PHOTO GUIDE
Italy Short-stay Schengen Visa (Type C) — Applying from Japan
Applying from Japan for an Italy short-stay Schengen visa (Type C): Schengen Visa Application Form, Prenot@mi booking, jurisdiction by residence, appointment, fee, and biometrics at the Embassy of Italy in Tokyo or the Consulate General in Osaka. National visas (Type D) follow a different process and are not covered here. Photo size and quality rules are on the global Italy visa photo page.
Last Updated: 2026-08-14
Quick requirements
- Scope: this page is for residents of Japan applying for an Italy short-stay Schengen visa (Type C). It covers the application steps, not the photo specification itself — for the 35×45 mm size, white background and face rules, see the Italy photo-requirements page.
- Flow: complete the Schengen Visa Application Form (the embassy's Forms page also references the E-@pplication online system), book an appointment through the MAECI Prenot@mi portal, and attend in person. Your 10 fingerprints and a face photo are captured at the appointment.
- Jurisdiction by residence: the Embassy of Italy in Tokyo covers 18 prefectures from Hokkaido through Niigata (including Tokyo, Kanagawa, Shizuoka, Yamanashi and Nagano); the Consulate General in Osaka covers 29 prefectures from Toyama and Ishikawa westward through Okinawa, and also handles Schengen visa applications for entry to Greece. You cannot apply at the other office for your district.
- Photo copies: the official Italian mission web pages in Japan do not state the required photo count. Confirm the per-visa-type checklist PDF downloadable from each office's Forms (Modelli e modulistica) page before you book.
- Fee and timing: 90 EUR for adults and 45 EUR for ages 6–12, payable in yen cash at the quarterly consular exchange rate (Cambio Consolare Trimestrale); under 6 is free under the Schengen Visa Code common rule. The Consulate General Osaka accepts applications from 90 days before departure, and you should apply at least 3 weeks before. A specific processing day count is not stated on the official pages, so apply with margin.
- Appointment and reception: fully by appointment via the Prenot@mi portal (Tokyo uses Prenot@mi only; Osaka also accepts bookings by email). Reception hours at both offices are Monday to Friday, 9:30–12:30.
- Biometrics: first-time Schengen applicants must attend in person (Schengen Visa Code Art. 13; no proxy application). Fingerprints are stored in the Visa Information System (VIS) for 59 months (5 years) and may be reused within that window. Under 12, fingerprints are not taken, but the child must still attend and a compliant photo is part of the file.
Who this page is for
This page is for people who live in Japan and are applying for an Italy short-stay Schengen visa (Type C) — a stay of up to 90 days within a 180-day period. Japanese nationals holding a valid Japanese passport do not need a visa for such short stays for tourism, business, official, invited, study or sports-event purposes, as confirmed on the Consulate General Osaka official page.
Long-stay, residence or work visas (National Visa, Type D) use a different document list and a different procedure; this page does not cover them. This guide is mainly for residents of Japan whose nationality is not visa-exempt, or who need a visa for a long stay or work. If Italy is the main destination of a multi-country Schengen trip (the country where you spend the most days, or the first Schengen country you stay in if the days are equal), you apply to Italy.
Schengen Visa Application Form and required documents
Complete the Schengen Visa Application Form, filling in all fields in the Latin alphabet (Italian or English). The Consulate General Osaka provides a filled-in sample (Sample of compilation) alongside the blank form. The embassy's Forms (Modelli e modulistica) page also references the MAECI online E-@pplication system; the official pages do not state the E-@pplication URL, so open it from the embassy's Forms page rather than guessing. Checklist PDFs, form templates and invitation-letter templates are downloadable from each office's Forms page.
A compliant printed passport photograph is part of the file you bring, and a digital biometric photo may also be captured at the appointment, separate from the print. The official Italian mission web pages in Japan do not state the required photo count, so confirm the per-visa-type checklist PDF before you book. For the photo size (35×45 mm), white background and face rules, see the Italy photo-requirements page; confirming the live embassy checklist is recommended.
Where to apply: jurisdiction and appointment
Book an appointment through the MAECI Prenot@mi portal (prenotami.esteri.it) after creating an account, and attend in person. Tokyo uses Prenot@mi only; the Consulate General Osaka also accepts bookings by email ([email protected]). Reception hours at both offices are Monday to Friday, 9:30–12:30. Italy does not route Japan applications through VFS Global or another external visa centre; the embassy and consulate handle applications directly. If the Prenot@mi system has issues, contact each office's visa section directly (Tokyo: [email protected]).
