Visa Requirements
Do South African citizens need a visa for Italy?
Official Requirement
Visa required
for South Africa citizens travelling to Italy
Nationals not covered by Schengen visa exemption agreements must obtain a Schengen visa from an Italian embassy or consulate before travel.
Checked 26 September 2026
We are not a government authority. Requirements change without notice. Always verify with the official consulate link before travel.
Apply at the Official Italy Portal
In-person step required. The online form starts your application, but you'll still need to submit documents at a visa application centre or embassy to complete the process.
Rome
The short answer
South African citizens need a visa arranged in advance to enter Italy. A visa has to be obtained before travelling to Italy. On arrival: within 8 working days of entering Italy, a visitor must either apply for a residence permit or declare their presence, as set out for the type of visa held. Failing to do so, or staying beyond the permitted period, can lead to an administrative expulsion order. This covers tourist and short business visits only, not work, study or residence, and a border officer makes the final decision on entry in every case. Entry rules change without notice, so the requirement is read again from the official source on a schedule and the date above is the last time that happened. This was last checked on 26 September 2026.
At a glance
Key facts for South African citizens visiting Italy
- Requirement
- Visa required
- On arrival
- Within 8 working days of entering Italy, a visitor must either apply for a residence permit or declare their presence, as set out for the type of visa held. Failing to do so, or staying beyond the permitted period, can lead to an administrative expulsion order.
- Conditions
- A short-stay visa authorises transit or a stay in the Schengen states of no more than 90 days in any 180-day period from the date of first entry. It is normally a uniform Schengen visa (type C), valid for all states that fully apply the Schengen rules; a visa with limited territorial validity is valid only for the issuing state or certain states. Holding a visa does not give an automatic right of entry: border police may again ask for proof of the conditions for the visa and can refuse entry if they are not met. The means of subsistence to be shown are set by a Ministry of the Interior table.
- Official source
- Official source for this route →
Step by step
How South African citizens enter Italy
Check your passport is valid for the whole trip. Many countries also want it valid for a period beyond your departure date, so confirm the exact rule on the official page below.
Complete the online form, then submit your documents in person or by courier. The form alone does not finish the application on this route.
Carry proof of onward or return travel and of where you are staying. Border officers ask for both, and an airline can refuse boarding without them.
Check the requirement again close to your departure date. This route was last checked on 26 September 2026, and rules change without notice.
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Practical Info
Travel Essentials
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Questions
What South African citizens ask about entering Italy
Yes. South African citizens need a visa arranged before travelling to Italy. This was last checked on 26 September 2026.
Through the official application page linked on this page. Yoogo does not process applications and takes no fee for them.
A passport valid for the trip, proof of onward or return travel, and proof of where you are staying. Officers can ask for evidence that you can support yourself for the visit. Entry is always the officer's decision, whatever the paperwork says.
Italy uses EUR. Check the rate before you exchange anything at the airport, where the spread is usually widest.
Changes to this route
No changes recorded since the first check on 26 September 2026.
Full change history for this route →