Italy to North Korea visa requirements

Yes, an Italian ordinary passport holder needs a visa for North Korea. There is no visa-free, visa-on-arrival, or eVisa option. The tourist visa must be arranged in advance through an authorized tour operator (independent travel is not allowed), and it is issued as a separate tourist card rather than stamped in the passport. As of mid-2026 North Korea remains effectively closed to Western and European tourists, so trips by Italian nationals are currently not possible in practice. Italian (IT) ordinary passport holders require a visa to enter North Korea (DPRK) for tourism; there is no visa-waiver, eVisa, ETA, or visa-on-arrival channel for Italian citizens. All tourism must be booked through a state-authorized tour operator, which handles the visa application with the Korea International Travel Company / State General Bureau of Tourist Guidance. Independent travel and self-arranged visas are not permitted. The visa is normally issued as a tourist card (a separate document) collected at a pre-tour briefing in China or Russia, and entry/exit are not stamped into the passport. Importantly, as of June 2026 the DPRK remains officially closed to international tourism for everyone except Russian nationals; Western and European tourists, including Italians, are barred from entry. Italy's Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Farnesina / Viaggiare Sicuri) explicitly states that travel to the country is currently precluded for Italian citizens and strongly advises against all non-essential travel. Travelers should treat any claim of an open booking window with caution and confirm directly with an authorized operator and the Farnesina before planning.