Visa Information

Italian immigration law is very strict and gives fines and penalties for both students and schools if students are discovered to lack proper visa documentation or if students are not properly registered with the authorities after arrival in Italy. All students have to obtain visas prior to departure. IMPARA will assist the students with registration at the Questura, where the residency permit, the permesso di soggiorno is issued.

Student visas are obtained from Italian Consulates in the U.S. and overseas who have jurisdiction over designated states and regions. In the U.S., there are 11 Italian consulates and student must apply to the consulate that has jurisdiction over their state/county of permanent residence (see attached consulate list). Because visa procedures and requirements vary somewhat between consulates, it is important to consult the consulate's webpage for specific instructions before you apply.
The New York City Consulate's website includes a sample financial support letter and health insurance affidavit form, which you can download.
Please note that some consulates--Boston, Detroit, Miami, New York, and San Francisco--will now process applications for full-time students who live in their jurisdictions as students, if students can verify residency and student status. If it is too difficult for you to return to your home state to apply for your visa and you attend a school in one of the jurisdictions above, you may have an alternative application option.

U.S. citizen must have a valid passport to apply for a visa, and the passport must be valid for at least 3-6 months after the end of your stay in Italy (whether it's 3 or 6 months' validity after your stay depends on the consulate and will be specified in the requirements).

You must contact the Italian Embassy or the consulate in the state where you are enrolled as a student to learn of any special visa requirements. (If you plan to travel outside of Italy, you must do the same for each country you intend to visit.) In some cases, the additional required documentation may be no more than producing your I-20 form and following the requirements for U.S. citizens. Other international students may need to return to their home countries to apply.

Most consulates require a personal appearance to apply for the visa, or a personal appearance at one of the sub- or vice-consulates who collect your passport, financial statements, and other documentation for forwarding to the main consulate. A few consulates allow for application by mail (San Francisco, for example), but this can take longer. It is always better to go at least 2 months before the trip.

Notarized letters from academic institution stating nature of program, dates, payment of fees (Impara will provide you with these letters; one of original must be stamped by the consulate, and returned to you so you can bring it to Italy for STEP 2, below)

Health insurance.

Financial documentation (parent and student provide notarized proof of financial support, bank statements, etc.)

Confirmation of roundtrip ticket (SU provides a standard group flight itinerary, which the consulates all accept)

Application form with photos (student provides)

Copies of original documentation above, as specified by consulate (student provides)

Prepaid mailer for return of passport with visa-must follow consular guidelines about which express services are acceptable (student provides)
One new development this year is that the Italian government has waived the application fee for student visas!

Upon arrival in Italy, we will assist you with applying for your residency permit at the Questura (Italian police office). Remember, you are not really legal in Italy until this step is completed, and some of the documentation you will need will be the same as what was produced for your visa application. Therefore, make a note of what you will need to bring with you to Italy to complete this step:

The mandatory Italian insurance you purchase in Italy will suffice for processing your visa and permesso applications, but it is not really sufficient coverage because it only covers emergency medical care in Italy, and only in Italy. In other words, if you travel to any other countries during the program and need medical services, the INA insurance does not apply. Also, while in Italy if you need dental work, medical tests, prescriptions, or outpatient services, the INA coverage will not apply, so it is imperative that you have an additional U.S. policy that covers you abroad.