The Italian consulate in Russia is experiencing severe delays in issuing Schengen visas, leaving Russian tourists waiting up to 90 days for travel documents.
Italy ranks among the top three most popular autumn holiday destinations for Russian travellers in 2026 despite ongoing visa hurdles. However, applicant forums have seen a surge in complaints regarding delayed passport returns, with many travellers waiting since early summer and facing expired flight bookings and hotel reservations.
Extended Processing Times and Slot Shortages
Russian citizens applying for an Italian tourist visa must submit their applications through authorized visa centers operated by VMS or Almaviva Russia. While VMS Global operates an extensive national network, Almaviva Russia runs branches in Ekaterinburg, Kazan, Krasnodar, Nizhny Novgorod, Novosibirsk, Rostov-on-Don, and Samara, alongside main offices in Moscow and Saint Petersburg.
In late June, both VMS and Almaviva Russia posted notices on their official websites warning that application processing times had exceeded 60 days due to high demand. The centers advised applicants to submit their paperwork at least three months prior to their scheduled departure date, with applicant groups clarifying that the timeframe refers to calendar days.
Since the start of summer, applicants have been required to sign forms acknowledging the extended waiting periods upon submitting their documents. One applicant reported online that staff asked them to sign an agreement stating a 60-day processing window, while verbally warning that the actual wait would be longer.
In practice, Almaviva applicants report waiting 90 calendar days or more, while VMS processing averages roughly 85 days. By mid-August, centers were releasing passports for applications submitted in mid-May, with one applicant noting an application submitted to Almaviva in Nizhny Novgorod on May 19 was returned on August 17.
Applicants also report major difficulties reserving online appointment slots, often encountering system error messages during application completion. Forum users advise subscribing to specialized automated bots that monitor bulk passport releases or repeatedly attempting to secure different time slots.
Vacations Cancelled and Financial Losses
The extended delays have forced many applicants to forfeit planned vacations and incur significant financial losses. Alexandra, a tourist who waited 96 days for her visa, submitted her application on May 14 at the Almaviva center in Moscow for a trip scheduled to begin on July 19.
Alexandra said official processing times were listed between 45 and 60 days when she applied, leading her to buy non-refundable tickets and reserve hotel rooms. By mid-August, she had received no response from the visa center, her bookings had expired, and she had lost 8,000 euros, equivalent to 780,000 rubles.
Alexandra said she visited the visa center and the Italian consulate daily for a week, but representatives offered no clear information beyond suggesting she file a passport withdrawal request if she could no longer wait. Center staff stated they had no influence over consulate operations, though they provided her with forms to submit a formal claim.
Alexandra alleged that corrupt practices at the Moscow visa center have made direct booking impossible for regular applicants. She said the center releases minimal public slots, forcing applicants to use intermediary agencies or pay between 10,000 and 20,000 rubles for automated bots. She added that visa centers collaborate with preferred agents who reserve all available slots, charging high fees without taking responsibility or offering refunds when passports are withdrawn.
Lost Documents and Alternative Travel
Another applicant, Lyudmila from Moscow, submitted visa documents alongside her boyfriend on May 27 for a flight scheduled on July 27. Processing times were listed at 45 days upon submission, though staff warned the wait had increased to 60 days, which still fit their planned schedule.
In late July, center staff notified the couple that their passports would not arrive until at least August 4 or 5. Lyudmila said her boyfriend adjusted his work leave to accommodate the minor delay, but by late August, she had still not received her documents. Her boyfriend received his passport containing a visa in early August.
Lyudmila said repeated letters and requests to expedite processing yielded no results. Staff informed her a week prior that her documents had been reviewed, but failed to return her passport or clarify whether a visa had been granted. To avoid losing her vacation, Lyudmila retrieved a second international passport and traveled to Montenegro with her boyfriend, leaving her primary passport held at the Italian consulate all summer.
Visa Requirements and Agent Guidance
Ekaterina, a specialist handling Italian visas, said document review times now range between three and four months. She said she advises all clients to submit visa applications six months ahead of scheduled travel. She noted that overall rejection rates have not increased, remaining comparable to levels recorded over the past two years.
Ekaterina reminded applicants that Russian travellers are currently restricted to single-entry visas, or double-entry visas reserved for cruise passengers. Multiple-entry Schengen visas are not being granted to Russian citizens at present.
Ekaterina advised applicants to purchase fully confirmed airline tickets rather than temporary reservations, noting that consular staff now conduct deep background checks on document packages. She warned that submitting fake bookings purchased from discount websites for nominal fees frequently results in visa denials.
Lyusine Kodyakova, general director of the Center for Tourism and Leisure, confirmed that visa processing centers have intensified scrutiny regarding the authenticity of hotel and flight reservations.
Ekaterina also provided guidance on travel itineraries, explaining that submitting a two-to-three-week trip that lists only a single city such as Rome is viewed as a high-risk application by consular officers. She noted that consulates consider spending two full weeks solely in Rome an unrealistic itinerary that warrants refusal.
Ekaterina noted that the Italian consulate in Saint Petersburg processes applications faster, taking between one and two weeks. However, applicants submitting documents in Saint Petersburg must hold temporary local registration supported by official documents from the previous six months proving the registration was not obtained solely for visa purposes.
Ekaterina highlighted that Italy remains an accessible European Union destination for Russian citizens, noting that while France processes applications slightly faster, Italy requires a less complex document package.
Biometrics and Digital Border Systems
Kodyakova noted that on September 14, 2015, all Schengen Agreement member states transitioned to a standardized visa system requiring mandatory biometric fingerprinting. This requirement makes personal attendance compulsory and prevents travel agents from submitting visa documents on behalf of clients.
The European Union Entry/Exit System (EES), an automated digital framework registering tourist entries and exits across the bloc, presents an additional barrier for travellers visiting EU member countries including Italy.
In July, Turkish Airlines denied boarding to a Russian woman holding a valid Schengen visa for a flight bound for Italy. Airline staff at the boarding gate informed the passenger that her visa details had failed to load into the EES database.
The passenger sent urgent inquiries to the Italian consulates in Saint Petersburg and Istanbul, as well as Venice airport. Although she received no direct replies, her visa status updated in the EES system two hours later.
Turkish Airlines declined to issue a written statement confirming the reason for boarding denial and advised the passenger to purchase a ticket for a later flight, noting the system still displayed a do not board status beside her name. The passenger ultimately departed for Venice the following day on a separate flight.
