Staff Reporter :
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA) has outlined measures to address lengthy delays in processing pending visa applications for Italy.
In a statement issued this week, the ministry explained that under Italy’s Flussi Decree programme, the Italian government recruits workers from non-EU countries for both seasonal and non-seasonal employment.
Bangladesh rejoined the scheme in 2022 after an eight-year suspension, creating new opportunities for Bangladeshi citizens to work in Italy. This has led to a significant rise in applications submitted to the Italian Embassy in Dhaka in recent months.
According to the MoFA, both governments are prioritising the clearance of pending Nulla Osta (work permits) at the embassy.
The matter has been raised in all meetings with the Italian ambassador, during visits by Italian officials, and in discussions with Italy’s Interior Minister Matteo Piantedosi, who reaffirmed his country’s commitment to addressing the backlog during his visit to Bangladesh in May.
The embassy has advised that in 2024, the Italian government introduced Law Decree No. 145, which suspended all work permits issued before 22 October 2024.
Under this regulation, the embassy in Dhaka may only approve or reject visa applications once clearance is received from the relevant provincial authorities in Italy, making the process more time-consuming.
Despite the additional steps, over 8,000 of the nearly 40,000 pending applications have already been processed. Verification of a further 20,000 cases is expected to begin soon.
Work permits issued after 22 October 2024 are not affected by the suspension – enabling hundreds of applicants under the 2025 Flussi Decree to receive visas, with many more anticipated in the coming months.
MoFA said it is maintaining regular contact – through the Bangladesh Embassy in Rome – with the Italian Embassy in Dhaka and Italy’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The Italian mission in Dhaka has also increased staffing levels to speed up processing.
However, the ministry warned that the submission of forged work permits and other fraudulent documents by certain groups has caused further delays, with several criminal investigations under way in Italy.
MoFA stressed that only official consular and administrative fees are payable for migration to Italy.
It cautioned that those who pay large sums to unauthorised intermediaries risk cancellation of their applications if such payments are linked to corruption, while such malpractice also hampers the processing of legitimate cases.
On 6 May, Bangladesh and Italy signed a Memorandum of Understanding on migration, aimed at facilitating the legal recruitment of skilled workers and curbing irregular migration. The agreement is expected to support large-scale, regular recruitment of Bangladeshi workers.
MoFA urged prospective migrants and Nulla Osta holders to remain patient, noting that the visa process follows a specific administrative procedure requiring trust and cooperation.
It also warned that negative publicity or disruptive behaviour could damage Bangladesh’s image with the Italian authorities, potentially affecting the prospects of both current and future applicants.
