Starting from 11 January 2025, candidates for long-term Schengen visas in Italy, including visas issued for employment and study purposes, among others, will need to visit the nearest embassy in their home country, where their biometrics will be collected. fingerprint.
The measure already applies to short-term visa applicants. In addition, international students arriving in Italy will also be subject to the fingerprint rule, requiring them to book and attend an individual appointment at the Italian consulate, where their fingerprints will be collected. This information was given in a news report Shenzhen News.
After the entry into force of Decree-Law 145/2024, from January 11, 2025, it will be mandatory to collect fingerprints of applicants for both Schengen visa (type C) and national entry visa (type D). Applicants must therefore be present in person at the time of submitting the visa application.
The new changes come as a result of the Italian government's increased efforts to increase security after reports of a spike in crime in recent years. In conclusion, all applicants for long-term visas, including those issued for employment, self-employment, study, family reunification, retirement and investment purposes, must comply with these rules.
The new measure provides another layer of protection for the Italian authorities but adds to the burden on applicants who have to deal with another administrative procedure and more travel costs.
In addition to booking an appointment to collect biometric data, which takes a few minutes, travel costs will be high as applicants will need to visit the nearest Italian consular office.
However, one disadvantage that could threaten the new measure is that it could lengthen the overall visa application time. Long visa appointment wait times at Italian consulates are already long, especially in countries with a high volume of applications.
A first set of measures aimed at increasing safety was approved in early October, with further law changes expected in 2025.