Passports
You'll need a valid passport to enter Italy and Campania (the passport should be valid for at least 3 months beyond the period of stay). The length of your stay is determined by your visa. American, Canadian, Australian, New Zealand citizens, and those from a few other countries (check the list at www.esteri.it/visti) can stay up to 90 days without a visa; citizens from a country belonging to the Schengen area can enter with a simple identification card; other E.U. citizens, including Irish and British citizens, will need a passport.
Visas & Other Entry Requirements
European Union citizens, including U.K. and Ireland, do not need a visa.
Citizens from the United States, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, and from a few other countries, don't need a visa to enter Italy or Campania if they don't expect to stay more than 90 days and don't expect to work or study there. Note: The 90 days refer to your total stay in the Schengen area, so if you are coming to Campania as part of a longer trip in Europe, make sure you do not exceed the time limit, or you'll need to obtain a visa before entering.
Citizens from all other countries need a visa for stays of any length.
Note: At the border you may be asked to produce the documents you presented to obtain your visa. Remember to carry them with you and have them handy at the border check.
Visit the website of the Italian Foreign Affairs Ministry at www.esteri.it/visti to find out if you need a visa.
Other Requirements: Foreigners entering Italy from a country outside the Schengen area and planning to stay more than 8 days also need to file a permesso di soggiorno (permit of stay). If you have already filed a permit of stay in another country in the Schengen area for this trip, you'll need to file a dichiarazione di soggiorno (declaration of stay) within 3 days of your entry in Italy. If you are flying from a country outside the Schengen area, the stamp you obtain on your passport at the airport is the equivalent of a permit of stay, but if you are entering Italy from a country within the Schengen area, you will need to file with the local police (you can also present the form at the local post office). Note: If you are staying in a hotel, the declaration of stay is automatically done for you by the hotel. But if you are staying in a private house, you'll need to handle the procedure yourself. Note also that failure to file is punished with expulsion from Italy. For the permit and declaration, you'll need a photocopy of your passport, two photographs, proof of medical insurance, proof of adequate means of financial support, and a photocopy of your return ticket. It is a simple routine check, and you should be able to breeze through this formality; just remember to bring all your documentation, including the documents you presented to obtain your visa, if you needed one.
To enter Italy and Campania you need to prove that you have adequate means of subsistence. That includes a place to stay, enough money to live during your stay and to return to your country, and medical insurance. At the border, you may be asked to show your return ticket as well as a hotel voucher or equivalent, and cash, traveler's checks, and credit or debit cards (or a bank account in Italy), with resources proportionate to the length of your stay.
Customs
Rules governing what tourists can bring in duty-free are detailed at www.agenziadogane.it (click on "Traveler's customs card"). If you are carrying currency in excess of a value of 10,000€, you will need to fill out a Customs declaration.
While there is no special limit on how much you can take out of Italy, certain items are restricted, in particular art objects: You'll need special permits for the export of objects more than 50 years old. Note: Italy adheres to CITES (Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora), which means the purchase and export of protected species is prohibited. So is the purchase and export of copies of fashion items (think Vuitton or Chanel and the like) and other copyrighted material. The fines are steep; do not break the law!
For information on what you're allowed to take home, contact one of the following agencies:
U.S. Citizens: U.S. Customs & Border Protection, 1300 Pennsylvania Ave., NW, Washington, DC 20229 (tel. 877/227-8667; www.cbp.gov).
Canadian Citizens: Canada Border Services Agency, Ottawa, ON, K1A 0L8, Canada (tel. 800/461-9999 in Canada, or 204/983-3500; www.cbsa-asfc.gc.ca).
U.K. Citizens: HM Customs & Excise Crownhill Court, Tailyour Road, Plymouth, PL6 5BZ (tel. 0845-010-9000, from outside the U.K.; www.hmce.gov.uk).
Australian Citizens: Australian Customs Service, Customs House, 5 Constitution Ave., Canberra City, ACT 2601 (tel. 1300-363-263; www.customs.gov.au).
New Zealand Citizens: New Zealand Customs, The Customhouse, 17-21 Whitmore St., Box 2218, Wellington 6140 or 0800-428-786; www.customs.govt.nz).
Note: This information was accurate when it was published, but can change without notice. Please be sure to confirm all rates and details directly with the companies in question before planning your trip.
