Italy is different from the other big Schengen countries in the UAE: it has two separate decision offices. Residents of Dubai and the Northern Emirates apply to the Italian Consulate General in Dubai through VFS Global. Residents of Abu Dhabi apply to the Italian Embassy in Abu Dhabi through BLS International. Which one you use is not your choice — it depends on the emirate that issued your residence visa. In 2025 the two offices together received 27,398 applications.
Checked on 20 October 2026 against the Italian Embassy in Abu Dhabi, Italy’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the European Commission’s 2025 visa statistics. Sources at the end.
On this page
- Italy at a glance
- Dubai or Abu Dhabi: your emirate decides
- Step by step
- Italy’s official funds table
- What the 2025 figures say
- After you arrive: the declaration of presence
- Questions people ask
Italy at a glance
| Dubai and Northern Emirates | Abu Dhabi, Al Ain, Al Dhafra | |
|---|---|---|
| Who decides | Italian Consulate General, Dubai | Italian Embassy, Abu Dhabi |
| Where you submit | VFS Global, Dubai | BLS International, Abu Dhabi |
| Visa fee | €90 adults, €45 children 6–11, free under 6 — paid in AED | |
| Service fee | VFS service fee on top | BLS service fee on top |
| Decision time | Up to 15 days; up to 45 in complex cases | |
| 2025 not-issued rate | 22% | 13% |
| Multiple-entry share | 44% | 44% |
Emirati citizens do not need a Schengen visa. This guide is for UAE residents whose passport requires one.
Dubai or Abu Dhabi: your emirate decides
Look at your residence visa. The emirate that issued it — not where you work or where you happen to live today — decides your office.
| Residence visa issued in | Apply through | Decided by |
|---|---|---|
| Dubai, Sharjah, Ajman, Umm Al Quwain, Ras Al Khaimah, Fujairah | VFS Global Dubai | Consulate General, Dubai |
| Abu Dhabi (including Al Ain and Al Dhafra) | BLS International Abu Dhabi | Embassy, Abu Dhabi |
An application lodged at the wrong office can be returned without a decision. If you recently moved emirates but your visa still shows the old one, apply according to the visa.
As with every Schengen visa, apply to Italy only if Italy is your main destination — the most nights, or the main purpose. See which Schengen country to apply to.
Step by step
- Check which office covers your emirate.
- Download the checklist for your purpose from the VFS (Dubai) or BLS (Abu Dhabi) Italy site.
- Fill in the harmonised Schengen application form and sign it.
- Book an appointment on the same provider’s site. You can apply up to 6 months before travel and no later than 15 days before.
- Attend in person for fingerprints (unless given for a Schengen visa in the last 59 months; under-12s are exempt).
- Pay the visa fee in AED and the provider’s service fee.
- Track the application and collect your passport.
Documents
- Passport issued in the last 10 years, valid 3 months beyond your return.
- UAE residence visa and Emirates ID.
- Signed application form and photo.
- Employer letter or NOC with salary and leave dates.
- UAE bank statements for the last 3 months on bank letterhead with the bank’s stamp. Statements from banks outside the UAE are generally not accepted as the main proof.
- Flight reservation and accommodation for the whole stay.
- Travel insurance: €30,000 minimum, all Schengen states, including repatriation.
- For children travelling with one parent: the other parent’s consent, and a birth certificate in English or Italian.
Italy’s official funds table
Italy is unusual in publishing a formula for the money a tourist must show. It comes from an Interior Ministry directive of 1 March 2000, still listed by Italy’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and is a minimum for spending money on top of your accommodation and return travel.
| Trip length | One person | Per person, group of 2 or more |
|---|---|---|
| 1–5 days | €269.60 in total | €212.81 in total |
| 6–10 days | €44.93 per day | €26.33 per day |
| 11–20 days | €51.64 fixed + €36.67 per day | €25.82 fixed + €22.21 per day |
| Over 20 days | €206.58 fixed + €27.89 per day | €118.79 fixed (per-day amount not listed) |
Worked example: one person, 14 days in Italy → €51.64 + (14 × €36.67) = €565.02 (about AED 2,300), plus hotels and flights. These minimums are low compared with the real cost of a trip. Consulates look at whether your account can carry the whole trip and whether your salary arrives regularly. See bank balance for a Schengen visa.
What the 2025 figures say
| 2025 | Consulate General, Dubai | Embassy, Abu Dhabi |
|---|---|---|
| Applications | 19,422 | 7,976 |
| Visas issued | 15,215 | 6,947 |
| Not-issued rate | 22% | 13% |
| Multiple-entry share | 44% | 44% |
The Abu Dhabi office refused a smaller share in 2025. That does not mean a Dubai resident can switch: the office is fixed by your emirate, and the difference partly reflects who applies where. Both offices are compared with every other consulate in our Schengen statistics for the UAE.
After you arrive: the declaration of presence
Italian law asks short-stay visitors to declare their presence within 8 days of arriving. For most UAE tourists this happens automatically: if you fly directly into Italy from outside the Schengen area, your border entry record counts, and if you stay in a hotel, the hotel registers you. If you enter Italy overland from another Schengen country and stay privately, you file the declaration at the local police headquarters (Questura).
Mistakes to avoid
- Booking at VFS Dubai with an Abu Dhabi residence visa, or the other way round.
- Submitting a home-country bank statement instead of a UAE one.
- Showing only the minimum from the funds table, with no regular income.
- Applying to Italy for a trip spent mostly in France or Switzerland.
Questions people ask
Is the Italy visa in Dubai through VFS or BLS?
VFS Global for residence visas issued in Dubai and the Northern Emirates. BLS International in Abu Dhabi for residence visas issued in Abu Dhabi.
How much bank balance do I need for an Italy visa?
Italy’s table sets a minimum of, for example, €44.93 per day for a 6–10 day trip alone, on top of accommodation and flights. A balance that covers the whole trip, with regular salary credits, is what consulates want to see.
How long does an Italy visa take from the UAE?
Up to 15 days after submission, longer in summer or if more documents are requested. Apply 6 to 8 weeks before travel.
Related guides
- Schengen visa from Dubai and the UAE
- France Schengen visa from the UAE
- Spain Schengen visa from the UAE
- Schengen 90/180-day calculator
Sources
- Embassy of Italy in Abu Dhabi — Visas: ambabudhabi.esteri.it
- Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs — Table of means of subsistence (Interior Ministry directive, 1 March 2000): esteri.it
- European Commission — Visa statistics for consulates, 2025 (published 28 May 2026)
- EU Visa Code, Regulation (EC) No 810/2009
Written by Asad Waleed M, Dubai. Asad has lived in the UAE for nine years and researches visa rules from government sources. He is not an immigration lawyer or consultant, and Sifqa does not process applications. Read the editorial policy.
Last checked 20 October 2026. Rechecked quarterly. Found an error? Email [email protected] — it gets fixed and logged.