The Italian embassy assured of its commitment to increase the output of processed applications and presented some initiatives undertaken to that end with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Rome, including the creation of a dedicated Task Force.
During a meeting with a few representatives of the working visa applicants in the embassy, the deputy head of Mission assured it on Monday.
A few hundred working visa applicants gathered in a peaceful demonstration on Monday morning in Shahabuddin Park in Gulshan 2 near the Italian embassy area asking for a rapid reply to their applications.
A few representatives of the applicants were received in the embassy by the deputy head of Mission to whom they presented some requests.
During the meeting, the embassy provided legal, technical and logistic explanations for the existing delays in the processing of working visas to Italy.
The embassy also clarified the role of VFS Global: it is the only embassy's official authorized agency, contracted by the Italian Government with the only purpose to collect visa and legalization applications for Italy and to return passports to the respective applicants.
The embassy receives tens of thousands of applications per year and would not be able to manage them without the help of such an organization, as it happens for several other foreign missions in Dhaka and in other parts of the world.
Applicants were warned not to pay or trust any mediator or intermediary, who is the main cause for the current delays, the embassy said.
Italy and the EU are committed to stopping exploitation and illegal trafficking of human beings.
"We invite all Bangladeshi citizens not to rely on human traffickers to reach Italy. The crime of illegal immigration is a serious crime and involves the repatriation of the migrant and a ban on re-entry throughout the territory of the European Union from 3 to 5 years," said the Embassy.
"Illegal migrants are not allowed to work in Italy in any case. The new procedures in Italy also provide for the possibility of detaining at the border those who arrive illegally and proceeding with immediate repatriation," it said.
Applicants were warned not to pay or trust any mediator or intermediary, who is the main cause for the current delays, the embassy said.
Applicants were also warned not to present forged or false documents. Corruptions, as well as the production of false or forged documents or statements, are serious crimes under both the Italian and Bangladeshi laws, which the Italian Embassy is committed to contrast together with the concerned Bangladeshi authorities.
Over these regrettable practices, thorough investigations are in due course also in Italy.
VFS Global acts on behalf and under strict instructions of the Italian Embassy, without taking part in any decision concerning the approval or rejection of a visa or its timing, nor on the appointment schedule to file the visa applications.
The appointments are given by the embassy after appropriate checks and controls on the data filed by the applicants, with no involvement of VFS Global or its staff.
During the meeting, the embassy recalled that, by Italian regulations, applicants can withdraw their passports at any moment provided that they renounce the application. For visa applications filed after May 2024, thanks to a special waiver released by the headquarters, applicants do not need to leave their passports anymore along with their visa applications. The passport can be presented at a later stage if needed.
The embassy wishes to highlight that the issuance of visas falls under the exclusive competence of the issuing State. Therefore, all decisions concerning the release or denials of Italian working visas to Bangladeshi citizens, as well as their timing, procedure, controls and deadlines, are exclusively regulated by Italian Law.
Grievances and appeals against the embassy's decisions can be presented to the proper authorities in Italy, pursuant to the applicable Italian laws and regulations.
Finally, the embassy wishes to recall that it processed almost 40,000 visa applications in 2023, the highest number ever. A similar number is expected in 2024.
Many legalizations and consular services are also provided by the embassy to Bangladeshi citizens living in Italy. This visa and consular activities contribute importantly to the success of the Bangladeshi community residing in Italy, which sends the remarkable amount of 1.2 billion Euros per year to Bangladesh.
The crime of illegal immigration is a serious crime and involves the repatriation of the migrant and a ban on re-entry throughout the territory of the European Union from 3 to 5 years. Illegal migrants are not allowed to work in Italy in any case.
The new procedures in Italy also provide for the possibility of detaining at the border those who arrive illegally and proceeding with immediate repatriation.
The Italian Embassy is committed to work with the Bangladeshi authorities and in partnership with the European Union for actively preventing irregular flows and promoting legal pathways. A bilateral agreement has been proposed to further improve collaboration in migration and mobility issues, which we hope to finalize soon.
At the same time, several thousands of irregular Bangladeshi migrants attempt to reach Italy every month: Bangladeshis are the first nationality trying to cross the Mediterranean illegally towards the Italian shores, putting their own lives at serious risk, said the Embassy.
"We invite all Bangladeshi citizens not to rely on human traffickers to reach Italy. The crime of illegal immigration is a serious crime and involves the repatriation of the migrant and a ban on re-entry throughout the territory of the European Union from 3 to 5 years," said the Embassy.
"Illegal migrants are not allowed to work in Italy in any case. The new procedures in Italy also provide for the possibility of detaining at the border those who arrive illegally and proceeding with immediate repatriation," it said.
