Italy opens its consulate in Algeria for Schengen business visa applications

Algiers: The Italian Embassy has announced it has “partially resumed the processing of applications for Schengen business visas” for Algerians since June 1, 2021.

According to a press release by the Italian embassy, the decision comes due to the latest developments and upcoming medium and long-term prospects, SchengenVisaInfo.com reports.

“This initiative aims in particular to support, initially, the Algerian and Italian business communities and the economic recovery,” the press release reads.

The press release highlights that VFS Global, Italian Embassy’s partner, will contact all holders of Schengen business visas for movement issued by the Italian Embassy and expired during the pandemic to offer an appointment with one of the visa centres open currently.

Interested people must provide the necessary documentation for a business visa and a list to be provided by VFS Global, as well as the invitation letter from Italian companies for business trips to Italy.

However, the embassy notes that visa holders, whether their visa has expired or not, will not be permitted to travel yet.

“Holders of a new Schengen visa, or of a still valid Schengen visa, are not automatically authorized to enter Italian and Schengen territory and must comply with the travel restrictions in force at Schengen level and at the level of the country of first entry into the Schengen area,” the press release further reads.

Due to the circumstances, the interested parties are forced to postpone their trips to Italy, hoping to take advantage of their travel visas’ medium and long-term renewal.

Last month, the Italian Prime Minister, Mario Draghi, announced that the country is ready to welcome tourists from other EU countries with a “green pass” implementation, which started in May.

“Waiting for the European Certificate … we have a national green pass that will enable people to move from region to region and will be operational by mid-May, so let us not wait until mid-June for the EU pass,” Draghi noted.

The country even plans to issue COVID-19 Passports for EU member state citizens that have received only the first anti-COVID European regulator-approved vaccines.

The health pass will be effective from 15 days after the visitor has received their first jab until they get the second one. People vaccinated with Pfizer, or Moderna vaccines will take five to six weeks to receive both jabs and ten to 12 weeks for those vaccinated with AstraZeneca. People who have received the single-dose Johnson & Johnson vaccine will be allowed the nine-month automatically.

Around 34.6 million COVID-19 vaccines have been administered in Italy as of May 31, the statistics company, Statista, reveals. The highest number of doses were allocated in Lombardy, almost six million, whereas the least number of vaccines were administered in Aosta Valley, over 73,000. According to the World Health Organization, Italy counts 1,818 new positive cases with the virus and 82 newly reported deaths.