Italy

Italy

Regulations on the Items Taken into and out of Italy

Entry

When visitors enter Italy, the items for personal use that they carry in their baggage are exempted from customs duty, but such items shall not be of import trading nature, and their total value shall not exceed EUR 175. The upper limit of the value of items carried by minors under the age of 15 is EUR 90.

In addition, some items (alcohol, tobacco, etc.) taken tax-free into the country are subject to the following restrictions: 200 cigarettes, 50 cigars, and 250 grams of tobacco.

Alcoholic drinks are subject to the following restrictions: 1 liter of distilled alcoholic drinks over 22% or non-denatured alcohol of purity above 80%; or 2 liters of distilled alcoholic drinks, appetizer wine, champagne and strong wine 22% or above or 2 liters of wine of low degrees.

Perfume: 50 grams of perfume and 250 millimeters of freshener.

Coffee products: One of the following is allowed: 500 grams of coffee, or 200 grams of coffee concentrate or Espresso.

Tea products: One of the following is allowed: 100 grams of tea or 40 grams of tea concentrate.

The above items do not count as the EUR 175 tax-exempt items. Items taken into Italy that exceed the above prescribed limits must be declared, and quantities in excess of the tax-exempt limit are subject to customs duty.

Exit

Any visitor who lives in non-EU countries is entitled to value added tax breaks when shopping in Italy, but the following conditions must be met:

1. The price of the items purchased must be over EUR 155 (including VAT);

2. The items purchased must be for personal or family use only, and must be carried in the personal baggage of the visitor;

3. The names of the items purchased, visitor’s personal information and the detailed information of the visitor’s passport or other travel documents must be indicated on the receipt;

4. The items purchased must leave EU within 3 months from the day of purchase;

5. The visitor must bring the items that will benefit from tax breaks and the relevant receipt to the EU Customs Entry/Exit Office, which will stamp the customs visa (VISTO DOGANALE) on the receipt to prove that the items are to leave the country;

6. The receipt with the customs visa must be returned to the retailer within 4 months from the day of purchase.

7. The visitor himself/herself must be on the site to sign and collect the tax refund.

Visa

For a short tour in Italy, visitors must apply for a short-term tourist visa. The following documents are required:

1. Passport: A private passport valid for 6 months or more

2. ID photos: Four recent photos (taken within the last 6 months), against white background, measuring 3.5 cm X4.5 cm

3. ID: A photocopy of both sides of the applicant's ID card on a piece of A4 paper

4. Hukou Booklet: Original copy and photocopy of family's Hukou Booklet; married applicant must provide the photocopy of the marriage certificate.

5. Certificates of assets: Applicant must provide proof of his/her personal bank deposit. The bank deposit certificate must be issued in the required standard format of the bank, accompanied by a copy of correct English translation. The validity period of the bank deposit certificate must freeze until 3 months after the applicant returns to China. The original copy of the bank deposit certificate must be submitted to the embassy of Italy in China and will not be returned by the embassy. The bank deposit will de-freeze automatically when the validity period of the bank deposit certificate expires. The applicant must provide a record of personal financial transactions of the last 6 months or above (including salary information). The record of financial transactions must include the month when the visa application is submitted. Proof of other assets also includes photocopies of real estate or car as well as equity certificate that prove the applicants economic ability.

6. Employment certificate: The certificate must include applicant's name, date of birth, passport number, occupation, income, the starting date of employment, the start and end date of travel, and a guarantee that the applicant will return to his/her home country on time; employer's name, address, fax, and telephone number; responsible person's name and title; start and end date of labor contract. The employment certificate must be printed on a piece of the employers letterhead paper and written in English and stamped with the corporate seal.

7. Business license or organization code certificate: If applicant's employer is a company, a photocopy of the company's business license should be provided on a piece of A4 paper and stamped with the corporate seal. The business license must show the record of annual inspection. If applicant's employer is an institution, a photocopy of the organization code certificate should be provided on a piece of A4 paper and stamped with the corporate seal. The organization code certificate must show the record of annual inspection.

Customs

Catholicism is the largest religion in Italy, but the government has not formally named Catholicism as the state religion. Approximately 87.8% of Italians believe in Catholicism. Italy’s Catholic Church is part of the global Roman Catholic Church.

Each Italian has a Christian name, one given by the priest when he or she was baptized as a baby. After getting married, most women change their surnames to those of their husbands; there are also some Italians who choose to use the joint surnames of both. Italians shake hands in social occasions, friends and relatives hug each other when meeting each other, and acquaintances meeting on streets wave hands to each other.

Italy has many holidays. On Sunday and during important religious festivals, most shops are closed. In August, the whole nation is off; even government organs are off duty. In winter, most seaside hotels and attractions are closed, too.

In churches or church museums, it is forbidden to wear shorts, short skirts or sleeveless tops, but shawls, scarves and other items can be used to cover shorts, short skirts or sleeveless tops. Visitors to St. Peter's Basilica and museums of Vatican have to go through a particularly stringent process of inspection and even security check. So, you should pay special attention to how you are dressed and the items you take with you.

Embassy and Consulates General

Embassy of Italy in China

Website: http://www.italyvac.cn/

Beijing Italy Visa Application Center

To submit application or pick up passport:

Add: Rooms 211-212, F2, Building 1, No. 13 Compound (South Gate, Hailong Petroleum), Workers Stadium North Road, Chaoyang District, Beijing, China

Hours: 8:00 - 17:00, Monday to Friday (except holiday)

Tel: +86-10-84185517, +86-10-84185417

E-mail: infopek.italycn@vfshelpline.com

Shanghai Italy Visa Application Center

To submit application or pick up passport

Add: 555, Xujiahui Road, Shanghai, China

Postal code: 200023

Hours: Monday to Friday (except holiday):

To submit application: 8:00 to 15:00

To collect passport: 8:00 to 17:00

Hotline hours: 8:00 to 17:00

Tel: +86-21-63901937, +86-21-63901803

E-mail: infosha.italycn@vfshelpline.com

Guangzhou Italy Visa Application Center

To submit application or pick up passport

Add: Rooms 05-06, F2, Shengfeng Plaza, 988 Guangzhou Dadao, Tianhe District, Guangzhou

Postal code: 510620

Hours: 8:00 to 17:00, Monday to Friday

Tel: +86-20-38784008

E-mail: infocan.italycn@vfshelpline.com

For more information about visa application, please visit www.esteri.it/visti/home_eng.asp and http://www.esteri.it/eng/index.asp

 

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* The above information is for reference only. For more, contact the embassy.

* For more information on visa, head to the Star Alliance website.