Short-stay visa (C) — tourism & visiting: Chinese citizen in China → Italy
Chinese citizens need a Schengen short-stay visa for Italy — apply at the Italy visa application centre and give biometrics.
Uniform Schengen short-stay visa for tourism or visiting, applied for through Italy as the main destination.
- Validity
- The consulate decides how long it lasts. A first or occasional visa usually just covers your trip; the more you travel (with a clean record), the longer a multiple-entry visa you can get — up to 5 years (the EU visa cascade).
- Entries
- Single, double or multiple entry — shown on the visa as 1, 2 or MULT
- Max stay per visit
- Up to 90 days in any 180-day period — this cap applies even with a 5-year visa
When to start
Start 30 days–6 months before your travel date.
Apply to Italy only if it is your main destination (longest stay) — applying elsewhere for a faster slot is a refusal reason.
Submit at least 15 days before travel and no earlier than 6 months beforehand. Apply early — appointment demand is high.
The Schengen visa fee is €90 for adults and €45 for children aged 6–12 (reduced for some nationalities). A separate VFS service fee applies.
Biometrics and document submission are handled at VFS Global centres in China: Beijing Changsha Chengdu Chongqing Fuzhou Guangzhou Hangzhou Jinan Kunming Nanjing Shanghai Shenyang Shenzhen Wuhan Xian. Book and attend in person.
Standard processing is about 15 days, extendable to up to 45 days if a closer examination or extra documents are needed. Don't book non-refundable travel yet.
After a decision, collect your passport from the visa application centre.
What you'll need
- Visa application form — Schengen form (A3) duly filled in English or Italian and signed on the last page (signature matching the passport). ✓ verified
- Photo — One colour photo, white background, taken within the last 6 months; no colour lenses, heavy make-up or editing. ✓ verified
- Passport — At least 2 blank pages and valid at least 3 months after your return; old passports must be signed. Non-Chinese residents add a residence permit valid 91+ days after return. ✓ verified
- Hukou — Copies of all pages of the hukou (household booklet) — no translation needed. ✓ verified
- Round-trip flight booking — Reservation showing departure from China, entry to Italy and departure from Italy/other Schengen states; include all transport bookings. ✓ verified
- Hotel reservations — Hotel bookings in English or Italian covering the whole itinerary, showing the applicant's name. ✓ verified
- Travel itinerary — Itinerary in English clearly stating dates, locations and means of transport. ✓ verified
- Proof of financial means — Your own active bank statement for the last three months, printed within 15 days of submission (students may use both parents'). ✓ verified
- Employment certificate — Original employment certificate in English (unemployed exempt; students provide a school certificate). ✓ verified
- Company business licence — Copy of the employer's business licence with official seal (not required for unemployed applicants). ✓ verified
- Travel medical insurance — Covers the whole trip and all Schengen countries, includes repatriation and emergency hospital treatment, minimum €30,000. ✓ verified
Where you'll apply
Where you'll apply in China
Apply in your districtApplications in China are submitted at VFS Global centres and decided by the Italian diplomatic missions (Beijing embassy and consulates).
Getting a slot — book early · community-reported, checked 2026-06-13
- Slots are released in batches with no fixed public schedule — most often early morning local time, on Monday mornings, and around the 1st of the month.
- For popular consulates (e.g. France, Italy and Spain in big cities), a fresh batch can be gone within minutes — be registered and logged in before you look.
- Cancellations free up slots throughout the day, so check daily even when it shows ‘no availability’.
- Because of this, apply as early as you are allowed — up to 6 months before travel. Waiting until 1–2 months out often means no slots are left at all.
Fees
Gotchas to watch
- The 90 days are counted across ALL Schengen countries combined in any 180-day window.
- A VFS service fee is charged on top of the €90 visa fee.