Italy Visa Applications Temporarily Suspended Mid-February
Schengen visa applicants intending to travel to Italy can expect major delays following the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ confirmation of a temporary worldwide pause in visa processing.
Italy’s Visa Information System (VIS-IT) will be taken offline from 12:00 on 12 February until 18:00 on 18 February 2026 to allow for a major software upgrade. During this period, no Italian embassy, consulate, or outsourced Visa Application Centre will accept Schengen visa applications, collect biometric data, issue visa decisions, or release passports. Courier dispatches and passport collections will also be paused.
For applicants, this means no visa-related services will be available for nearly a full week, creating delays even for those with appointments scheduled shortly before or during the shutdown. Immigration advisers warn that applications submitted after mid-January are unlikely to be processed before the system goes offline, increasing the risk of postponed or cancelled travel plans.
The timing is particularly problematic for short-notice applicants, including business travellers attending trade fairs and professional events in Italy in February.
Many Schengen applicants apply only a few weeks before departure, and the interruption is expected to push visa decisions into late February or March. As a result, some applicants may be forced to reschedule trips or apply through other Schengen states where Italy is not the primary destination.
Although the suspension is temporary, processing delays are expected to continue after services resume. Consular authorities anticipate slower decision-making as visa offices work through backlogs and rebook cancelled appointments. This may affect applicants well beyond the reopening date.
The system upgrade is intended to support interoperability with the EU’s upcoming Entry-Exit System (EES), which will rely on biometric data stored in visa databases. Officials say the upgrade requires a complete shutdown and cannot be carried out while applications are being processed.
Applicants planning travel in late February or early March are advised to allow longer processing times, with lead times of four to six weeks likely necessary until demand stabilises. If you are planning to apply for an Italy visa and are unsure how these dates affect your timeline, it may be helpful to review your plans early and adjust accordingly.
Do you have plans to submit your Schengen Visa application? Talk to us in the comment section below. Or if you need more advice on the above, contact us for further travel & immigration advice.
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Over the past 6+ years, with IaM, and working in the travel and immigration sector, Charlie has authored 200+ in-depth guides on Schengen, UK visas & other destinations they have relocated 1,000+ families safely through the system. A Clockwork Practitioner, Charlie also works hard to streamline operations and adheres to the mantra "Task Clients Well".
When they’re not translating policy into plain English, you’ll find them scouting new destinations, collecting local stories, and mastering a new language to better serve our global community.
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