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A member of the Italian delegation at the Council of Europe, Simone Billi, has said that Italy’s visa regime is complex but well-structured and transparent.
In his recent analysis of visa policies in Italy in 2024, Billi stressed that the country’s system is aimed at balancing free movement while at the same time keeping immigration in check, Schengen.News reports.
Billi further said that Italy’s visa-issuing process is “codified to ensure transparency and uniformity”, emphasising that the authorities follow the rules set on the Visa Code when issuing Schengen visas.
In addition to the above-mentioned, Billi noted that applicants who specifically want to obtain a long-term Italian Schengen visa, in general, need to provide valid reasons for making such a request and have proof of consistent travel history.
Such comments from Billi come not long after Italy was criticised for strict rules and long visa processing times, especially for foreign students wanting to pursue their studies in the country.
Turkish, Iranian & Afghan Students Recently Complained Over Long Processing Times
Students from Türkiye, Iran, and Afghanistan are just some of the Italian Schengen visa applicants who have recently complained about the long waiting times to receive a decision on their application.
In early November, a number of Turkish students who were admitted to Italian universities protested outside the Italian Consulate in Istanbul. Frustrated with the visa delays, during this protest, they demanded faster processing.
As one Turkish student revealed, they have been waiting for a decision on their visa application for months now and complained about how this is putting their academic goals at risk.
Iranian students also voiced the same concerns, and a delegation of students protested outside Turin University over the visa delays. The delegation said that some Iranian students have been waiting for 140 days for an appointment to receive a visa and called on the authorities to take measures as soon as possible.
Just at the beginning of this month, a group of nearly 150 Aghan students said that they have been waiting for the Italian authorities to issue them visas for months now, too, while noting that these issues are having a negative impact on their mental well-being.
Source: https://schengen.news/italys-schengen-visa-issuing-process-is-transparent-well-structured-delegation-member-says/
