Overview

Valigia Travel supports companies and individuals with their activities in Italy and Schengen area, providing specialized assistance in global mobility of persons who need assistance to travel to Schengen.

Sport Visa for short-term/long-term sports events

Visa for short-term sport events – up to 90 days

Foreign athletes who need to participate in a sports event in Italy shall apply for a short-term Sport Competition Visa at the Italian Consulate in the country of residence. This type of visa authorizes the holder to stay in Italy for up to 90 days to take part in a sports competition/event without performing continuous sport activities.

Among the documents to be submitted for the visa application, it is necessary to submit an invitation letter from CONI (Italian National Olympic Committee), or from the relevant Italian Sports Federation or the entity organizing the event confirming that the applicant is attending the competition.

Long-term Sport visa

Foreign athletes who need to move to Italy for sports purposes must apply for a long-term Sports Visa, which allows for a long-term stay in Italy and to perform professional activities for an Italian Sports Association.

Sports Visas are issued subject to the availability of Government quotas, which are allocated to CONI (Italian National Olympic Committee) and subsequently shared among the various Italian Sports Federations.

For example, for the season 2019/20, the Italian Government released 1,090 quotas which are valid for (a) sportsmen entry for work reasons, and (b) the enrolments into sports clubs of foreigners, already in Italy, with a valid Residence Permit (Permesso di Soggiorno).

Italian Sports Associations willing to hire a foreign national must obtain special authorization from the Italian National Olympic Committee by filing a sort of Work Permit application. If the CONI grants the quota and issues the Work Permit, then the foreigner can apply for the sports visa at the Italian Consulate in the country of residence.

Within 8 days of arrival in Italy with the sports visa, the foreigner must apply for the Residence Permit which is issued by the local Police Headquarters. The permit shall be valid for 1 year, renewable, and – if eligibility requirements are met – can also be converted into a permit allowing to work in Italy in any sector.

Our Services for Sport Visa

We can assist clients with every step of the process, from the authorization application until the collection of the residence permit. Through our network of 100+ local consultants, we accompany our clients in person in all major cities in Italy and guarantee a complete and well-presented application to achieve a higher chance of success.