Updated October 2026 • 7 min read
U.S. and Canadian citizens do not need a visa to visit Italy for up to 90 days in any 180-day period. ETIAS, the new EU travel authorization for visa-exempt travelers, is not in operation yet, and the EU says it will announce the start date several months before launch. Once it starts, you apply online before you travel, and the first months include a transition period where travelers without ETIAS can still enter. The change already in force is the Entry/Exit System (EES), which records your fingerprints and a facial image the first time you cross a Schengen border.
This guide covers who needs ETIAS for Italy, how the rollout works, how to apply once it opens and what else to check before your flight.
Do you need a visa to go to Italy?
No, if you travel on a U.S. or Canadian passport for a short stay. Italy is part of the Schengen Area, and U.S. and Canadian citizens can stay up to 90 days within any 180-day period for tourism, family visits or business meetings without a visa.
The 90 days count across the whole Schengen Area. A week in France before your Italy trip uses part of the same allowance.
Longer stays, paid work and most study programs in Italy need a national visa, which you request from an Italian consulate before you leave.
What ETIAS is
ETIAS stands for European Travel Information and Authorisation System. It is an online travel authorization for citizens of the 59 countries and territories that can enter Europe without a visa, including the United States and Canada. One authorization covers 30 European countries, Italy included.
Canadian readers will recognize the idea: it works much like the eTA that Canada asks of visa-exempt visitors, and the ESTA that the United States uses. You fill in a form online, pay a fee and receive an authorization linked to your passport. ETIAS does not replace your passport and does not collect fingerprints.
When ETIAS starts
As of October 2026, the official ETIAS website states that the system is not in operation and that no applications are being collected. The EU has said it will publish the exact start date several months in advance, so there is nothing to do until that announcement.
The rollout will be gradual. The EU has described three phases:
| Phase | Length | What it means for your Italy trip |
|---|---|---|
| Transitional period | At least 6 months after launch | You should apply for ETIAS, but travelers without one are not refused entry if they meet the other entry conditions. |
| Grace period | At least 6 months after the transitional period | ETIAS becomes mandatory. Travelers entering for the first time since the transitional period ended can still enter without it, once. |
| Full operation | After the grace period | Travelers without a valid ETIAS are refused entry. |
Third-party websites publish their own launch dates for ETIAS, and they often disagree. The only date that counts is the one published on the official EU website.
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Once ETIAS is running, you need it if all of these apply:
- You hold a passport from a visa-exempt country, such as the United States or Canada.
- You are traveling to Italy or any of the other 29 countries that require ETIAS.
- Your trip is a short stay of up to 90 days in any 180-day period.
Every traveler needs their own ETIAS, children included. Family or group applications are not possible.
Dual U.S. or Canadian and Italian citizens
If you also hold Italian citizenship, or citizenship of another EU country, you cannot apply for ETIAS. You enter Italy as an EU citizen, which means traveling on your Italian or other EU passport. If that passport has expired, renew it before your trip.
Layovers in Italian airports
If you only connect through an Italian airport and stay in the international transit area, you do not need ETIAS. If you leave the transit area, for example to spend a night in Rome or Milan before a connecting flight, you do.
How to apply once ETIAS opens
- Use the official channels only. Applications go through the official ETIAS website (europa.eu/etias) or the official ETIAS mobile app. Other websites that offer to file the application for you are commercial intermediaries, not the official service.
- Have your passport at hand. The authorization is linked to that passport, so the details must match exactly.
- Fill in the form and pay. The EU sets the fee, and the current amount is shown on the official website. Applicants under 18 or over 70 do not pay it, but they still need to apply.
- Wait for the email. Most applications are processed within minutes. Some take up to 96 hours, and if you are asked for extra documents or an interview, the process can take up to 30 days.
The EU recommends getting your ETIAS before you buy flights and book hotels. In practice, the safest order is to apply as soon as your travel dates firm up.
ETIAS guides for other countries
How long ETIAS lasts
An ETIAS is valid for three years, or until your passport expires if that comes first. A passport valid for two more years gives you a two-year ETIAS.
During that time you can enter Italy and the other ETIAS countries as many times as you like, within the 90-in-180-day limit. If you get a new passport, you need a new ETIAS, because the authorization is tied to the passport you used to apply.
Having ETIAS does not guarantee entry. Border officers still check that you meet the normal entry conditions when you land.
What already changed at the Italian border: EES
The Entry/Exit System registers non-EU travelers electronically when they enter and leave the Schengen Area. It started in October 2025 and has been fully operational at all external Schengen border crossings since 10 April 2026.
On your first entry into the Schengen Area under EES, border officers take your fingerprints and a facial image and register your passport details. The system then records each entry and exit, which is how it tracks the 90-day limit.
You do not need to do anything before you travel for EES. The first registration happens at passport control, so leave extra margin for tight connections in Rome Fiumicino or Milan Malpensa if Italy is your first Schengen stop.
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- Passport validity. Your passport must be valid for at least three months beyond the date you plan to leave the Schengen Area. Airlines can apply stricter rules, so check with yours before you fly.
- Purpose and length of stay. Border officers can ask about the reason for your trip, where you are staying and when you leave. A hotel confirmation and a return ticket answer most of these questions.
- Health cover. Check whether your health plan covers medical care in Italy before you leave, and consider travel insurance if it does not.
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Book now →Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need an ETIAS to travel to Italy right now?
No. As of October 2026, ETIAS is not in operation and no applications are collected. Check the official ETIAS website before you book, because the EU will announce the start date several months in advance.
Do Canadians need a visa for Italy?
No. Canadian citizens can visit Italy without a visa for up to 90 days in any 180-day period. Once ETIAS starts, Canadians will also need it, following the transitional and grace periods set by the EU.
Is there an eTA for Italy?
Italy does not have its own eTA. The European equivalent is ETIAS, a single travel authorization that covers Italy and 29 other European countries.
Can I apply for ETIAS now?
No. Applications open only when the system launches. Any website that takes an ETIAS application or payment before then is not the official service.
Do children need ETIAS for Italy?
Yes. Every traveler needs an individual ETIAS linked to their own passport, including children. Applicants under 18 do not pay the fee.
Do I need ETIAS if I have dual U.S. and Italian citizenship?
No. Citizens of Italy or any other EU country cannot apply for ETIAS and must enter on their EU passport. Make sure your Italian passport is valid before you travel.
