VISA FEE: CFA F 60,000 (applicants over 13 years old) / CFA F 30,000 (ages 7–12) / FREE (ages 0–6)
The sports competition visa allows foreign athletes and accompanying technical staff—such as coaches, technical‑sports directors, and athletic trainers—to enter Italy for a short stay in order to participate, at either professional or amateur level, in competitions or sporting events organized by National Sports Federations or Associated Sports Disciplines recognized by CONI. The visa is issued exclusively for official or friendly events falling within the disciplines recognized by the Italian National Olympic Committee.
Participation must be confirmed by a communication from CONI, certifying the relevance of the competition, confirming the invitation addressed to the athlete or sports team, and formally requesting the issuance of the visa. For teams or sports groups, reference will be made to the official lists provided by recognized foreign sports federations or bodies, indicating the names and roles of each member.
In the absence of the CONI Communication, a tourist visa may be issued, provided that an explicit invitation is presented and all legal requirements for that visa category are met.
For foreign minors, an authorization to travel abroad must also be submitted, signed by each parent exercising parental authority who is not accompanying the minor, or, in their absence, by the legal guardian. The authorization must comply with the regulations in force in the minor’s country of residence.
What documentation is required?
To obtain the visa, the applicant must submit, in addition to the duly completed and signed application form, a valid travel document and passport photos:
- Round‑trip travel ticket (or booking);
- Proof of accommodation (hotel reservation, declaration of hospitality, declaration of assumption of accommodation costs by the inviting Italian Federation or Sports Discipline, etc.);
- Health insurance valid throughout the Schengen Area, with a minimum coverage of EUR 30,000 for medical expenses and repatriation, in accordance with Article 15 of the Visa Code (Regulation (EC) 810/2009);
- Proof of sufficient financial means for the requested period of stay, not lower than the parameters established in “Table A” of the Directive of the Ministry of the Interior of 1 March 2000. For this purpose, bank statements and payslips for the previous 6 months must be submitted. If the applicant holds multiple bank accounts, the account on which the salary is paid must also be included;
- CONI Communication formally requesting the issuance of the visa.