IMPORTANT NOTICE: NEW VISA PROCEDURE

IMPORTANT NOTICE: NEW VISA PROCEDURE
In order to improve the quality of the service provided to visa applicants, the
Embassy of Italy decided to entrust the company TLScontact with the service
of collecting the application forms and giving information on the procedures to
be followed.
This service is available for all visa applicants living in Lebanon and desiring to
enter Italy for a short stay (Schengen Visa, up to 90 days).
He who does not want to use the new procedure “TLScontact” (the additional
price of which is 54.000 LBP for each visa application, to be added to the
Schengen Visa fees) can always ask for an appointment through TLScontact, to
apply for a visa directly at the counter of the Visa Section of the Embassy of
Italy.
The long stay visa applications (National Visa, more than 90 days) will
continue to be managed directly by the Visa Section of the Embassy of Italy as
well as the visa applications submitted by the holders of diplomatic passports
or United Nations laissez-passer.
WHAT’S NEW IN APPOINTMENT SETTING
The appointment making procedure will change as of July 8 th , 2011.
The phone number 1215 will no longer be active as of July 8 th , 2011.
Starting from this date (8 th of July 2011), he who wishes to set an appointment
to apply for a visa shall:
a) log on to the internet site of TLScontact company 24/7:
https://www.tlscontact.com/lb2it
b) or call the phone number (+961) 142 4024 of the TLScontact company (at
a urban call cost from a landline phone) from Monday to Friday between
8.30 a.m. and 4.30 p.m.
In this way it will be possible to:
1. Set an appointment in order to submit a Schengen Visa application using
the services offered by TLScontact;
2. Set an appointment in order to submit a Schengen Visa application
directly at the counter of the Embassy of Italy Visa Section;
3. Set an appointment in order to submit a National Visa application at the
counter of the Embassy of Italy Visa Section.

1. As of July 8 th , 2011, he who chooses to use the services provided by
TLScontact, will submit the visa application at the premises of the TLScontact
company located at:
Sodeco Square, Building B, 10 th floor
Using TLScontact services will allow:
• appointments for visa submission fixed at shorter delays;
• Personal welcome;
• Assistance to constitute the dossier: in case of missing documents,
TLScontact will inform you;
• Total traceability of each visa application: the applicant will be kept
informed in real time, by email or SMS, of the visa procedure conclusion
and of the possibility of collecting his passport at TLScontact.
The additional price of the new procedure is 54.000 LBP, to be added to the
Schengen Visa fees.
IMPORTANT: TLScontact service is limited to collecting the applications
and in no stage of the proceedings, it has a role in assessing applications
for entry visas and consequent decisions.
The decision to grant or deny a visa belongs solely to the Embassy, which
assess all applications for visas in accordance with the "Schengen
system" rules and procedures.
2. He who does not wish to use the new “TLScontact” procedure, can always
set an appointment directly at the counter of the Embassy of Italy - Visa
Section (Rue du Palais Présidentiel, Baabda).
To make an appointment, you shall call the phone number (+961) 142 4024
from Monday to Friday between 8.30 a.m. and 4.30 p.m.
WARNING: in this case, the required time to receive an appointment could last
longer.
Any information that you may need concerning the required documentation to
be submitted along with a Schengen Visa application form, up to 90 days of
stay, is also available on the Italian Embassy website
http://www.ambbeirut.esteri.it.
3. The applications for long stay visa (National Visa, more than 90 days) will
continue to be managed by the Visa Section of the Embassy.
Any information that you may need concerning the required documentation to
be submitted along with the National Visa application form is also available on
the Italian Embassy website http://www.ambbeirut.esteri.it.
To set an appointment you may call the phone number (+961) 142 4024 from
Monday to Friday between 8.30 a.m. and 4.30 p.m.

WHAT WILL HAPPEN FROM NOW UNTIL JULY 8 TH
(IMPLEMENTATION OF THE NEW PROCEDURE)
From now until July 8 th , you shall continue to call the number 1215 to set an
appointment.
The already set appointments or those that will be set by the 1215 are
confirmed and will be directly managed by the Embassy Visa Section.
However, thanks to the implementation of the new procedure, new
appointments will be available for each day as of July 8 th .
Thus, the applicant may indicate the need for an urgent visa (provided the
travel date is later than July 20) and the willingness to use TLScontact
services (the extra cost of the new procedure is 54,000 LBP, in addition to the
fees already provided for Schengen Visa) by sending an email to the email
address vist.beirut@esteri.it. Indicate in the subject URGENT VISA –
TLScontact, and the following information in the e-mail text: full name, mobile
number, date and reason for travel
TLScontact will contact you and try to fix an appointment based on your
request and according to the current availability.
In addition, from July 1 st , it will be possible to request an appointment
through the services offered by TLScontact through the website
https://www.TLScontact.com/lb2it.