The Italian Embassy in Pakistan has revamped its appointment process for Schengen short-stay, work and family-reunion visas amid surging demand. A notice published on 25 July instructs applicants to book exclusively through the new portal www.intianaitalyvisa.com and announces a formal waiting-list system for work permits and D-type family-reunion applications. According to the embassy, all applicants already on the waiting list will receive a slot, but the system is designed to triage urgent cases and deter fixer-led block bookings. Family members of Italian and EU citizens can bypass the outsourcer by emailing a certified PEC address directly. Students must first complete ‘pre-enrolment’ in the Universitaly portal before BLS contacts them to schedule biometrics. The circular explicitly warns against intermediaries who sell appointments, urging victims to report fraud attempts. Over the past year, Pakistani police have broken several rings charging up to €1,000 for slots, a practice that has drawn parliamentary questions in Rome. Employers sponsoring Pakistani talent for ICT and food-processing roles should advise candidates to register early and monitor inboxes for automatic slot notifications. Mobility teams may wish to shift to Group Appointments for cohorts larger than five to streamline documentation checks.
Source: Embassy of Italy in Islamabad
