The Italian Ministry of Health, following the recommendation of WHO (World Health Organization) against the spread of polio, recommends that all travelers to and from polio-affected areas (Afghanistan, Pakistan, Somalia, Nigeria, Kenya, Syria, Democratic Republic of Congo) should be fully vaccinated against polio.
Residents and visitors who stayed in those countries for more than four weeks have to get a dose of bivalent oral poliovirus vaccine (bOPV) or inactivated polio vaccine (IPV) within four weeks to 12 months before travelling to Italy.
Consequently, we inform that under Art. 21, 3 (d) of the Visa Code (REGULATION (EC) No 810/2009) all applicants asking for a visa to Italy are requested to submit with their visa application an International Certificate of Vaccination against polio, as a compulsory document, stating that they have done the vaccine. The certificate has to be issued in accordance with the specifications of International Health Regulations (2005) of World Health Organization. Sample of it is herewith enclosed: www.who.int/ihr/publications/9789241580496/en
The aforementioned certificate will be requested as compulsory document starting from Monday 30th of July, 2018
