Visas
Currently, all travelers are granted a 90 day tourist visa. This is not a stamp that needs to be affixed to your passport as other visas but just as time limit on your stay. This 90 days is the maximum number of days you can stay within the entire EU out of any 180 day period. You can no longer hop over the border to Switzerland for lunch and then start a new 90 day stay. You will need to be out of the entire EU for 90 days for every 90 in. You should also make sure you have enough funds to support your trip. To find out the correct amount, you can use our downloadable Microsoft Excel spreadsheet.
If you plan on staying longer than the maximum, you will need an actual visa that is stamped in your passport. It just depends what kind you will need. Here are the basic three but of course there are more. Just go to your consulate's website to read more.
Visas can be a very difficult introduction to Italian Bureaucracy but it is possible to do it. Patience and a smile go a long way. To get an idea, please read
