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Visas

The Embassy of Italy in Beirut deals with visa applications of those citizens, legally resident in Lebanon and Syria, who are subject to the visa requirement. It has competence to issue:

  • Schengen visas (type C) for short stay (in Italy and in Malta);
  • National visas (type D) which enable foreigners to apply for residency permits in Italy.

If you wish to find out whether you need a visa or not, information can be found by answering four simple questions on the website Visto per l’Italia .

Submitting a visa application


Where?

  • Applicants should lodge visa applications in their country of residence.
  • With reference to Schengen Visa, applicants need to apply at the European State that is the sole or main destination of the journey.

How?

  • If you need a visa to Italy and you are resident in Lebanon or Syria, you need to apply for a National or Schengen visa through TLScontact website .
  • For further information, you can contact TLS call center from Monday to Friday between 08:30 and 15:00 at +961 1 977 033.
  • Please be aware that the grant or refusal of the visa is at the sole discretion of the Embassy and TLS contact is not involved in any way in the process.

When?

  • The application must be submitted at least 15 days before the intended travel date. The procedure for Lebanese and Syrian citizens requires up to two weeks, due to the technical times of the Schengen consultation.

Which are the types of visas available for Italy?

  • TLS website contains information on all different types of visas for Italy and the list of documents needed, that are constantly updated by the Embassy.
  • Before applying, please check that you are applying for the right visa typology and that you have all the documents needed. An application without a complete set of documents may result in the refusal of the visa application.

For Schengen Visas, please find here also the list of supporting documents to be submitted by applicants in Lebanon for short stay Visas agreed at EU level.

Which is the cost?

  • The updated visa tariffs are available here.
  • TLS service cost and optional value added services are indicated on their website. Please be aware that the use of optional services does NOT entitle to obtain a visa nor to fasten the processing of your file by the Embassy.

Which is the validity of my visa?

Visa stickers specify the following information:

  • numbers of entrances: it can be 1, 2 or multiple
  • duration: the maximum duration for Schengen C visas is 90 days every 180 days.
  • Validity: the time (up to a maximum of 5 years) during which the visa can be used in compliance with the agreed duration. Surpassing the validity set forth by the visa (overstay), even if the overstay occurs within the agreed duration, is not permitted. The Schengen visa code sets forth specific criteria for the issuance of long-term visas according to a progressive scale (Art. 24). Visas can be issued “a) for a validity period of one year, provided that the applicant has obtained and lawfully used three visas within the previous two years; b) for a validity period of two years, provided that the applicant has obtained and lawfully used a previous multiple-entry visa valid for one year within the previous two years; c) for a validity period of five years, provided that the applicant has obtained and lawfully used a previous multiple-entry visa valid for two years within the previous three years”.

The Embassy is in any case entitled to check whether the recipient of a visa has returned to Lebanon (or Syria) after the declared trip to Italy. In case of a person who has not come back within the limits of the visa validity, the Embassy has the duty to inform the relevant Italian judiciary.

If you need further information not available on TLS website, you can contact the Visa Desk of the Italian Embassy in Beirut at the email address visti.beirut@esteri.it  (please specify name, reference number of the application and phone number).