Business visitors now face fines for not reporting presence

IMPACT – MEDIUM

What is the change? Italy is imposing fines on foreign business visitors who do not report their presence to police within eight days of arrival.

What does the change mean? Foreign business visitors, including some visa-exempt nationals, face fines if they do not comply.

• Implementation timeframe: Immediate and ongoing.
• Visas/permits affected: Short-stay visa waivers, Schengen visasfor tourism or business.
• Who is affected: Foreign business visitors to Italy.
• Impact on processing times: No direct impact.
• Business impact: The rule adds a procedural burden for business travelers and the fines add to the risk of noncompliance.
• Next steps: Foreign business travelers should plan to report their presence upon arrival.

Background: Italy recently amended its Immigration Law to tighten procedures for deportation of foreign nationals unlawfully present in Italy. Among the changes impacting business travel, foreign business visitors who fail to report their presence to Italian police within eight days of arrival face fines of €103 to €309. The fines also apply to visa-exempt nationals entering Italy from another Schengen country and who are not staying in a hotel.

BAL Analysis: While foreign visitors were required to report to police before the amendment, business travelers should be aware that Italy is now enforcing the rule with monetary penalties.

This alert has been provided by the BAL Global Practice group and our network provider located in Italy. For additional information, please contact your BAL attorney.

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