Italy visa requirements for Russian citizens

VMS for applicants registered in Moscow and the Moscow region, Almaviva Russia for the rest of the jurisdiction of the Italian Consulate General in Moscow

In Russia the Italian visa is not applied for at the consulate, nor at whichever centre you prefer. The Italian Consulate General in Moscow, whose jurisdiction covers the whole Russian Federation except that of the consulate general in St Petersburg, states plainly that only two companies are authorised to receive applications, Almaviva and VMS, each in its own area. The split does not follow proximity or preference: it is decided by the place of residence registered in your identity document. Those registered in Moscow or the Moscow region go to VMS; those registered in the rest of the jurisdiction go to Almaviva Russia. Filing at the wrong centre means a certain rejection. The second figure to keep in view is the timeframe. The consulate itself warns that processing can frequently take up to 60 days from the date of application, and that getting an appointment takes time because of the volume: in 2023 it issued 118,000 visas, more than any other consulate in Russia, and in the first seven months of 2024 applications rose 36 % on the same period the year before. The warning comes with another one: be wary of unofficial agencies promising shortcuts.

Official application site →

Fee

€90

The €90 is the short-stay Schengen visa fee, set by Article 16 of the Visa Code (Regulation (EC) 810/2009) as amended by Delegated Regulation (EU) 2024/1415, in force since 11 June 2024. It is not a fee set by Italy: the same amount is paid at any Schengen consulate. Children from the age of 6 and under 12 pay €45, and children under 6 are exempt. Travellers entering without a visa pay no fee at all.

Processing time

Where the trip requires a Schengen visa, the consulate must decide within 15 calendar days of an admissible application being lodged. That period may be extended to a maximum of 45 calendar days in individual cases, particularly where the application needs closer examination; in justified urgent individual cases the decision is taken immediately (Regulation (EC) 810/2009, Art. 23). An application may not be lodged more than six months before the intended trip and, as a rule, no later than 15 calendar days before it; where the consulate requires an appointment, it is normally given within two weeks of being requested (Art. 9).

Required documents

• A valid passport or travel document, issued within the previous ten years and valid for at least three months beyond the date you plan to leave the Schengen area (Regulation (EU) 2016/399, Art. 6(1)(a))
• A valid visa, if your nationality requires one. It is not needed if you hold a valid residence permit or long-stay visa issued by a Schengen State (Art. 6(1)(b))
• Documents justifying the purpose and conditions of the intended stay: an accommodation booking or a declaration of invitation from your host, and a return or onward ticket (Art. 6(1)(c) and Art. 6(3), which points to the non-exhaustive list in Annex I)
• Proof of sufficient means of subsistence for the whole stay and for the return to your country of origin, or of being in a position to acquire such means lawfully. They are assessed according to the duration and purpose of the stay, by reference to average prices for board and lodging in budget accommodation (Art. 6(1)(c) and 6(4)). Cash, traveller's cheques, credit cards and declarations of invitation or of sponsorship all count as proof (Art. 6(4))

How much money you need to show

€269.60 in total for a trip of 1 to 5 days, or €44.93 per day for 6 to 10 days, if you travel alone

Longer trips add a fixed sum to a daily one: for 11 to 20 days, €51.64 plus €36.67 per day; from 21 days, €206.58 plus €27.89 per day. When two or more people travel together, each needs less: €212.81 for 1 to 5 days, €26.33 per day for 6 to 10, €25.82 plus €22.21 per day for 11 to 20, and €118.79 plus €17.04 per day from 21 days. You also need to show where you are staying, with a hotel booking or a declaration of hospitality, and have the money or ticket to get home. This is Table A of the Interior Ministry directive of 1 March 2000.

What each Schengen country asks for →

Source: European Commission, Annex 25 to the Practical Handbook for Border Guards (reference amounts notified by each State), version of 8 June 2026, and Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs (esteri.it, page on the funds required to enter Italy). Checked on 1 November 2026.

Health insurance

Mandatory to apply for the Schengen visa: minimum coverage of €30,000, valid across the whole Schengen area and for the entire length of the stay (Regulation (EC) 810/2009, Art. 15).

Which policies meet the €30,000 requirement →

When travel insurance is mandatory → Travel insurance policies ↓

How long you can stay

Schengen rule: a maximum stay of 90 days within any 180-day period across the whole Schengen area.

Calculate your available Schengen days →

Why isn't your passport being stamped? The EES system →