Embassy of Italy, Press Office, Washington, DC Review

Email is disconnected, none of the phones are answered even during their listed hours... Good luck if you need anything from these people.

Very disapointed with the Italian Ambassy. Got an appointment today to renew my passport, when I arrived at the gate I found out the office was closed to the public.

My Italian class went here on a field trip and it was great! The architecture and art were amazing to view. It was an excellent way to miss half of the school day. Overall a great trip and I recommend visiting.

You could make a visa appointment only for 2 months in advance!

The reason I am writing a bad experience with the Embassy is because when I called to the local police department regarding the local money exchange in Venice, that they short changed me by 198, they said they can't do anything about it. The lady behind the counter was laughing. I just remembered Italy and Uncle Vinny (Old Folk lore in the States). I just walked away. Use your credit cards only don't use cash.

non-existent assistance. The telephone rings at any time during office hours

The people are really nice and make the place very welcoming.

Not helpful over the phone, website is outdated. Ridiculous

Among all the embassies I have been to for visa applications so far, I had the worst visa application experience ever here.

Worst experience ever....Went there for a tourist visa.At first they gonna make you go back and forth to their office. Then when you are there they will make sure that you spend half of your day waiting literally. And after all this waiting they will give you a visa with issues with it. And then again you gotta come back and waste your entire day to get it fixed. Are you kidding me now. Horrible service

They could update the page, the schedule is from 10 - 12:30, not until 4 pm

My most recent visa from the Italian Embassy was issued for 10 days - exactly for the dates of my trip, which is unprecedented. I travel to Europe 2-3 times a year and have at least 8 old Schengen visas in my passport. I've never overstayed on my previous trip and have a secure job in the US. In all previous cases the visas were issued for a slightly longer period than the intended duration of the trip to allow some "cushion" for unexpected events. And of course the "unexpected event" happened during this particular trip. My return flight was via Frankfurt, the inbound flight got delayed and I missed my connection, which was the last flight of the day. I was stranded in the Frankfurt Airport not being able to get out as my visa expired and I already passed the immigration. Bottom line - avoid this embassy if possible.

They never pick up the phone. And if they did, the receptionist transfer your call to some extension and it jreps ranging and ringing and again no one picks your call up. I have been trying to call for the past three days and still trying.

We recently had the privilege of attending an interesting lecture at the embassy by an Italian scholar. The embassy personnel were very attentive and friendly, if a bit unorganized. In many cases the staff's English was no better than my Italian, which is abysmal, but we got across to each other like travelers learn to do. Despite some controlled chaos, we had a delightful visit. Many thanks to our diplomatic Italian hosts.

not surprisingly, they would never answer the phone. They never answer the phone. I'm really disappointed.

Passport in hand, after thirty minutes !! Congratulations to the heart !!

No details of my experience because these people require a month and a half advance notice to schedule you an appointment. My passport got delayed so out of luck. They do not answer their phones. They require you to register in your "jurisdiction"(!?) proving passport info. I thought i would try to apply in Russia since I am going there first. No luck - I am already registered in US. I did not have time to figure out how to "un-register" and "re-register" somewhere else. They of course could not help me because guess what? They do not answer their phones! So ... we are spending 2 weeks in Spain. An Spain gets our money not Italy. Spanish Consulate in DC is not the most pleasant place but... They answer their phones! They do not require an appointment (right, how many people in US suddenly require a visa to EU?). They do it 9am to 1pm, walks-ins only, 4 days a week. I saw 3 people on line at the same time for the 30 min that I spent there. They do require that you live in their "jurisdiction".

The visa office is very quick to respond emails. I didn't confirm my visa appointment until a day after the deadline due to some technical issues. I was so worried that my appointment would have been cancelled. I contacted the visa office visa email and got a response immediately saying my appointment was confirmed.

Show ID at the gate to be allowed in for an appointment you need to make online. Parking along the street is free.

The Italian embassy in DC is a very beautiful building of the late nineties. It has been designed by two of the greatest Italian designer of the past century. It's for sure a place to step close for the architecture lovers.

Gorgeous, clean and professional!
Vittoria, Maria and Paola are so kind and helpful!

The other reviews are right. They never answer their phone BUT if you email them, they are pretty good at replying. Also, I tried making an appointment a MONTH AND A HALF before my trip (figuring it would be enough time) but they had NO availability for the next two months!!! For reference, my trip is on December 25, 2017. I tried making the appointment on November 13, 2017 and the only availability they had was ONE DAY in January of the following year. This indeed is a horrible scheduling system, however, I emailed them explaining them that I needed an appointment way before January otherwise I would miss my trip and they were kind enough to accommodate me for some day in November.
Their hours of operation for visas are 10:00 a.m - 12:30 p.m on a first come, first serve basis. It does not matter that you get an apportionment time, be sure to be there around 9: 45 a.m to be the first person in line.
As for the documents, make sure to bring everything they ask for on their website, plus a money order payable to the Italian Embassy Washington DC (for Schengen visas in 2017 the price is $70.50), make sure this has not changed.
Good luck!

No help
Bad service

I went to the Visa office at the Italian Consulate in Washington DC to apply for an elective residency visa. I was told that I didnt have the required monthly income and that my 401K which is tied to the stock market but is a guaranteed account couldnt qualify as income.

I then asked what was the minimum amount of monthly income needed for the Visa and they
could not tell me for some reason though they did know that I didnt have it. Then I was told that even if I had tons of income I would not necessarily qualify for the Visa.

I dont understand this...either one can qualify for this visa or not...this is not la la land...these are peoples lives. Visa procedures and personnel at this Embassy need to be reviewed immediately...their incompetence is doing damage to people and I am surprised with all of these very negative reviews that there is no oversight being performed at a supposedly developed country.

Really helpful, despite the difficult situation. I m positively impressed.