Total Cost of an Italy Visa and Trip from India (2026)

Airfares and hotel rates change daily and are not official figures, so we do not quote them. What this post gives you is every cost that the visa process itself fixes, plus the minimum money Italy wants to see in your file. All amounts are as published on the official sources, checked on 15 October 2026. For the full application process, see our Italy visa guide for Indians.

What are the fixed Italy visa charges in INR?

Italy publishes its short-stay (Schengen C) fee in euro with a rupee equivalent that VFS collects. The EUR to INR rate is adjusted periodically.

You pay the visa fee by demand draft favouring 'VFS Global Services Private Limited' or in cash at VFS. The current rupee fees apply at the Ahmedabad, Cochin and Pune centres from 27 March 2026 and at Mumbai from 30 March 2026, according to the VFS Mumbai page.

Which VFS add-ons can you skip?

VFS lists several paid extras. None of them is required for a decision.

• Courier return of passport: INR 795
• Courier Assurance: INR 631
• Premium Lounge (New Delhi): INR 4669

If you live near a centre, collecting the passport yourself avoids the courier line. The 11 Italy VFS centres are New Delhi, Jalandhar, Chandigarh, Mumbai, Ahmedabad, Pune, Kochi, Kolkata, Bengaluru, Chennai and Hyderabad. You must apply at a centre of the Italian mission that covers the state where you have lived continuously for the last 6 months.

How much money does Italy expect you to show for the trip?

Italy sets minimum means of support for tourists in an Interior Ministry directive of 1 March 2000 (Table A), as notified to the European Commission in June 2026. The figures are per person.

To use the table, find your trip length and multiply the daily figure by your number of days, adding the fixed amount where one applies. You can show the means through currency, bank guarantees, insurance policies or prepaid services. You must also show accommodation and the money needed for your return journey.

In the visa file itself, the Embassy of Italy's checklist asks for salary slips for the last 3 months, ITR with barcode for the last 3 years, Income Tax Challan receipts for the last 3 years and a personal bank statement for the last 6 months stamped by the bank. If a sponsor in Italy covers you, the Embassy accepts a bank guarantee ('fidejussione bancaria') from that sponsor, supported by personal bank statements.

What other trip costs does the visa file lock in?

Three bookings sit inside every tourist file, and each has its own rule.

• Travel insurance: mandatory, minimum EUR 30,000 cover valid across the Schengen area for the whole stay, including repatriation. It must come from an insurer on the list approved by the Schengen consular posts in India. Premiums are set by insurers, not by Italy.
• Hotels: hotel bookings are mandatory for the Tourist category, and the checklist asks for confirmed bookings. Budget for these before you apply.
• Flights: the checklist asks for a travel itinerary with dates, including a return flight reservation or ticket. A verifiable flight reservation meets that wording, and embassies generally advise against buying non-refundable tickets before the visa decision.

What does a refusal cost you?

The visa fee is not refunded if Italy refuses the application, and VFS does not list a refund of its service charge either. A new application means paying the visa fee again.

European Commission data puts the refusal rate for short-stay Schengen applications lodged at Italian consulates in India at 12.7% in 2025 (6,810 visas not issued; 53,423 applications lodged), against 11.3% in 2024. The rate describes all applicants at those consulates; it is not a prediction for your file.

Refusal letters state the reasons. You can reapply, or appeal through a lawyer to the T.A.R. of Lazio within 60 days. Legal fees for an appeal are not published by the Embassy.

How do costs change for families, students and EU-citizen relatives?

• Children: € 45 / INR 4,820 between 6 and 12, free under 6. A minor's application must be signed by both parents.
• Short-stay study (C): exempt from the visa fee; the INR 631 VFS charge still applies.
• National study visa (D): EUR 50 / INR 5,350 plus the INR 631 VFS charge.
• Family members of EU or Italian citizens: free of charge for eligible spouses, registered partners, children under 21 or dependent, and dependent parents or in-laws; the VFS charge still applies.

Frequent travellers can reduce repeat costs over time. Under EU rules in force since 18 April 2024, an Indian resident who has obtained and lawfully used two Schengen visas within the previous three years can be issued a two-year multiple-entry visa.

Before you pay anything

1. Confirm which Italian mission covers your state, so you book the right VFS centre.
2. Work out your minimum funds from the table and check your bank statement shows them.
3. Buy insurance only from the approved list.
4. Keep flight bookings refundable or use a reservation until the decision.

Yatra For Fun's India office in Gurugram prepares flight reservations, hotel bookings, travel itineraries and cover letters for visa files, with packages from INR 1,000 (flight reservation) to INR 3,000 (reservation, hotel, itinerary and cover letter). WhatsApp +91 95230 91018 or contact us.

Frequently asked questions

How do I pay the Italy visa fee at VFS?

VFS Global's Italy pages list two ways to pay the visa fee: a demand draft favouring 'VFS Global Services Private Limited', or cash at the VFS centre. The EUR to INR rate is adjusted periodically, so check the current rupee amount on the VFS page before you get a demand draft made.

Is the Italy visa fee refunded if my application is rejected?

No. The visa fee is not refunded if the application is refused. If you reapply, you pay the visa fee again with the new application.

Can a relative in Italy sponsor my trip instead of my own bank balance?

Yes. The Embassy of Italy's tourist checklist accepts an original bank guarantee ('fidejussione bancaria') from a sponsor in Italy covering your expenses, with one photocopy and your personal bank statements. The original guarantee is returned with your passport.

How long does Italy take to decide a tourist visa from India?

VFS lists 15 working days for short-term Schengen visas, extendable up to 45. The Embassy says decisions on C visas are generally reached within 15 calendar days.