San Marino is one of the smallest countries. This state is surrounded by the territory of Italy from almost all sides.
There is no special visa to this state, so to apply for a visa to San Marino you must contact the Italian Embassy.
It should be remembered that at the entrance to San Marino, the tourist must have 50 USD for each of the first ten days of stay in the country and 25 USD on the days after the expiration of this period. There are no more difficulties in obtaining such a visa. If all the documents are executed correctly, the tourist will be able to go to San Marino.
When considering an application, the consulate may in some cases ask you to provide additional information or documents, or you may be contacted for an interview.
Since it is possible to get to San Marino only through Italy, which is a member of the Schengen Area, a Schengen visa may be required to enter the country. You will need to have a wide range of additional documents to confirm your visa application form.
Some of the documents you will need:
● Your visa application form. Make sure that all the data you have specified in the form is up-to-date and accurate.
● Valid passport.
● Tickets to San Marino and a return ticket to your country of residence.
● Proof of stay - this may be in the form of a hotel reservation or an invitation letter from the place of residence in which you plan to stay.
● Proof of financial security – you will need to provide documents such as an extract from the bank for the last three months, a work certificate, and others. This will confirm your ability to financially support yourself after entering San Marino.
● Copies of your last photo.
● Travel itinerary.
● Copies of the latest visa approval from any immigration authority.
It must be remembered that all dates specified in the documents you submit must be accurate. The dates indicated on your air tickets must match the dates indicated in the proof of stay and other similar documents you submit.
By the period of stay, the visa to San Marino is divided into two categories:
● Short stay (for stays up to 90 days).
● Long-term stay (for stays of more than 90 days).
Each of these categories has several subcategories according to the purpose of the trip to San Marino.
Short-term visa to San Marino
As part of the Schengen area, San Marino issues single Schengen visas for short-term stays (type C).
Depending on the purpose, subcategories of the Schengen visa to San Marino usually consist of:
● Tourism.
● Business.
● Visiting family/friends.
● Religious purposes.
● Sports / Culture / Training (short course).
● Transit.
● Treatment.
Depending on the type and frequency of trips to San Marino, the Schengen visa can be one-time, double, and multiple-entry. The validity period of a one-time Schengen visa usually covers the period of travel indicated in the visa application form in San Marino. If you travel frequently to the Schengen area, you can get a one-, two-, three- and five-year multiple-entry Schengen visa, depending on the decision of the accredited Consulate of San Marino. However, it should be noted that in any case, you can stay in the Schengen area for a maximum of 90 days. In this case, holders of multiple-entry long-stay Schengen visas can stay in the Schengen area for a maximum of 90 days every 180 days.
The cost of a short-term visa to San Marino
When applying for a Schengen visa, each person must pay a visa fee. This fee is not refundable regardless of whether you received visa or not. The cost of a Schengen visa for foreigners is 80 EUR for people over 12 years old, 40 EUR for children 6-12 years old, and free of charge for children under six years old.
In most cases, if you belong to one of the following categories, you are exempt from the visa fee by providing the relevant evidence:
● Close relatives of those who legally live in the Schengen area (close relatives include spouses, children (including adopted), parents (or guardians), grandparents, and grandchildren).
● Pensioners.
● Members of official delegations, including regular members of official delegations participating in official meetings, consultations, negotiations, and exchange programs, as well as in intergovernmental organizations' events at an official invitation.
● Students, postgraduates, and teaching staff who travel with them for scientific and educational purposes within the framework of the official educational program.
● Persons with disabilities and accompanying persons if necessary.
● Participants of international sports events and persons accompanying them in connection with professional activities.
● Official visits of journalists and technical staff.
Required documents for a short-term visa to San Marino
● 1. Application form:
● Printed or neatly handwritten in printed letters.
● Signed personally by the applicant.
● In the case of minors, the application is signed by a person exercising permanent or temporary parental authority or guardianship.
● 2. Photo:
● One photo on the passport that was taken no more than 6 months before.
● Size 3,5х4,5.
● On a white background.
● 3. Travel document (passport):
● Valid for at least three months after the expected date of (last) departure from the Schengen area.
● Contains at least two blank pages.
● Published over the past ten years.
● 4. Old/expired or another valid passport:
● If the applicant has previous Schengen visas in an expired passport, this passport must also be submitted.
● 5. A copy of the national ID and residence/visa permit (if your country of residence and nationality differ).
● A copy of the documents must be provided along with other documents.
● The required validity period of these documents is three months after the date of your trip to San Marino.
● 6. Travel health insurance policy.
● The policy should cover the entire visa period and all scheduled days of stay.
● The region of insurance should cover all Schengen countries.
● Insurance must cover a minimum of 30,000 EUR.
● Policies should cover your expenses in the event of a sudden illness or accident and/or on-site assistance, including the cost of medical repatriation of the insured person to the place of permanent residence or repatriation in the event of death.
● 7. In the case of minors:
● Original birth certificate.
● The consent of the parent or legal guardian is required only if the minor is traveling alone or only with one of the parents. In this regard, an exception is eligible if one of the parents with whom the minor must travel has parental authority only (that is, in cases where the second parent died or was deprived of custody, for example, the death certificate of the second parent or the court decision requires to provide custody exclusively to the parent who signs the application).
