Customs Regulations

• Entering Italy from another EU country you can bring, duty-free: 10L spirits, 90L wine and 800 cigarettes.

• If arriving from a non-EU country, the limits are 1L spirits (or 2L fortified wine), 4L still wine, 60ml perfume, 16L beer, 200 cigarettes and other goods up to a value of €300/430 (travelling by land/sea); anything over this must be declared on arrival and the duty paid.

• On leaving the EU, non-EU residents can reclaim value-added tax (VAT) on expensive purchases.

Visas

Not required by EU citizens. Not required by nationals of Australia, Canada, New Zealand and the USA for stays of up to 90 days.

More Information

• Italy is one of the 26 European countries to make up the Schengen area. There are no customs controls when travelling between Schengen countries, so the visa rules that apply to Italy apply to all Schengen countries.

• EU citizens do not need a visa to enter Italy – a valid ID card or passport is sufficient.

• Nationals of some other countries, including Australia, Canada, Israel, Japan, New Zealand, Switzerland and the USA, do not need a visa for stays of up to 90 days.

• Nationals of other countries will need a Schengen tourist visa – to check requirements see www.schengenvisainfo.com/tourist-schengen-visa.

• All non-EU and non-Schengen nationals entering Italy for more than 90 days or for any reason other than tourism (such as study or work) may need a specific visa. Check http://vistoperitalia.esteri.it for details.

Permesso di Soggiorno

• A permesso di soggiorno (permit to stay, also referred to as a residence permit) is required by all non-EU nationals who stay in Italy longer than three months. In theory, you should apply for one within eight days of arriving in Italy.

• EU citizens do not require a permesso di soggiorno but are required to register with the local registry office (ufficio anagrafe) if they stay for more than three months.

• Check exact requirements on www.poliziadistato.it – click on the English tab and then follow the links.

• The main office dealing with permits is the Ufficio Immigrazione.

Electronic Authorisation

The European Commission has outlined plans for an electronic vetting system for travellers to the Schengen area.

Under the proposed terms of the European Travel Information & Authorisation System (ETIAS), all non-EU travellers would have to fill in an online form and pay a fee of €5 before they could travel to the Schengen block.

If approved by the European Parliament, the system could come into force in 2020.

For further details, see www.etiaseurope.eu.