The Italian Embassy in Russia is the official diplomatic mission of this Mediterranean country. Between the two states there are long traditions of bilateral productive relations. It is in order to maintain and expand the scope of cooperation, and there is an Italian embassy in Moscow. An integral part of the embassy is the consulate general located in St. Petersburg.
A Brief History of Bilateral Relations
The first diplomatic relations between Russia and the states that existed on the Apennine Peninsula were established in the 16th century. However, more active attempts to establish contact were made only under Peter l, who wanted to establish a partnership with the Republic of Venice. However, the major European powers made various attempts to prevent this partnership from taking place. The Austro-Hungarian Empire was especially active in this direction.
In 1861, a unified Italian state was proclaimed, headed by Victor Emmanuel ll. The Russian Empire was in no hurry to recognize the new country, and diplomatic relations between the two states were established only after a year. And already in 1863, the first trade agreement was signed, which laid the foundation for fruitful cooperation.
The first Italian embassy in Russia appeared in 1876, when the already existing consulate general changed its status. At that time, the embassy was in the capital of the Russian Empire - St. Petersburg.
Bilateral relations in the Soviet period
After the revolution in Russia, relations, of course, were severed. However, in 1924 there was an exchange of assumptions about the beginning of diplomatic communication between the USSR and Italy. However, the period of cooperation did not last long, since with the beginning of the Great Patriotic War relations were again discontinued because Italy took part in the conflict in alliance with Nazi Germany.
After the war ended, cooperation resumed again. The Soviet Union was interested in Italian investment and technology, since in the post-war period the country was desperate for the restoration of its industry. In the sixties, relations were so close that in 1964 a city in the Samara region was named in honor of the famous Italian Communist Party leader Palmiro Tolyatti.
The current stage of development of relations
Italy recognized Russia in its current form on December 23, 1991, from the same moment a new stage begins not only in diplomatic communication, but also in the economic, scientific, educational and technical cooperation of the two countries.
Since the beginning of the 2000s, relations between Italy and the Russian Federation have been maintained very intensively at the highest level. A direct telephone line has been established between the leaders of the two countries since 2002.
Embassy of Italy in Moscow
The diplomatic mission of the Italian Republic is located in the very center of Moscow, in Khamovniki. The representative office occupies the historic Berg mansion, which since 1806 has been the main building of the city estate of Katerina Petrovna Zotova. However, after a fire in 1812, the building was rebuilt. A new landlord appeared in 1897. It was Sergei Pavlovich Berg, whose name the mansion bears to this day. Berg, however, decided to significantly rebuild the house and, ultimately, demolished the old building, erecting in his place a stone mansion designed by architect Boytsov.
In the architectural appearance of the embassy, elements in the style of neoclassicism and neo-baroque are still recognizable. After the owner was forced to leave Russia in 1918, the German diplomatic mission was housed in the mansion. Later, when relations between the two countries were severed, German diplomats left the mansion.
The official current address of the Italian Embassy in Russia is as follows: Moscow, Denezhny Lane, building 5. If necessary, the consulate can be called on the telephone number indicated on the official website. It is also worth remembering that the consular department is located at a different address - on Yakimanskaya embankment, 10.
After the change of several owners, the building was finally transferred to the Italian mission in 1949.
Embassy structure
The Italian Embassy in Russia consists of the Consular Section, the Political Department, the Trade and Economic Department, and the Education Department. One of the main activities of the Italian consulate is the issuance of visas, however, in order to get the coveted sticker in your passport, you do not have to contact the Italian Embassy in Russia directly. In Moscow, to simplify the process of obtaining a visa, a certified visa center has been created.
This is a special service that accepts visa documents and issues passports with ready-made visa stickers. Before contacting the visa center of the Italian Embassy in Russia, you should familiarize yourself with the list of necessary documents on the official website. Depending on the type of visa, the Documents package may vary.
The most popular among Russians is a regular tourist visa with a stay of up to 90 days in half a year. In order to obtain such a visa at the consulate or visa center, you must provide the following documents: hotel reservation, ticket or its round-trip reservation, accident insurance, copies of passport pages with a photograph, a completed visa application form, relevant photos and documents confirming solvency . It is also worth considering that for the duration of the visa the passport will be at the consulate.
In Moscow, there are two offices of the visa center, to which Russians can apply with their application. The first is located in the immediate vicinity of the Tretyakovskaya metro station in Maly Tolmachevsky Lane, house six, building one. The second is located on Kievskaya street, ow. 2.
Consulates in other cities
Residents of St. Petersburg, Krasnodar, Lipetsk, Yekaterinburg and Chelyabinsk do not need to go to Moscow in order to obtain an Italian visa, as there is a consulate in these cities, which citizens can contact with their questions. These points and consulates general are engaged not only in visa matters, but also in the legalization of documents and the issuance of certificates.