Documents Required
Travel insurance is mandatory for all Schengen countries. If you have not purchased it yet, please click here.
The list of documents provided below is not exhaustive, and the Mission may request additional information or documents if necessary.
Eligibility for EU Family Members:
To be eligible as an EU family member, the applicant must be traveling together with or joining an EU/EEA family member in the Schengen area.
Eligible family members include:
- Spouse, provided they are not legally separated and are not under 18 years of age.
Civil partners.
- Children under 21 years of age (at the time of application), including children born out of wedlock and children of the spouse. For children under 18 years of age, consent from the other parent (if applicable) must be provided.
- Children over 21 years of age who are unable to support their essential needs due to total disability (proof required).
- Dependent parents who are unable to support their essential needs due to total disability (proof required).
All documents must be printed out and presented in their original form, along with a photocopy where necessary. Applicants are required to appear in person and must provide the following:
- Completed application form (click here for the form).
- Application checklist (click here for the checklist).
- Valid passport or travel document (original plus one photocopy), with a validity of at least 3 months beyond the return date of the trip from Italy and with at least two blank pages. The passport will be returned with the visa if approved.
- Valid UK Residence Permit (original plus one photocopy), with a validity of at least 3 months beyond the return date of the trip in Italy.
- Passport-style photo, full front view with a white background, not older than 6 months.
Proof of relationship: marriage/civil partnership/birth certificate (original plus one photocopy). Please note the following:
Certificates older than 6 months will NOT be accepted. All certificates must be an authenticated copy of the original, bearing an official stamp and current date. These certificates should be issued by the UK Council authority/General Register Office or by the Embassy/High Commission/Consulate of the foreign country.
Certificates issued by a foreign authority other than the UK MUST be translated into English or Italian and legalized by the Italian Consular Office of the issuing country OR by the Consular Authority in the UK of the issuing country.
Certificates issued by one of the Schengen countries will be accepted only if they are multilingual. Otherwise, please refer to the second note.
Italian nationals must be registered at the AIRE office of the Consulate General of Italy in London, and their marriage certificate must be registered at the Consulate General of Italy in London.
EU relative’s passport (original plus one photocopy)
Round trip fully paid travel tickets. Please note the following:
If traveling by plane, train, or bus, the ticket must be printed directly from the airline/trainline/bus operator. The ticket should clearly show the passenger’s name, dates of travel, origin and destination, and the amount paid.
If you are traveling by car, it is necessary to have ferry tickets or Euro Tunnel tickets, as well as the original and photocopy of your car registration, car insurance, and driving license. If you are renting a car, you will need the same documentation along with the car rental documents.
When traveling between multiple Schengen countries, it is mandatory to have travel tickets for each border crossing.
If you are using the services of third parties, such as travel agencies, please note that they will only be accepted if they are based in the U.K. or one of the Schengen countries. Travel tickets must always be issued directly by the airline, train line, or bus operator. Any other documents will not be considered valid. This requirement applies to letters a), b), and c).
For citizens of Pakistan, Afghanistan, and Iraq, it is necessary to provide the full names of both parents, which must be verified through a birth certificate or Consular declaration.
Please be aware that your application will not be accepted at the time of your appointment if you do not present all the required documents. In such cases, you will need to reschedule a new appointment.
Please note that the information provided above may be subject to change without prior notice. We cannot accept liability for any consequences resulting from such changes.
The Consular Administration has the authority to evaluate your application and request additional documentation if deemed necessary, in addition to what has already been submitted. Furthermore, please be informed that submitting all the required documentation does not guarantee the issuance of any particular visa.
Photo Specification
Please submit one current color portrait of yourself that is no older than six months that satisfies the conditions listed below:
- Captured on a light background (white or off-white) to make features stand out and contrast with the background.
- Face-focused and of high clarity
- Full face: not grinning, no sunglasses, no hats or other head coverings, unless the applicant is wearing them due to his or her ethnicity or religion.
- Printed from a camera print on standard photographic paper.
- The photo that is adhered to the visa application form
The visa application will be deemed incomplete if the submitted photos don’t fulfill these specifications (see examples here), and the applicant will be asked to take fresh pictures in the photo booth at the visa application center.
Processing Time
The processing time for a Schengen visa application is a minimum of 15 calendar days. However, it can take up to 45 days (about 1 and a half months) for a Schengen Visa and up to 90 days (about 3 months) for a National Visa.
Applicants are allowed to apply up to 6 months before their travel dates, with the exception of seafarers who can apply no more than 9 months in advance for their intended travel date.
It is important to note that if there are less than 15 days (about 2 weeks) between the application day and the travel date, the applicant cannot apply. This rule is completely separate from the processing time, which depends on the applicant’s nationality and the submission of all necessary documents.
Please be aware that the processing time cannot be expedited as the system is fully automated.
To avoid any delays in the visa application process, it is crucial that the application is complete, and all documents are submitted according to the Mission’s requirements (please refer to the “Documents Required” section for the different visa categories).
Applicants should also be mindful that during busy seasons such as Easter, summer holidays (July and August), and Christmas, appointment slots are quickly filled as the Mission can only process a limited number of visa applications each day.
Additionally, applicants should take into consideration that VFS/Mission closures and holidays may extend the processing time for visa applications.
Therefore, VFS strongly recommends the following to all applicants:
- Book your appointment as soon as you know your travel plans.
Ensure that your visa application documentation meets the Mission’s requirements.
Allow sufficient processing time for the Mission to review your application.
- Applicants who submit their visa applications at our satellite centers in Manchester and Edinburgh should take into account an additional two working days to the minimum processing time. This is because their visa applications will initially be sent to the London office, and then forwarded to the Mission in London the following day.
During the visa application process, the Mission may request additional information or documents, or even invite applicants for an interview. It is important to note that these requests may cause delays in the visa process, and applicants are expected to take full responsibility for any such delays.
We kindly advise applicants to factor in these potential delays and plan their visa application accordingly.
Downloads
You may access and download all the relevant forms from this location.
Sample Visa Form Word: Sample vis -Schengen-WORD.docx
Sample Visa Form PDF: Sample vis -Schengen-WORD.pdf
Online Application form: Application Form
EU/EEA and Swiss Citizens Family Member: Checklist
EU – Declaration letter Template: Declaration Letter
Free Consultation
To proceed with your visa application, please fill out the attached sample form (PDF, Word) completely. If you are unsure about any information, leave it blank. Once you have completed the form, please return it to us along with your passport, BRP card/UK residency, and copies of any previous Schengen visas that you have held.
Please forward the documents through email: [email protected]
A consultation call will be scheduled after we have received this information to further discuss the application.
OR
After sending the documents you can call us at +442035001580.
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