● A copy of the valid Schengen visa of the parent (parents) traveling with minors for whom the visa is not submitted, simultaneously with the parent (parents).
● 8. Certificate of residence.
● For example, an invitation/sponsor form from the host if you stop with one.
● A document from a place that provides an accommodation or any other relevant accommodation document provided by the law of the Schengen Member State concerned, such as a voucher or proof of payment for a hotel issued by the San Marino tourism organization.
● If there is none, a corresponding written description of the planned trip.
● 9. Confirmation of the itinerary.
● Confirmation of the booking of an organized trip or any other relevant document indicating the provided travel plans, for example, a booked return ticket.
● If there is none, a corresponding written description of the planned trip.
● 10. Work certificate.
● 11. Proof of financial means.
● Bank/credit card statement for at least three previous months, proof of real estate ownership in your country, or proof of sponsorship.
● 12. For visitors of military and civilian funerals.
● An official document confirming the presence and preservation of the burial ground and the relationship between the applicant and the buried.
● 13. For property owners in the Schengen area and their close relatives.
● The relevant national document (for example, the last extract from the real estate register, a copy of the contract of sale/sale, etc.), confirming that the applicant owns the relevant property.
● In the affairs of close relatives - confirmation of kinship.
● Additional documents may be required at the embassy.
Tourist/private visa processing time in San Marino
The average time to process a tourist/private visa in San Marino is 10-15 calendar days. It depends on the country where an application for the visa was made.
Visa to visit short-term visa in San Marino
If you are traveling to San Marino for one of the following purposes, you are eligible to apply for this visa:
● Close relatives visiting third-country nationals legally residing in Schengen member states.
● Close relatives visiting EU citizens (EEA and Switzerland).
● Family members of EU citizens (EEA and Switzerland).
Required documents for visa to visit family/friends in San Marino:
● Application form.
Typed or neatly written by hand in printed letters. Signed personally by the applicant.
● In cases of minors, the application is signed by a person exercising permanent or temporary parental authority or is a legal guardian.
● Two photos.
One passport photo that was taken no more than 6 months before.
Size 3,5х4,5.
On a white background.
● Travel document (passport).
Valid for at least three months after the expected date of (last) departure from the Schengen area.
Contains at least two blank pages.
Published over the past ten years.
● Old/expired or another valid passport.
If the applicant has previous Schengen visas in an already expired passport, this passport must also be submitted.
● A copy of the national ID and residence/visa permit (if your country of residence and nationality differ).
● Along with other documents, copies of documents must be provided.
The required validity period of these documents is three months after the date of your trip to San Marino.
● Travel health insurance policy.
Insurance must cover the entire validity period of the visa and all scheduled days of stay.
The region of insurance should cover all Schengen countries.
Insurance must cover a minimum of 30,000 EUR.
Policies should cover your expenses in the event of a sudden illness or accident and/or on-site assistance, including the cost of medical repatriation of the insured person to the place of permanent residence or repatriation in the event of death.
● Close relatives who visit third-country nationals legally residing in San Marino.
A written request from the host person, the authenticity of the signature of which must be confirmed by the competent authority in accordance with the legislation of San Marino.
Confirmation of legal residence of the inviting person.
Certificate from the place of work (with information about the salary); if there is none, other evidence of financial opportunities and a desire to return (e.g., bank/credit card statement covering at least three previous months, proof of real estate ownership in your country, or proof of sponsorship).
● Close relatives visiting EU citizens (EEA and Switzerland).
A written request from the host person, the authenticity of the signature of which must be confirmed by the competent authority in accordance with the legislation of San Marino.
Confirmation of legal residence of the inviting person.
Certificate from the place of work (with information about the salary); if there is none, other evidence of financial opportunities and a desire to return (e.g., bank/credit card statement covering at least three previous months, proof of real estate ownership in your country, or proof of sponsorship).
● Family members of EU citizens (EEA).
Confirmation of family connection in accordance with the legislation of San Marino.
● For minors:
If the applicant is a minor (under the age of 18) and travels alone or with one of the parents, written, notarized consent of the other parent or guardian is required.
If consent cannot be granted, other documents indicating the reason for the lack of permission (certificate from the single father/mother or other documents) are required.
The consent must be valid from the date of submission of the visa application form for all Schengen countries.
Along with the original, a copy of the birth certificate is also required, which should be prepared in advance.
*The Embassy may request additional documents.
Visa processing time for family in San Marino
The average visa processing time for family/friends in San Marino is 10-15 calendar days. It depends on the country in which you are applying for a visa.
Visa fee
When applying for a Schengen visa, each person must pay a visa fee. This fee is not refundable regardless of whether you received a visa or not. This amount is 80 EUR for people over 12 years old, 40 EUR for children 6-12 years old, and free of charge for children under six years old.
Where to apply for a business visa to San Marino?
You must apply for a visa at the Embassy, Consulate, or San Marino Visa Center. Depending on which organization accepts visa applications in your country of residence. If there are none in your country, you need to contact the nearest embassy or consulate at the place of your stay.
San Marino