Fall and Spring Terms
(Required: Student Visa and Permesso di Soggiorno) Students attending the Fall and or Spring term need to obtain a Student Visa 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. Because visa procedures and requirements vary somewhat between consulates, you must consult the appropriate consulate's webpage for specific instructions before you apply. (It can be very difficult to reach a visa official by phone, but their recorded messages and websites are very informative.) For website addresses and links see http://www.italyemb.org/Jurisdictions.htm

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..

Getting the Visa
Most consulates require a personal appearance to apply for the visa, or a personal appearance at one of the sub consulates that 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. Consulates typically will return your passport with the new visa by mail, so you don't have to return in person for pick up, but again they are particular about what kind of prepaid mail service you use, so check their instructions before going to the consulate.

DO NOT WAIT TILL THE LAST FEW WEEKS TO APPLY!
Plan a trip to the consulate 6-8 weeks before you intend to leave. There may be long lines, so be patient! Arrive as early as possible to insure you get in before the doors close for the day.

General Visa Requirements (check your consulate's webpage for detailed instructions)

•Notarized letters from academic institution stating nature of program, dates, payment of fees (We will provide your letter in Italian; it must be stamped by the consulate, and returned to you so you can bring it to Italy.

•Affidavit pledging student will purchase mandatory Italian health insurance in Italy (Firenze Arti Visive provides a form & student gets it notarized).

•Signed and notarized Proof of Financial Support. Firenze Arti Visive will provide this form for the visa application. It should be signed by person financially responsible for the student (not the school). The person who signs the support statement must submit proof of adequate means by providing a letter from his/her bank attesting to the financial security of the individual including the person's bank account number. If this information is not provided to the consulate, you will not be able to obtain a visa.

•Confirmation of roundtrip tickets.

•Application form with passport type photos (student provides).

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

•Prepaid mailer for return of passport with visa and must follow consular guidelines about which express services are acceptable (student provides).

Remember, this is a general list. Most likely you will need to submit additional materials and should follow the directions for your consulate very carefully. Do not follow requirements for a consulate other than your jurisdictional consulate. If your documents are not exactly as the consulate outlines, they will send your application back to you unprocessed. We suggest that you make copies of all documents prior to submitting the application.

Permesso di Soggiorno
Obtaining the Residency Permit (Permesso di Soggiorno). Upon arrival in Italy, Firenze Arti Visive staff will assist you with applying for your residency permit. 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:

•Notarized letter stamped by the consulate (We will provide you with the original and you must have it stamped by the consulate and returned to you, so you can you can bring it with you to Italy.

•A second original of the notarized financial support letter(s) you prepared for the consulate (bring with you to Italy).

•Letters from Health Insurance Company

Important: Health Insurance
It is mandatory that all students be covered by health insurance for the entire length of their stay in Italy. Start by contacting your health insurance company to find out if your coverage applies to overseas travel. To demonstrate proof of coverage you need to request 2 letters on company letterhead with the company seal containing the following information:
Student's full name and policy number. Do not request a letter with your parent's name on it even if he/she is the primary bearer of the insurance.
Valid dates of the policy that must cover the entire length of stay in Italy. Statement that the coverage applies in Italy. Signature of an insurance company representative.

These letters will only be valid if they contain all of the applicable information. When applying for your visa request an Attestato Consulare" from the consulate. This is a document written in Italian stating that your insurance is valid and acceptable
for your stay in Italy. If your insurance does not cover you in Italy or the company will not release any letters on your behalf, you can purchase health insurance in Florence. I.N.A. ASSITALIA offers a minimum coverage policy that will be accepted by the Italian government. It is important to know that this coverage only covers emergency hospital care.