Jurisdiction is split by residence (juminkyō / place of residence on your resident record). The Embassy of Italy in Tokyo (Mita, Minato-ku) covers 18 prefectures: Hokkaido, Aomori, Akita, Iwate, Yamagata, Miyagi, Fukushima, Ibaraki, Tochigi, Gunma, Saitama, Chiba, Tokyo, Kanagawa, Shizuoka, Yamanashi, Nagano and Niigata. The Consulate General of Italy in Osaka (Nakanoshima Festival Tower, Kita-ku) covers 29 prefectures from Toyama, Ishikawa and Fukui westward through Okinawa, and also handles Schengen visa applications for entry to Greece. You cannot apply at the other office for your district, so confirm which office covers where you live before booking.
Fee, timing and return envelope
The visa fee is 90 EUR for adults and 45 EUR for ages 6–12, payable in yen cash at the quarterly consular exchange rate (Cambio Consolare Trimestrale), which is revised at the start of each quarter (1 January, 1 April, 1 July, 1 October). Under 6 is free under the Schengen Visa Code common rule; the embassy's fee page lists only the 90 EUR and 45 EUR figures, so the under-6 free rule is not explicitly stated there. The fee is normally non-refundable regardless of the final decision (refunded only when the office is non-jurisdictional or the application is not accepted).
The Consulate General Osaka states that applications are accepted from 90 days before departure, and both offices ask you to apply at least 3 weeks before your departure date; the Tokyo page states that the appointment date must be at least 3 weeks before the planned departure. A specific processing day count (e.g. a number of business days) is not stated on the official pages — they only say that review can take time — so apply with margin. Specific instructions for the return envelope (postage, size) are not shown on the embassy/consulate web pages, so check the per-visa-type checklist PDF or contact each visa section ([email protected] / [email protected]) before your appointment.
Biometrics, fingerprints and children
Under the Visa Information System (VIS), 10 fingerprints and a digital face photo are captured at the appointment. First-time Schengen applicants must attend in person (Schengen Visa Code Art. 13; no proxy application). VIS has been in operation in Japan since 12 October 2015. Fingerprints are stored for 59 months (5 years) and may be reused for later applications within that window; if fingerprint quality is poor or a re-capture is judged necessary, you will be asked to give them again. A mismatch at border control does not by itself result in denial of entry, but leads to closer identity checks.
Children aged 12 and under are not subject to fingerprinting (the same applies to anyone who physically cannot be fingerprinted), but a child under 12 must still attend in person and a compliant photo is part of the file. For applicants under 18, a parent or guardian must sign the application form (in cases of divorce or separation, the custody holder signs; in sole-custody cases, that parent signs). Additional documents may be requested, such as the child's birth certificate, the application form signed by parents/guardians, family-court documents for sole custody, and — when the child travels alone or with only one parent — a certified parental travel consent form (MODULO ASSENSO GENITORI PER VIAGGIO MINORI). The fee is 45 EUR for ages 6–12 and free under 6 under the Schengen Visa Code common rule.
Where to apply for an Italy short-stay Schengen visa from Japan
The Embassy of Italy in Tokyo (Ambasciata d'Italia a Tokyo) and the Consulate General of Italy in Osaka (Consolato Generale d'Italia a Osaka) handle short-stay Schengen visa (Type C) applications from residents of Japan. Applications are submitted in person by appointment booked through the MAECI Prenot@mi portal, with jurisdiction split by the applicant's place of residence; the Consulate General Osaka also handles Schengen visa applications for entry to Greece. Reception hours at both offices are Monday to Friday, 9:30–12:30. The fee is 90 EUR for adults and 45 EUR for ages 6–12, payable in yen cash at the quarterly consular exchange rate. The photo copy count and the full document list are set on the per-visa-type checklist PDF available on each office's Forms (Modelli e modulistica) page; confirm the latest checklist before you book, as procedures and fees can change.
shoumei.org helps users prepare photo files based on publicly available requirements. It does not submit visa applications, and it is not an official government service, Schengen authority, embassy, consulate, VFS Global, TLScontact, or BLS International service. Please verify the latest requirements with the official embassy, consulate, or visa application center before submitting.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where do I submit an Italy visa application in Japan?
Book an appointment on the MAECI Prenot@mi portal (Tokyo uses Prenot@mi only; Osaka also accepts bookings by email at [email protected]) and attend in person. The Embassy of Italy in Tokyo covers 18 prefectures from Hokkaido through Niigata; the Consulate General in Osaka covers 29 prefectures from Toyama and Ishikawa westward through Okinawa, and also handles Schengen visa applications for entry to Greece. You cannot apply at the other office for your district.
How many photos do I need for an Italy visa from Japan?
