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Travel to the Vatican City for US citizenship

Visa Visa-free up to 90 days

Language Italian, Latin

Phone code +39

Currency Euro

Car traffic Right-hand

Recognition of dual citizenship no

Covid There are no COVID restrictions

Insurance policy Insurance policy recommended

Rules of entry and stay

Transit rules

Features of the country

Customs regulations

Entry with pets

Contacts of embassies

Emergency contacts

Vatican City is considered the smallest country in the world and we are talking about a country because it is an independent state located in Rome, Italy. It is formally known as the Vatican, and to this day, despite its size, it remains one of the most visited tourist destinations in the world.

Maybe it's because of its history, its connection to Roman Catholic culture, or its impressive buildings. The truth is that the Vatican never ceases to amaze anyone, and it is worth visiting, especially since you should not have more than one day to explore it.

Visa policy of the Vatican

The rules and regulations for tourism in the Vatican are almost the same as those governing visa-free travel in the 26 Schengen countries since the sovereign institution is located in Italy and the Schengen area. Thus, citizens of Schengen countries do not need a visa to visit the Holy See: to visit the Holy See, you only need to present a valid national identity card at the Schengen checkpoint.

If your nationality does not qualify for visa-free travel to the Schengen area, you will need a Schengen visa to visit countries in the Schengen area.

A tourist visa allows you to stay in the country for a limited time and travel throughout the Schengen area.

It is divided into several subcategories:

● C1 - valid for up to 30 days;

● C2 - validity period from 31 to 90 days;

● C3 - multiple-entry visa valid for 1 year. Permits to stay on the territory of the country for no more than 90 days within six months;

● C4 is also a multiple-entry visa, but the validity period is 5 years.

D - national visa. Long-term permit. Allows staying only on the territory of the selected country.

Some other countries that have signed bilateral agreements on visa-free travel to the Vatican can also stay visa-free for up to 90 days if their passports are valid for at least six months when entering the Schengen area.

Remember that although a visa is not required, you must:

● Have a passport valid for at least six months after the date of departure from the country and one blank visa page.

● Keep confirmation of direct and return flights.

● Keep all the documents you need for your next destination.

● Keep documents confirming the purpose of the trip (cover letter or conference registration, etc.).

● Keep proof of sufficient funds for the expected length of stay.

● It is recommended to confirm with the airline that boarding will be allowed without a visa.

Medical insurance for a visa to the Vatican

The Vatican is located in the very center of Rome and territorially belongs to Italy. Insurance for a visa to the Vatican is mandatory because a Schengen visa is required to travel to this country, which is not issued without a medical insurance policy.

Insurance must be a part of the documents to be submitted to the consulate. Medical policy requirements for a trip to the Vatican are standard. For travel to the Schengen countries, the insurance must be issued according to the international model, cover repatriation and medical evacuation to the homeland, have a coverage of at least 30,000 EUR, and not contain a deductible.

You need to submit documents for a visa to the Vatican at the Italian consulate. When taking out the policy, take into account that the visa will be issued with a corridor of 15 days, which means that the policy must be valid for an extra 15 days, so that in the event of an unforeseen delay, you are not left without insurance coverage.

You can get to the Vatican only through Italy. If you want to visit this country, you should go to Rome, because it is located very close to the Vatican.

The Vatican does not have an airport, but there is a heliport that is used only by the Pope. The nearest airport is Leonardo da Vinci-Fiumicino Airport in Rome.

How to get to the Vatican from Rome

You can walk to the Vatican from the center of Rome. Near the Vatican, there is also a metro station - Ottaviano. Trains run every 2-3 minutes. The Vatican museums are situated two hundred meters from the station. You will need to walk about a kilometer to St. Peter's Cathedral and the square of the same name. A walk through one of the most beautiful cities in the world will give you an unforgettable impression.

Other ways to get to the Vatican on your own include buses that run twice an hour from Fiumicino Airport. The trip will take about 50 minutes and will cost 6 EUR one way or 11 EUR for a round trip. To get to the Vatican from the airport by taxi costs an order of magnitude more - about 48 EUR.

Security at the Vatican is taken very seriously. Therefore, on a trip to this most interesting historical place, you should not take with you:

● backpacks;

● large bags;

● long tripods and cane umbrellas.

Such things will have to be left in the storage room before entering the Vatican.

Clothes for visiting this state should also be chosen correctly. The cathedral of St. Peter, among other things, has a religious dress code. You cannot enter this temple with bare shoulders and knees.

There are no entertainment facilities on the territory of the Vatican. Restaurants, pizzerias, theaters, pubs - for all this, the inhabitants of the Vatican go to Rome. However, they prefer not to stay late in the evenings: the gates of the Vatican close at 1:15 in the morning and open at 5:45 in the morning. Of course, if the resident returns home after closing the gate, they will not stay overnight outside. The Swiss Guard will open the gates of the Vatican at the first bell. But this person will still be recorded in a special register.

Important to know

The Vatican is considered one of the most "criminal" states in the world. On an area of only 44 hectares, the same number of pickpockets are carried out here as in the whole of multimillion-dollar Rome. The authorities are actively fighting this problem - there are more than 700 police officers (not counting guardsmen) on duty to protect law and order in the Vatican, but still, the level of theft is very high (according to official police data, every third traveler is a victim of theft). Therefore, when visiting the Vatican, you should be more careful with your belongings in transport and places where a large number of people gather.

Churches are open from early morning until 12:00 or 12:30, then they close for 2-3 hours, open again after "siesta" and work until 19:00 or even later. The main cathedrals and basilicas are open all day, but more often the work schedule is individual.

Visiting churches during religious ceremonies is not recommended. You should prepare in advance a sufficient number of 50-cent coins for the machines that switch on the lighting of church interiors. It is convenient to look at the paintings on the ceilings and domes of churches through binoculars. During excursions, it is better to have soft sports shoes, because you have to walk a lot.

On the territory of the Vatican, smoking is prohibited in the vicinity of temples, in public transport, in taxis, in most theaters and cinemas, as well as in shops.

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