The Italian government requires a visa for stays longer than 90 days.
The type of visa required depends on the visitor's place of residence in Italy and the reason for the stay. Visa applicants must apply to the consulate in the region of residency for their visas.
The embassy lists more than 20 categories of visa requirements, including self-employment, employment by an Italian firm and study in Italy. For some categories such as medical treatment, visa recipients must show they have a means of monetary support while in Italy.
Some exceptions to the visa requirement include people in transit through the country, athletes invited to certain national sporting events, prospective adoptive parents and participants in religious events.
Italy requires documents such as birth certificates to obtain visas. Immigration officials can ask to see those documents upon entry to the country.
Visas cost about 60 to 75 euros, depending on the type, as of September 2009.
