“No New Visas Will Be Made”: SA Citizens Face Difficulty After Italy Suspends Visa Processing

• Italy has temporarily suspended visa applications while its consulate and VFS systems undergo maintenance and upgrades
• VFS centres across South Africa will not accept new visa applications between certain dates in February
• South Africans planning to travel to Italy in late February or early March are advised to adjust their timelines

South Africans planning to travel to Italy need to adjust their plans after visa processing was put on hold. Italy's consulate and VFS systems are going offline for maintenance and upgrades, which means no new applications can be processed during this period.

On their website, VFS announced that their web platform will be unavailable from 12 February 2026 to 18 February 2026. During this time, the system won't accept any visa applications at centres across South Africa and neighbouring countries. The maintenance work is necessary to upgrade the system.

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Italy visa processing paused at SA centres

According to the Italian consulate, several VFS centres will be affected by the shutdown. Centres in Johannesburg, Pretoria, Durban, Gaborone, Nelspruit, Polokwane, and Bloemfontein will close from 11 February and reopen on 19 February. Cape Town, Gqeberha, and George will have a shorter closure period, stopping applications from 13 February and reopening on 18 February.

Visa processing will stop completely after 12 February. If travellers haven't submitted their application by then, they'll need to wait until the system comes back online. However, if a visa is already processed and ready for collection, it's okay to pick it up. The centres will remain open specifically for collections during the shutdown.

People who scheduled appointments during the closure dates will be contacted and helped with rescheduling. Travellers heading to Italy in late February or early March should be aware of possible delays. The suspension could affect travel plans, especially for anyone who still needs to apply for a visa.

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View the Facebook post here.

Mzansi unhappy with Italy visa suspension

Social media users had mixed reactions to the temporary visa suspension:

@nozibele_mhlambi joked:

"I am guessing we have more Italians here 🇿🇦 than we have South Africans in Italy."

@jaquin_moses explained:

"The system for visas, VFS, is under maintenance. It will be offline from February 11 to February 18. Visas can be collected, but no new visas will be issued. Normal operation resumes from 19 Feb."

@teboho_motsoeneng asked:

"So are they blocking visas for South Africans or even them there in Italy? Let it be on both sides."

@karen_odendaal pointed out:

"Italian tourists support South African businesses."

@johlene_villet said:

"System maintenance and upgrades. Open again on 18 Feb in certain areas and 19 Feb in others. It is no biggie."

@alfred_mhlanga joked:

"So no Valentine's Day for us to be with beautiful friends up there."

More on international visa issues

• Briefly News recently reported on the USA launching a priority visa system for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
• A woman shared how her partner used her visa status to demand more money before she finally broke free with help from legal aid.
• Chinese nationals were arrested for allegedly running a KwaZulu-Natal sweatshop using tourist visas.

Source: Briefly News