Surety policies for foreigners

Surety bond for visas: what it is and what it is used for

A surety bond for visas — also known as a financial guarantee or, in its international version, bank guarantee — is the document that attests the availability of the means of subsistence required by Italian regulations for those who apply for a visa or a residence permit. It is provided for by the Italian Ministry of the Interior Directive of 1 March 2000 on means of subsistence and is required by consulates, embassies, police headquarters (Questura) and the One-stop Immigration Counters (SUI).

It must be obtained by the Italian citizen or by the foreigner with regular residence who invites or hosts: the guarantee certifies that the applicant has the resources needed to cover the requirements of the visa applicant during the stay in Italy or in the Schengen area.

Who needs it and when

The surety bond is particularly required for:

• short-stay Schengen visa (tourism, business, study);
• family reunification, with an amount based on the number of family members and the income of the host;
• self-employment visa;
• conversion of a temporary residence permit into a long-term one;
• registration of EU citizens in the civil registry who apply for residency in Italy.

Bank or insurance bond: what changes for you

The two forms are equivalent from a regulatory standpoint and accepted by almost all consulates and immigration offices. What changes is the economic impact:

• A bank surety bond ties up an amount on the account equal to the guaranteed sum, freezing liquidity for the entire duration.
• An insurance surety bond only requires the payment of a premium: the capital remains fully available. This is why it is generally the preferred solution.

In both cases:

• NO cash deposit.
• NO need to open a current account.
• NO release request to be filed at the end of the guarantee period.

Documentation, languages and timing

We collect the required documents (identity document of the applicant or of the host, income or bank documentation, receipt of the visa application if available). Standard issuance times are 24-48 hours; delivery, in original, is by email with digital signature.

We provide assistance in 9 languages (Italian, English, French, Spanish, Chinese, Russian, Japanese, Korean, Portuguese) and a dedicated service in Arabic, particularly useful for requests from the Maghreb and the Middle East. For over 30 years we have been issuing surety bonds for visas and residence permits compliant with the requirements of Italian consulates, embassies and police headquarters.