Travel Visa

Italy To Authorize Biometric Data For Long-term Schengen Visas In 2025

Italy will introduce a new biometric requirement for all long-term Schengen Visa candidates on January 11, 2025. This guideline requires people applying for jobs, study, family reunification, or investment visas to submit fingerprints at the closest Italian consulate.

Expansion Of Biometric Data Collection

Formerly compulsory only for short-term Schengen visas, the biometric information collection condition currently extends to long-term visas. Candidates must show up in person for fingerprinting, a procedure to improve safety and decrease visa mismanagement.

The fingerprinting procedure, which takes a few minutes, guarantees that biometric information is saved securely for 59 months.

Hence, this new law is complex, as candidates must book in-person appointments, resulting in prospective travel costs and earnings loss from time taken away from work.

Effects On Visa Applicants

The new laws are anticipated to impact different teams, mainly international students. These students must schedule private fingerprint appointments, adding another stage to a tricky visa request procedure.

Reports recommend that Italian embassies in highly sought-after provinces already experience significant backlogs, increasing concerns about appointment delays. This could affect candidates under stringent deadlines, including people beginning new employment or educational courses.

Restricted Exclusions

The guidelines have to do with restricted exclusions, which include:

  • Kids below the age of 12.
  • People physically unable to offer fingerprints
  • Chosen government officials going on trips for official operations.

For others, adherence to the fingerprinting condition is compulsory. The good thing is that candidates who offer their biometric information for an initial request will not be required to repeat the procedure for subsequent requests within the 59-month authenticity duration.

Background On Biometric Conditions

Since 2015, offering biometric information, which includes 10 fingerprints and a picture, has been a criterion for Schengen visa candidates.

First-time candidates must arrive in person to conclude the information collection procedure, ensuring their details are safely linked to their visa requests.

What To Have In Mind

  • While improving safety, the new law offers candidates logistical difficulties and elevated expenses.
  • This new law majorly affects people looking for long-term visas in Italy.
  • Candidates are now required to book in-person appointments for fingerprinting, which is included in the application procedure.
  • International students may experience delays because of prospective increases in waiting periods for visa appointments.

In conclusion, while the biometric condition intends to promote safety, prospective candidates must prepare for the additional administrative stages and plan their requests perfectly in advance. Candidates can navigate the new laws with less disruption by knowing the procedure and booking on time.