The official Italian mission web pages in Japan do not state the required photo count. Confirm the per-visa-type checklist PDF downloadable from each office's Forms (Modelli e modulistica) page before you book. Common Schengen practice is one print, but treat the official checklist as the source of truth.
Is a paper photo required for the file?
Yes, a compliant printed passport photograph is part of the file you bring. The official Italian mission web pages in Japan do not state the required count, so check the per-visa-type checklist PDF on the Forms page. A digital biometric photo may also be captured at the appointment, separate from the print you bring. For the photo size (35×45 mm), white background and face rules, see the Italy photo-requirements page.
Is the biometric capture separate from the photo I bring?
Yes. You bring a compliant print for the file, and your 10 fingerprints plus a live digital face photo are captured at the appointment. First-time Schengen applicants must attend in person (Visa Code Art. 13; no proxy application). Under 12, fingerprints are not taken, but the child must attend and the photo is captured.
When can I apply and how long does processing take?
The Consulate General Osaka accepts applications from 90 days before departure, and both offices ask you to apply at least 3 weeks before your departure date. A specific processing day count is not stated on the official pages — they only note that review can take time — so apply with margin. Book early, as appointment availability governs the practical timeline.
How much is the Italy Schengen visa fee in Japan?
The fee is 90 EUR for adults and 45 EUR for ages 6–12, payable in yen cash at the quarterly consular exchange rate (Cambio Consolare Trimestrale), revised at the start of each quarter. Under 6 is free under the Schengen Visa Code common rule (the embassy fee page lists only the 90 EUR and 45 EUR figures). The fee is normally non-refundable regardless of the final decision.
Do children need to attend the appointment and provide fingerprints?
Children must attend the appointment, and a compliant photo is part of the file. Children aged 12 and under are not subject to fingerprinting, but they must still appear in person. For applicants under 18, a parent or guardian must sign the application form, and additional documents may be requested (birth certificate, certified parental travel consent MODULO ASSENSO GENITORI PER VIAGGIO MINORI when travelling alone or with one parent). The fee is 45 EUR for ages 6–12 and free under 6.
Can I apply at either the Tokyo or Osaka office?
No. Jurisdiction is split by residence: the Embassy of Italy in Tokyo covers 18 prefectures from Hokkaido through Niigata, and the Consulate General of Italy in Osaka covers 29 prefectures from Toyama and Ishikawa westward through Okinawa (and also handles Schengen visa applications for entry to Greece). Apply at the office that covers where you live.
Official and submission sources
- Embassy of Italy in Tokyo — Checklist for tourist visa（公式チェックリスト PDF・2026年7月版: "1 recent passport-style color photo compliant with ICAO standards" + ICAO Annex A ガイドラインリンク。mm未指定→ICAO基準（幅35–40mm・顔70–80%・6か月・明るい単色背景）へ委任） (used for: photo requirements, photo copy count) Checked: 2026-08-14
- Consulate General of Italy in Osaka — Checklist for tourist visa（公式チェックリスト PDF・東京版と同一文言: 写真1枚・ICAO準拠。愛知県以西の西日本29府県管轄・Prenot@mi予約） (used for: photo requirements, photo copy count) Checked: 2026-08-14
- Ambasciata d'Italia a Tokyo — Visti（在日イタリア大使館 ビザ、日本語） (used for: application channel, appointment system, application form, processing time, jurisdiction notes) Checked: 2026-07-13
- Ambasciata d'Italia a Tokyo — Dove chiedere un visto（ビザの申請場所・管轄分割、英語） (used for: application channel, jurisdiction notes, appointment system) Checked: 2026-07-13
- Ambasciata d'Italia a Tokyo — Quanto costa un visto e come pagare（ビザ手数料と支払方法、英語） (used for: visa fee) Checked: 2026-07-13
- Ambasciata d'Italia a Tokyo — Forms / Modelli e modulistica（チェックリスト・申請用紙・E-@pplication、日本語） (used for: application form, passport return) Checked: 2026-07-13
- Consolato Generale d'Italia a Osaka — Visti（在大阪イタリア総領事館 ビザ、日本語・英語） (used for: application channel, jurisdiction notes, appointment system, biometrics notes, fingerprint reuse, child biometrics notes, processing time, visa-free entry for Japanese, application form) Checked: 2026-07-13
- Prenot@mi — MAECI ビザ申請来館予約オンラインポータル (used for: appointment system) Checked: 2026-07-13
shoumei.org helps users prepare photo files based on publicly available requirements. It does not submit visa applications, and it is not an official government service, Schengen authority, embassy, consulate, VFS Global, TLScontact, or BLS International service. Please verify the latest requirements with the official embassy, consulate, or visa application center before submitting.
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