Italian Tourist Visa

We are a South African (with 2 small children) and living in the UK on my husband's five year work permit. I have an appointment for an italian visa on the 30 July, our trip is booked for the 22nd August.

On the italian website and on the information they sent, they ask for our marriage certificate and the children's birth certificates to be legalised. This would be impossible to do as I enquired at the South African embassy and they said they would have to send it away and it takes months and also the document can only be legalised if it less than a year old!

We eventually got through to the italian embassy and they said I must bring a letter from the SA embassy saying that the documents are legit. The south african embassy refused to do this (and you are wondering why we left!).

Anyway my question is - if I have recent unabridged marriage and birth certificates and all other documentation except the legalisation bit, would my visa request be turned down? Do you think?

Sibella wrote:We are a South African (with 2 small children) and living in the UK on my husband's five year work permit. I have an appointment for an italian visa on the 30 July, our trip is booked for the 22nd August.

On the italian website and on the information they sent, they ask for our marriage certificate and the children's birth certificates to be legalised. This would be impossible to do as I enquired at the South African embassy and they said they would have to send it away and it takes months and also the document can only be legalised if it less than a year old!

We eventually got through to the italian embassy and they said I must bring a letter from the SA embassy saying that the documents are legit. The south african embassy refused to do this (and you are wondering why we left!).

Anyway my question is - if I have recent unabridged marriage and birth certificates and all other documentation except the legalisation bit, would my visa request be turned down? Do you think?

As u r both not EU it seems to me u r both at the mercy of the Italians....

Sorry.