If you have a visa-exempt passport (US, UK, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Mexico, Brazil, Japan…), today you can enter Italy visa-free with a valid passport, for up to 90 days. Once ETIAS starts, you'll need to apply before you travel (€20). Italy may ask you to show €269.60 for 1–5 days. Visa-required nationalities (India, China, South Africa…) need a Schengen visa.
What you need for Italy, by passport
| Your passport | Today | Once ETIAS starts |
|---|---|---|
| Visa-exempt US, UK, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Mexico, Brazil, Japan… | No visa Valid passport + EES registration | ETIAS required Online application, €20 |
| Visa required India, China, South Africa, Turkey, the Philippines… | Schengen visa | Schengen visa ETIAS doesn't apply |
| EU, EEA or Switzerland | Nothing extra | Nothing extra |
Not sure which group you're in? Use the Do I need ETIAS? checker or see the official list of nationalities.
What border officers in Italy can ask for
Even without a visa, officers in Italy can check that you meet the Schengen entry conditions. Keep these handy, printed or on your phone:
- A valid passport. Valid for at least 3 months after the date you plan to leave Europe and issued within the last 10 years.
- Purpose and accommodation. Hotel booking, invitation letter or the address where you'll stay, plus anything that backs up your trip (tourism, business, family).
- A return or onward ticket. Proof that you'll leave before your 90 days are up.
- Travel insurance. Not mandatory if you travel visa-free, but strongly recommended, and you may be asked about it.
- Enough money: €269.60 as a fixed total for stays of 1 to 5 days; longer stays follow an official sliding scale. (reference amount set by the country, European Commission, 08/06/2026)
Where your border check happens when you travel to Italy
Main international airports in Italy: Roma-Fiumicino (FCO), Milano-Malpensa (MXP), Venezia (VCE), Napoli (NAP).
If Italy is the first Schengen country on your trip, the passport check and EES registration happen at the airport where you land. If you connect through another Schengen hub (Frankfurt, Paris, Amsterdam, Helsinki…), the check happens there and your flight to Italy is treated as an internal Schengen flight.
All of Italy's land borders are with other Schengen countries, so there are no routine passport checks when you cross them by car, bus or train. Countries can reintroduce temporary checks, so always carry your passport.
The EES at airports and borders in Italy
In Italy, the Entry/Exit System (EES) is used at every external border crossing point, from Roma-Fiumicino (FCO) to seaports and land crossings. It started on 12 October 2025 and has been fully live since 10 April 2026. The first time you enter, officers take 4 fingerprints and a photo (no fingerprints for children under 12) and record the date; Italy no longer stamps passports. On later trips your data is only verified.
Italy in depth: San Marino, the Vatican and the declaration of presence
Two independent states sit inside Italy: San Marino and Vatican City. Neither has border checks with Italy, so you visit both under Italy's entry conditions. Rome-Fiumicino and Milan-Malpensa are the usual first Schengen airports for long-haul flights.
Italy is one of the few countries that still asks short-stay visitors for a declaration of presence (dichiarazione di presenza). If you arrive directly from outside Schengen, your entry record covers it. If you came in through another Schengen country, you must declare yourself within 8 working days at the local police headquarters, unless you stay in a hotel or holiday rental, which does it for you when it registers your passport.
Ferries from Albania, Montenegro or Tunisia to Bari, Brindisi, Ancona or Sicily arrive at an external Schengen border, with full passport checks and EES registration. Ferries from Greece are internal Schengen routes.
Good to know about Italy
- Declaration of presence: if you entered Schengen through another country and aren't staying in a hotel (which files it for you), you must declare your presence in Italy within 8 days.
- Vatican City and San Marino are visited from Italy: there's no separate tourist border check, so Italian requirements apply.
- If you have Italian citizenship by descent, enter on your Italian passport.
How long you can stay
You can stay up to 90 days in any 180-day period. Days in Italy add up with days in every other Schengen country, so a week in Italy after a month elsewhere leaves you around 53 days. Check your balance with the 90/180 calculator.
Frequently asked questions
How much money do you need for Italy?
A fixed €269.60 for stays of 1 to 5 days; longer stays follow an official sliding scale (European Commission table, 08/06/2026).
Do UK citizens need a visa for Italy?
No, for stays of up to 90 days in 180. They'll need ETIAS once it starts.
Do US citizens need a visa for Italy?
No. US citizens can visit Italy visa-free for up to 90 days in any 180-day period. Today a valid passport is enough; once ETIAS launches, you will also need an approved ETIAS (€20) before you travel.
Keep reading
Sources
- European Commission: reference amounts (08/06/2026)
- European Commission: who should apply for ETIAS
- Polizia di Stato (Italy)
This guide is independent and for information only. Rules can change: before you travel, always double-check on the official ETIAS website and with the authorities of the country you're visiting.