Italian visa appointments: Attempts at multiple reservations using automated systems or AI bots made by third-party agents are in breach of the government’s terms and conditions.
The online booking system for Italian visa application appointments (prenotami) is frequently overwhelmed due to high traffic and is sometimes temporarily unavailable. As a result, many people reach out to us because they are unable to secure an appointment and inquire whether we can assist.
We were recently contacted by an individual in Pakistan who highlighted a recurring issue with the visa appointment booking system. Many applicants reportedly reach the final step, selecting a date and time, only to receive an error message stating:
“The selected appointment slot has already been booked by someone else.”
He also drew our attention to the widespread presence of online advertisements from third-party agents who openly offer appointment booking services. It appears that the majority of available slots are being captured by these agents using automated bots or AI tools, and then resold at inflated prices ranging from PKR 400,000 to 500,000 (approximately €1,300–1,500), despite the official appointment fee being just PKR 10,000.
This practice is unlawful and openly violates the terms and conditions set forth by the Ministry (termini e condizioni), which state:
- Bookings/reservations cannot be sold for profit
- Each user may use only one account, and registration credentials must not be shared with others
It is therefore forbidden to use multiple accounts related to the same person. In particular, the illegal use of access credentials such as login and password, and inappropriate use including attempts at multiple reservations using automated systems, is prohibited.
If this rule is violated, authorities may close the related accounts, and once blocked, reactivation is very difficult.
