Visa for Italy from Kenya: price, documents and processing time 2026

Yes. Holders of a Kenyan passport are subject to a Schengen visa and must obtain a Type C visa before travelling to Italy. It allows tourism and visits for up to 90 days in any 180-day period. Apply to Italy when it is your main destination or your first point of entry into the Schengen area.

• Government fee90 EUR
• Application centre feeCapped at €45
• Agency or online serviceOptional, added on top
• ExtrasVariable

Prepare a valid passport, a compliant photo, your itinerary and flight and accommodation bookings, evidence of sufficient funds, and travel medical insurance of at least EUR 30,000. The standard adult Schengen fee is EUR 90 (reduced rates for children); confirm the amount and payment method with the submission centre.

Prepare your application on the Visto per l'Italia portal, then book an appointment with the Italian embassy or its outsourcing partner in Kenya, typically in Nairobi, to submit the file and give biometrics. Apply within the consular jurisdiction covering your place of residence. Confirm the centre and procedure on vistoperitalia.esteri.it.

• Your application goes to the state that is your main destination. If Italy is where you spend the longest, it handles the file, whatever the entry point.
• With no main destination, the competent state is the one you enter first.
• If Italy has no consulate in Kenya, another Schengen state may act on its behalf under a representation arrangement, or the file goes to the post accredited for your country.

Then the application goes to the post accredited for Kenya, often in a neighbouring capital, or to a state acting on its behalf. Confirm which post is competent with the official source before travelling to a third country to apply, a rejected file at the wrong counter costs the trip and the fee.

The regime follows your nationality, not where you live. If you reside in Kenya but travel on another country's passport, the rule on this page is not yours. Filing usually still happens from your country of residence, at the post competent for it, but the requirement itself comes from your passport.

Processing usually takes 15 to 45 days, longer in peak season or if extra documents are requested, so lodge several weeks ahead. You may apply up to six months before departure. Do not buy non-refundable tickets until the visa is granted.

A classic error is applying to the wrong country: apply to Italy if you will spend the most nights there. Refusals often stem from inadequate insurance or poorly evidenced funds. As Kenya is a yellow-fever risk area, check whether a vaccination certificate is required for your trip or on return, and make sure your passport remains valid for at least three months after your intended exit from the Schengen area.