala
- Guyana
- Haiti
- Honduras
- Hong Kong
- Hungary
- Iceland
- Ireland
- Israel
- Jamaica
- Japan
- Kazakhstan
- Kiribati
- Kosovo
- Kyrgyzstan
- Latvia
- Lesotho
- Liechtenstein
- Lithuania
- Luxembourg
- Macau
- Malaysia
- Malta
- Marshall Islands
- Mauritius
- Mayotte
- Mexico
- Micronesia
- Moldova
- Monaco
- Mongolia
- Montenegro
- Montserrat
- Morocco
- Mozambique
- Namibia
- Netherlands
- New Caledonia
- New Zealand
- Nicaragua
- Niue
- North Macedonia
- Northern Mariana Islands
- Norway
- Oman
- Pakistan
- Palau
- Palestine
- Panama
- Paraguay
- Peru
- Philippines
- Poland
- Portugal
- Puerto Rico
- Qatar
- Réunion
- Romania
- Samoa
- San Marino
- São Tomé and PrÃncipe
- Senegal
- Serbia
- Seychelles
- Singapore
- Slovakia
- Slovenia
- Solomon Islands
- South Africa
- South Korea
- Spain
- Saint Kitts and Nevis
- Saint Lucia
- Saint Martin
- Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
- Suriname
- Sweden
- Switzerland
- Taiwan
- Tajikistan
- Thailand
- Gambia
- Timor-Leste
- Tonga
- Trinidad and Tobago
- Tunisia
- Turks and Caicos Islands
- Tuvalu
- Türkiye
- United States Virgin Islands
- Ukraine
- United Arab Emirates
- United Kingdom
- United States
- Uruguay
- Uzbekistan
- Vanuatu
- Vatican City
- Venezuela
- Vietnam
- Zambia
- Eswatini
For visa-free travels, you still must have a valid passport — usually six months after your departure date— and you must purchase travel health insurance as required by your destination country.
Where Can Italian Citizens Go Without a Passport?
Italian citizens can enter the following countries without a passport with only an ID card:
- Aruba
- Austria
- Belgium
- Caribbean Netherlands
- Bulgaria
- Croatia
- Curaçao
- Cyprus
- Czechia
- Denmark
- Estonia
- Faroe Islands
- Finland
- France
- French Guiana
- French Polynesia
- French West Indies
- Georgia
- Germany
- Gibraltar
- Greece
- Greenland
- Hungary
- Iceland
- Ireland
- Kosovo
- Latvia
- Liechtenstein
- Lithuania
- Luxembourg
- Malta
- Mayotte
- Netherlands
- New Caledonia
- Norway
- Poland
- Portugal
- Réunion
- Romania
- Slovakia
- Slovenia
- Spain
- Saint Martin
- Sweden
- Switzerland
What Countries Issue eVisa to Italian Citizens?
The following 20 countries issue eVisas for Italian passport holders:
- Angola
- Azerbaijan
- Benin
- Bhutan
- Cameroon
- Democratic Republic of the Congo
- Ivory Coast
- Djibouti
- Equatorial Guinea
- Ethiopia
- Guinea
- India
- Iran
- Kenya
- Myanmar
- Nigeria
- Russia
- South Sudan
- Togo
- Uganda
The process of getting an eVisa is more or less the same as applying for a traditional visa. However, in this case, you don’t have to visit a visa application center— you can submit your application online, including the visa payment.
After your application is approved, you will receive an email confirming your visa status along with a document you must print out and bring with you when crossing the border. Your visa will be registered online, but some officers may ask you for a physical copy of the permit; that is why it’s important to keep the copy on your person while traveling.
What Countries Issue Visa on Arrival to Italian Passport Holders?
If you are an Italian citizen, you can get a visa on arrival for the 28 countries listed below:
- Bahrain
- Bangladesh
- Burkina Faso
- Burundi
- Cambodia
- Comoros
- Egypt
- Guinea-Bissau
- Indonesia
- Iraq
- Jordan
- Kuwait
- Laos
- Lebanon
- Madagascar
- Malawi
- Maldives
- Mauritania
- Nepal
- Papua New Guinea
- Rwanda
- Saudi Arabia
- Sierra Leone
- Somalia
- Sri Lanka
- Saint Helena
- Tanzania
- Zimbabwe
You receive a visa on arrival (VOA) after entering the country that issues such a visa. Usually, there is a separate section at the airport where you can submit your application for your visa on arrival.
Countries With Visa Requirements for Italian Citizens
You need a valid visa to enter the following 19 countries with an Italian passport:
- Afghanistan
- Algeria
- Central African Republic
- Chad
- China
- Republic of the Congo
- Cuba
- Eritrea
- Ghana
- Liberia
- Libya
- Mali
- Nauru
- Niger
- North Korea
- Sudan
- Syria
- Turkmenistan
- Yemen
How Can Italians Apply for a Visa?
The application for a visa goes as follows:
- Make an appointment at the visa center in Italy. You must contact a local visa application center in your home country and make an appointment to submit your application. It may take several months to schedule a meeting with the embassy or consulate.
- Get your documents ready. To submit a successful application, you have to prepare the required documents for your visa, i.e., passport, application form, health insurance, etc. Some of your documents must be verified with an apostille stamp or certified by a foreign office.
- Submit your application. Finally, you can submit your application and attend the visa interview—you may also be required to submit your biometrics. Once you translate your documents as required by the embassy or consulate and verify them with an apostille stamp— if possible, then you can submit your application. From then it will take several weeks until a decision is made regarding your visa application.
Please note that if you have a valid visa that allows you to enter more than one country, you don’t have to apply for a new visa.
What Documents Do Italian Citizens Need to Apply for a Visa?
Italian citizens that want to visit countries that require them to apply for a visa beforehand need to submit a few documents. Depending on the country you want to visit, document requirements may vary. However, most countries will certainly require the following:
- Your valid Italian passport (plus a photocopy). Some countries require the passport to be valid for more than six months after the day you plan on departing their country.
- A filled visa application form.
- Passport pictures that are not older than six months.
- Travel health insurance that covers your entire period of stay.
- Proof of paid visa fee.
- Detailed travel itinerary that shows all the places you want to visit.
- Letter of invitation (if applicable)
- Proof of booked return ticket for the flight home.
- Proof of booked accommodation.
- Proof that you have sufficient funds to cover your visit
- Civil status documents (marriage papers, certificates of birth, etc.)
Important: Please note that your visa will most likely be rejected if you have a previous criminal history.