Foreign citizens who want to immigrate to Italy are often interested in obtaining access to other European countries too, case in which the Schengen visa is one of the most sought types of visas. As a member state of the European Union and Schengen area, Italy has aligned its immigration legislation in a manner in which those who obtain permanent residency here to benefit from the free travel advantages offered by a Schengen visa.
Below, our immigration lawyers in Italy explain the main differences between the uniform Schengen visa and the Schengen national visa. We remind foreign citizens that only non-EU residents are required to apply for a visa when immigrating to Italy, case in which we can be of help.
You can rely on us when applying for a residence permit in Italy.
Table of Contents
Italy is a member of the Schengen area which means that Italian citizens can travel freely to other member states, while the citizens of other Schengen countries are allowed to enter Italy without a visa. For citizens of European countries outside the Schengen area, certain visa requirements apply when coming to Italy for work purposes, for example.
Citizens of countries outside the EU and the Schengen area are required to apply for a uniform Schengen visa if they want to transit Italy or stay here for no more than 90 days, or for a national Schengen visa if they want to settle in Italy for periods longer than 90 days.
You can ask our immigration lawyers in Italy about the main differences between the uniform Schengen visa and the Schengen national visa.
The uniform Schengen visa is required when a person from another state wants to live in a Schengen area member country for a limited period of time or when transiting the Schengen area to other destinations. There are three types of uniform Schengen visas one can apply for in Italy:
Our lawyers can help those who need to apply for a uniform Schengen visa in Italy. Based on the residence permit obtain this way, you can later apply for Italian citizenship.
Apart from the uniform Schengen visa, there is also the national Schengen visa which needs to be obtained by the following categories of persons:
The national Schengen visa can also be issued for multiple entries in Italy.
It is good to know that a student visa can be converted into a work visa for Italy. This is the only type of permit which can be converted in Italy.
You can obtain more information on the national Schengen visa from our immigration lawyers in Italy. You can also read about Schengen visas here.
Foreign citizens interested in coming to Italy based on a Schengen visa and who do not know whether to apply for a uniform or a national visa should know that:
Based on your needs, our Italian immigration lawyers can recommend the best suited Schengen visa.
We can also guide you if you want to apply for Italian citizenship.
Even if Italy has its own residence permits which also comes with many benefits, the Schengen visa is more appropriate for those who need to enter and exit Italy in short periods of time. It is good to know that:
For complete information on the uniform Schengen visa and the Schengen national visa, feel free to contact our immigration lawyers in Italy. Do not hesitate to inquire about the residence permit in Italy.