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Family visas for Europe · Italy

Italy family visa from the UK

To move to Italy to live with your Italian husband, wife or civil partner, you apply for a free long-stay national visa for family reasons, booked through VFS Global for the Italian Consulate General in London. No nulla osta is needed, but your marriage certificate must be less than 6 months old. Joining an EU citizen works the same way; joining a non-EU resident takes longer.

We prepare it with you from a £399 service fee, confirmed before you pay. Any official fee is paid by you to the embassy.

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Your route depends on your partner

The Italian Consulate General in London handles visas for the whole UK. Appointments are only through VFS Global, which has centres in London, Manchester and Edinburgh; applicants in Scotland and Northern Ireland can book at the Edinburgh centre. Every line below comes from an official page, linked beside it, read on 2 November 2026.

Joining an Italian citizen

A free long-stay national visa for family reasons, with no nulla osta. You apply through VFS Global with a marriage certificate under 6 months old.

Visa
A national long-stay visa for family members of an Italian or EU citizen. You do not need a nulla osta (entry clearance) from Italy. Source
Who qualifies
Spouses who are not legally separated and are at least 18, and civil partners. Source
How to apply from the UK
Appointments are only through VFS Global, which adds its own service charge. You attend in person. Source
Before you apply
If you are moving to Italy permanently through marriage to an Italian citizen, the marriage must be registered at the Italian Consulate General in London before you apply for the visa. Source
Your partner's side
Your partner gives you their passport and a declaration that you are joining them. For a stay over 90 days, they also declare that you intend to move to Italy permanently. Source
Fee
The spouse of an Italian or EU citizen is entitled to the visa free of charge and with priority over other applications. Source
What you do not need
No health insurance and no proof of your financial situation. Source
Processing time
The London consulate says a national visa can take up to 90 days, and never less than 15 days. Source
Certificates
Marriage and civil partnership certificates older than 6 months are not accepted. Certificates from a country other than the UK must be translated into English or Italian and legalised; those from a Schengen country are accepted only in the multilingual format. Source
After you arrive
You register with the local registry office (Anagrafe) and apply to the Questura for a residence card. Source

Joining an EU, EEA or Swiss citizen who lives in Italy

The same free national visa for family of an EU citizen, with no nulla osta, then a residence card from the Questura in Italy.

Visa
A national long-stay visa for family members of an EU citizen. No nulla osta is needed. Source
Who counts as EU
Italy applies this to EU countries plus Norway, Iceland and Liechtenstein. Family of Swiss citizens fall under a separate section of the rules. Source
British partners
Family members of UK nationals covered by the EU-UK Withdrawal Agreement get the same treatment as EU family members. Source
Fee
Free of charge, and handled with priority over other applications. Source
Documents
As for an Italian spouse, including your EU partner's passport and their declaration that you are joining them. Source
After you arrive
You register with the town hall (Comune) where you live and apply to the Questura for the residence card for family members of an EU citizen, with your registration certificate and proof of your family link. Source
Residence card decision
Under EU rules, the authorities should decide on the residence card within 6 months. Source

Joining a non-EU national who lives in Italy

Family reunification: your partner first gets a nulla osta from the immigration desk (Sportello Unico) in Italy, then you apply for the visa within 6 months.

Your partner starts this one in Italy. We tell you exactly what is theirs and prepare your side from the UK.

Your partner's step
Your partner applies online on the Ministry of the Interior's ALI portal for a nulla osta from the Sportello Unico per l'Immigrazione at their prefecture. Source
Who qualifies
A spouse, or a civil union partner who is not legally separated and is at least 18. Source
Your partner's residence
Your partner must have at least 2 years of legal, uninterrupted stay in Italy when applying, unless they have international protection. Source
Income and housing
For 2026, income of at least 10,651.68 euros a year when one family member joins, a housing suitability certificate from the town council, and a lease of at least 6 months if renting. Source
Nulla osta timing
Issued within 150 days of the application and valid for 6 months, within which you apply for the visa. The visa is then valid for 365 days. Source
Your UK application
Through VFS Global for the London consulate, with the nulla osta, your UK residence permit and eVisa share code, your partner's Italian residence card valid for at least 1 year (or EU long-term residence permit), and a one-way travel booking. Source
Processing time
Up to 90 days for the national visa, and never less than 15 days. Source
After you arrive
Within 8 working days you go to the Sportello Unico that issued the nulla osta to start your residence permit. Source
Integration agreement
On your first residence permit you sign Italy's Integration Agreement and are invited to a civic training session. Source

Documents most applicants need

The full list depends on your route. We send you yours, item by item, once you order.

  • The national visa application form, completed
  • A passport-style photo on a white background, not older than 6 months
  • Your passport, with a photocopy
  • Your marriage or civil partnership certificate, issued within the last 6 months
  • Your partner's passport, with a photocopy
  • Your partner's declaration that you are joining them in Italy

What we do

  • Check your case and tell you which visa applies, and whether we can help, before you pay
  • Build your document list from the embassy's own requirements for your country
  • Check every document, translation and apostille before it goes in
  • Fill in the application form with you, in your own account where the embassy uses an online portal
  • Prepare you for the appointment and stay with you until the decision

What you do

  • Get the certificates, apostilles, translations and any language test your country asks for
  • Sign and submit the application yourself, and attend the appointment in person
  • Pay any official fee directly to the embassy or consulate

We are a private company, not an embassy, consulate or visa centre. We do not give legal advice, and we do not handle visas into the UK.

Questions about the Italy family visa

Can I apply for an Italian spouse visa from the UK?
Yes. The Italian Consulate General in London handles visas for the whole UK, and appointments are only through VFS Global. The spouse of an Italian citizen needs no nulla osta. People in the UK on a visit visa cannot apply there.
How long does an Italian family visa take?
The London consulate says a national visa can take up to 90 days, and never less than 15 days; spouses of Italian and EU citizens are handled with priority. Joining a non-EU resident, the nulla osta in Italy comes first and is issued within 150 days.
How much does an Italian spouse visa cost?
The visa is free for the spouse of an Italian or EU citizen who meets every requirement. VFS Global adds its own service charge. Our service fee starts at £399.
How old can my marriage certificate be?
No older than 6 months. A certificate from a country other than the UK must be translated into English or Italian and legalised. If your Italian spouse is registered with AIRE and the marriage is already registered at the London consulate, a self-declaration replaces a new certificate.
My partner is French and lives in Milan. Which visa do I need?
The free national visa for family members of an EU citizen, with no nulla osta. You show your partner's passport and their declaration that you are joining them. In Italy you register with the town hall and apply to the Questura for a residence card.
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What you are protected by

WayaNerd Ltd, registered in England and Wales, company number 16269713. 48 Margery Park Road, London, E7 9JY. Contact us

Official sources

Read on 2 November 2026. Rules change: we check your embassy's page again for your case.

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