ROME / WORLDWIDE – Italian embassies and consulates have restarted full visa operations after a planned shutdown of the Visa Information System (VIS) from 12 to 18 February for a major software migration. Notices posted in Muscat, Washington DC, Dubai, Amman and other posts confirm that biometric equipment and back-office links are once again live and that appointments scheduled from 20 February onward will be honoured. The upgrade – Italy’s first global VIS refresh since 2016 – paves the way for the EU-wide Entry/Exit System (EES) and ETIAS launches later this year. During the closure, applications could not be lodged or finalised, creating backlogs for business travellers headed to Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics events and spring trade fairs. VFS Global and BLS International, the two main outsourcers, report a 65 % spike in rescheduling requests. Consulates are now prioritising stranded applicants whose travel dates fall before 10 March; new appointments may face waits of two to three weeks depending on location. Mobility managers should double-check that biometric data captured before the outage successfully uploaded into VIS; several posts are contacting clients to repeat scans that failed overnight synchronisation during the switch-over. The Foreign Ministry says the modernised platform reduces average file-processing time by one day and integrates automatic data-sharing with police anti-fraud units. It also supports future digital Schengen-visa trials, which Italy will pilot in Q4 2026. Companies with frequent traveller pools should refresh traveller profiles in their visa-management systems and budget for lingering appointment congestion through early March.
