WARNING: IT CAN BE EXTREMELY DIFFICULT TO FIND AN APPOINTMENT
Our jurisdiction covers over 45.000.000 people, this means we are often booked out for several months in advance. The online appointment-booking system, https://prenotami.esteri.it, holds all the appointments offered by this Consulate.
You are required to submit the necessary documents (such as flight tickets, lodging reservations, etc.) at your appointment. You do not need to have the requirements when you book the appointment. Please book the trip (lodging and flights) only after securing an appointment.
If you are resident in this jurisdiction, you cannot apply at a different Consulate.
READ CAREFULLY!
From August 15th onward the VISA office won’t accept applications by mail or drop off, therefore each applicant MUST book an appointment through our booking system: https://prenotami.esteri.it/. If you cannot find an appointment, please check on the calendar after 5 pm since the system gets updated and new appointments might be available. Email inquiries about appointments will be discarded.
THIS IS THE ONLY LEGITIMATE PROCESS FOR BOOKING AN APPOINTMENT TO OBTAIN A SCHENGEN VISA.
Applications can be submitted up to 6 months before the date of entry in the Schengen territory.
Each application is independent, therefore each Applicant is required to book an appointment and to bring a complete set of documents (ex. a family of 4 people = 4 sets of documents). Multiple Applications with only one set of documents will not be accepted.
Applicants that want their passport to be returned via mail must provide a prepaid mail envelope along with the application. One mailing return envelope per household is sufficient. Please provide the declaration for mailing your passport: Declaration for mailing
If the passport gets lost in the mail, please do not inquire about it with the visa office but rely on the mail service that you used.
Please DO NOT USE FEDEX as mail service.
Checklist available here: TOURIST VISA CHECK LIST
Please fill out this document and include it in your application: Itinerary
Application form available at: https://e-applicationvisa.esteri.it/
Please print the application form. During the interview it will be signed before the visa officer.
For any additional question please contact us at visas.houston@esteri.it