Embassy of Italy — Local services in Washington

Realistically this is one of the most frustrating establishments you are likely to encounter. When you book an appointment of any kind expect it to take ALL DAY. While getting my visa, there was one lady who was doing it and each person took around 30 minutes on average, some lasting closer to 50. They also might make you wait outside on the curb if there are too many people already in there, not to mention you may have to wait for months before an appointment is open for you. The website is not intuitive or informative, and emails don't often work because of invalid email addresses and full inboxes. While calling their emergency after hours number and their normal hours I was incredibly disappointed with the way they treated me. I was basically told by everyone I talked to that they simply didn't want to help me so they wouldn't. I was also told that certain branches of the embassy only contact through email, but emails would never send successfully so there was no way to contact them at all. I would recommend getting two appointments near each other in case one has problems and get one as early in the day as possible and then show up early as well. Otherwise it may take all day, I finally got my visa processed over 3 hours past the original scheduled time, and there were still people waiting who had gotten there before me and left much...

For anyone attempting to use the Prenotarmi website or contact the embassy in Washington.

First of all, the Prenotarmi site is practically non-functional. Mostly you will get an error message if you try to log in with the correct password. The site itself runs at a glacial pace - I assume some of the login problems must have something to do with this.

Secondly, there is a 'contact' e-mail on the website which is also non-functional. If you try to send mail it tells you in Italian that the address only accepts 'certified' e-mail, whatever that is.

It's really unbelievable - i don't hold out much hope of ever getting to my account now because it's been blocked - and of course there are NO instructions to be found anywhere for unblocking the site. I'm thinking of calling but can only imagine the probable response of shoulder-shrugging and non-action.

The Italian Embassy's website is completely unacceptable. I don't want to be cynical about it - but as I am half Italian and pretty aware of the nature of Italian bureaucracy in general - this seems like nothing more than to keep as many people from communicating with the embassy as possible.

Anyone else experiencing these problems please feel free to comment. It would be a great consolation to know that...

The other reviews are right. They never answer their phone BUT if you email them, they are pretty good at replying. Also, I tried making an appointment a MONTH AND A HALF before my trip (figuring it would be enough time) but they had NO availability for the next two months!!! For reference, my trip is on December 25, 2017. I tried making the appointment on November 13, 2017 and the only availability they had was ONE DAY in January of the following year. This indeed is a horrible scheduling system, however, I emailed them explaining them that I needed an appointment way before January otherwise I would miss my trip and they were kind enough to accommodate me for some day in November. Their hours of operation for visas are 10:00 a.m - 12:30 p.m on a first come, first serve basis. It does not matter that you get an apportionment time, be sure to be there around 9: 45 a.m to be the first person in line. As for the documents, make sure to bring everything they ask for on their website, plus a money order payable to the Italian Embassy Washington DC (for Schengen visas in 2017 the price is $70.50), make sure this has not...