The entry into Italian territory of foreigners coming from the external borders of the Schengen Area is permitted only to foreigners who:
- arrive through a border crossing point;
- hold a passport or other equivalent travel document recognised as valid for crossing borders;
- have documents justifying the purpose and conditions of stay and demonstrate that they have sufficient financial means in relation to the nature and duration of the stay, as well as the costs of returning to the country of origin (or of transit to a third State);
- are in possession – where required – of a valid entry or transit visa;
- are not the subject of an alert for the purposes of refusing entry in the Schengen Information System (SIS)
- are not considered – by national provisions or the provisions of other Schengen States – to be a threat to public order, national security or the international relations of any of the Contracting Parties.
A foreigner already residing in a Schengen State and holding a residence permit is exempt from the visa requirement for stays not exceeding 3 months, provided that entry into Italy is not for reasons of employment, self-employment or study/training.
A foreigner who does not meet even one of these requirements may be subject to a refusal of entry, which may be enforced by the competent border authorities even in the presence of a regular entry visa.