ETIAS Italy

Italy was one of the founding members of the EU and it joined the Schengen Area in 1997.
The Country, for its location on the Mediterranean Sea, always dealt with constant immigration. The media coverage of migrants crisis in the Mediterranean sea put the Italian government on the world's spotlight. The Italian effort on this topic started way before, Italy supports the EU initiative to create new systems able to regulate touristic and non-touristic inbound and outbound immigration in the Schengen Area, and more generally, in the European Union.

Entry-Exit system and ETIAS (European Travel Information and Authorisation System) are the two legislative tools that will change the way to travel in Europe in the next years. Although their aim is similar, ETIAS will be focused mostly on short-term journeys.

Starting from 2021 all travelers above 18 years old will be able to apply online for the permission to travel to Italy. The online application cost is €7 and once the authorisation is approved it will last for five years. The authorisation will also allow travelers from visa-exempted countries to travel in other Countries part of the Schengen Area without requiring any other travel documents. Although the online authorisation is valid for five years, the maximum duration of stay in the EU is 90 days in a consecutive period of 180 days. If the traveler plans to have a longer stay in the Schengen area, a visa is required.

Italy is definitely an excellent destination for many travel purposes: romance, arts, fashion, architecture, skiing, etc. you name it. Italy has so much to offer. Venice, the city of the gondolas and the canals is long known as romance destination for people in love. Its capital Rome encompases building since Ancient Roman to the Renaissance. Rome is only the city in the world that has another independent state inside itself, the Vatican, the Holy land of Catholic pilgrims and also the treasure of arts. Florence with countless number of Renaissance masterpieces is a destination for art lovers. Milan is the one of the world’s fashion capitals. Sea lovers can go Sardinia, Sicily or Cinque Terre for the magnificent views of the ocean. The Northern region is dedicated for nature lovers with breathtaking scenery of the mountains and the lakes.
Italian cuisine also contributes its national reputation. There are plenty of vineyards in Tuscany where high quality wines are made. Naples is famous for its pizza making.Sicily is famous for its gelato making. While cuisine in the north is mainly based on meat and hard cheese, the south Italian cuisine is various of seafood, meat and pasta dishes. There are much more than what is written in such a short article. Come and find out yourself!
Summers are usually hot dry while winters are mild, yet often humid and wet. The length the country and different landscapes explain the variety of its climates. The mountainous region in the North is colder and more humid in the winter. The summer can be very hot and dry, especially in the south. The coast is more breezy and the mountain areas are cooler.
Dress to the weather: Light and absorbent clothes are recommended for the summer. Mediumweight clothes if you stay in the south but heavyweight clothes are more suitable if stay up north in the mountain areas.

Area: 301,230 KM2
Capital: Rome
Currency: Euro (EUR)
Timezone: UTC/GMT +1 hour
Population: 60,340,328
Calling Code: +39
Power Sockets:

• C European 2-pin
• F Schuko plug
• L Italian 3-pin