Italy Embassy Appointment System Changed for 2025: Should You Still Apply for a Study Visa?

In a major update that affects thousands of international students, especially from countries like Pakistan and India, the Italian Embassy has officially changed its student visa appointment system. If you’re considering applying for the February 2025 or 2026 intake in Italy, you need to understand the implications of this change.

This blog post breaks down everything you need to know about Italy’s embassy appointment issues, the new portal, and whether it’s worth pursuing a study visa for Italy in the coming years.

Why Students Prefer Italy for Higher Education

Italy has long been a favored destination for international students due to several compelling factors:

• Affordable education: Tuition fees are among the lowest in Europe.
• Government and university scholarships: Most students receive some form of financial aid.
• Low living costs: In cities outside Milan or Rome, the cost of living is relatively low.
• No IELTS requirement: Many Italian universities accept admission without IELTS if previous education was in English.

Because of these benefits, thousands of students from across the globe, including the U.S., Asia, and Africa, apply to Italian public universities each year. You can learn more about Italian scholarship programs here.

The Real Problem: Visa Appointments

While getting admission and scholarships is relatively straightforward, the biggest hurdle remains the student visa appointment. Unlike other European countries, Italian embassies—especially in countries like Pakistan—face enormous challenges due to limited slots, high demand, and alleged corruption.

Embassy Limitations and Quotas

The Italian Embassy reportedly has a quota system. For example, they may accept only 300–400 students per intake from a country like Pakistan, whereas applications often exceed 15,000. This disparity leads to widespread frustration among students who successfully secure admission and scholarships but fail to even book a visa appointment.

Timeline of the Italy Appointment System

• Pre-2020: Students could secure appointments via email after receiving their admission letters.
• Post-2020: Appointments were booked via phone calls. Still manageable at that time.
• Recent Years: BLS International took over as the appointment facilitator (similar to VFS). However, complaints about appointment hoarding and delays surged.

The Rise of the “Appointment Mafia”

One of the biggest issues has been the involvement of agents using automated bots to capture bulk appointments. These appointments are then sold to students for prices as high as PKR 1,000,000 (~$3500). Unfortunately, genuine applicants often find themselves locked out due to this unfair practice.

Italy’s New Portal: Is It Any Better?

To combat the corruption and inefficiency, Italy has now partnered with a new company and introduced a portal called Itiana (also spelled Itayana or Atena in various sources). This system is intended to bring transparency and secure authentication checks. However, early experiences show that appointments are still unavailable in all major Pakistani cities including Islamabad, Lahore, Karachi, and Faisalabad.

At the time of writing, the portal does not show any available appointments for student visas. This suggests the same bottleneck persists, just under a different platform.

Official Portal for Appointment Updates

To monitor or attempt bookings, visit the official portal: https://prenotami.esteri.it/.

Countries with Similar Issues

Italy isn’t the only country facing such issues. Here are some others:

• Germany
• Portugal
• Greece
• Czech Republic
• Hungary

Embassy appointment availability is extremely limited in these countries, and the process often favors those who can afford to pay agents or use internal contacts.

Embassies That Are Easier for Pakistani Students

Some European embassies provide a smoother process:

• Sweden
• France
• Belgium

If you have a reasonable budget (PKR 15–20 lakhs or more), consider applying to these countries. You’re more likely to get a visa appointment and a fair evaluation process.

Who Should Still Choose Italy?

Italy remains a viable option for students who:

• Have limited budgets (PKR 4–5 lakhs total)
• Can’t afford tuition in other European countries
• Are willing to put in the effort to manually check for appointments regularly
• Understand how to code bots or scripts to book appointments themselves

For these students, the reward is worth the risk. Italy’s visa success rate is still high if you do manage to get an appointment with a good university and scholarship.

Alternative Strategy: Enter Schengen, Then Apply

If you can’t secure a visa from Pakistan, another option is to first enter the Schengen Zone through a country with an easier visa process, such as France or Belgium. After that, you can apply for admission or even change your status once you are in Europe legally. However, this route requires careful planning and adequate budget.

Conclusion: Is Italy Worth It in 2025?

In summary, Italy’s new appointment system may appear different, but the core issue remains—most students will not get appointments. If you’re a high-profile applicant, have internal embassy connections, or can pay high fees to agents, you might succeed. But for the average student, especially one without strong financial backing, Italy may not be a wise first choice in 2025.

Recommended: If you are still exploring options, check these helpful resources:

• Schengen Visa Info – Latest Student Visa News
• DAAD – Study in Germany
• Study.eu – Compare European Study Options

Still unsure? Drop a comment below or reach out for a personal assessment. Our team replies to each query—just be patient, provide your full details, and we’ll guide you honestly.

Disclaimer: This article is based on independent research and student feedback. Always verify with official embassy websites before making decisions.