Immigration - Italy
Italian Student Visa and Immigration Process

U.S. citizens studying abroad in Italy are required to obtain a student visa for long-term stay prior to departure. Students will also need to apply for a Permit to Stay upon arrival in Italy.
 
More detailed information and next steps can be found in the Italy Immigration Instructions document.

It is your responsibility to read and review this information carefully as well as contact your program and consulate. Please also review the introductory information below. Many programs will also provide more detailed next steps and guides for their students. Be in touch with your program directly to understand what support they may offer in this process.

Your immigration status is your responsibility. Without acquiring the appropriate student visa, you will not be able to study in Italy. 

How do I apply for a visa?
USAC Torino Students ONLY: 
USAC offers to help process applications for their students and will send you more information on those services. You can choose either to make use of their services (recommended) or proceed on your own, following the below instructions, to obtain your visa. 
 
All Other Students

Students residing or studying full-time in Colorado fall under the jurisdiction of the Chicago Consulate and may submit their passport and visa application by mail.
  • Please see the Italy Immigration Instructions form for detailed steps, details on required forms and notarization requirements, contact information for the Honorary Vice Consulate of Italy in Denver, and links to the Chicago Consulate website.  
  • You should confirm all visa processes and documents with the consulate website and your program.
  • PLEASE NOTE: If you are a permanent resident in another state, you may be able to use another consulate.  The Chicago Consulate also serves Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, South Dakota, Wisconsin and Wyoming.
    • It will be your responsibility to ensure you are able to use that consulate to apply for your visa.
    • Please know that they may have a different application form and different requirements. It will be your responsibility to work with that consulate as the OIE does not hold information for any other consulate. 
      • Applicants at other consulates may be required to appear in person.  The Chicago Consulate (as of this update in January 2022) allows for students participating in a study abroad program to submit their passport and visa application by mail.
Permit to Stay
Once you arrive in Italy, you will need to complete a secondary immigration process and apply for the Permit to Stay or the Declaration of Presence (depending on length of stay in Italy).  This process must be started within 8 days of your arrival in Italy. Your program will provide you with more guidance on this process (further detail is also provided in the Italy Immigration Instructions form). It is your responsibility to review this information now so that you are prepared with the required documents. 
 
FAQs
What is a visa?
A visa is official permission granted by the government for you to travel to and remain in that country for a specified period of time.  The visa is normally stamped or placed in your passport and is granted by the Italian government. The OIE has no influence over the process.

Who needs a student visa for Italy?
All U.S. citizens who plan to study in Italy for over 90 days during a six month period must obtain a visa.

Please note that if you are not a U.S. citizen, you should contact your consulate to verify specific entry requirements. As these requirements vary based on citizenship, non-U.S. citizens may have different immigration requirements. Also, visa fees for non-U.S. citizens may differ so please be sure to check your specific consulate's website for the most up to date information. Please speak with the ISSS office at DU to ensure you have the necessary paperwork to go abroad and return to DU.

What is the time frame for applying for a student visa?
You may not apply for a visa any earlier than 90 days prior to departure. According to the Chicago Consulate website (as of January 2022), average processing time for a Study Visa is four to six weeks. Do not procrastinate on mailing your application. If you do not send it with enough time to be processed, you will not be able to go abroad and there is nothing that the OIE can do on your behalf. The Consulate is very strict about their requirements and does not make exceptions for anyone. Because of this time frame, international travel over the summer (or three months prior to program start) is strongly discouraged, as your passport will likely be at the Consulate for processing for most of this time. There is no guarantee that you will have your passport back from the Consulate in time for you to undertake additional travel.

I am a Cherrington Global Scholar. What does DU pay for?
As of December 2015, the Italian visa now has a 50 Euro application fee. The Permit to Stay (done upon arrival) also carries an application fee of €173 (~$200), the Declaration of Presence (done upon arrival) is €29 (~$35). CGS students can be reimbursed for both application fees so long as students submit their receipts to the OIE by the deadline outlined in the DU Study Abroad Policies as well as in your OIE pre-departure emails and processes outlined in the DU Study Abroad Handbook.
  • Failure to submit these receipts by the deadline may result in you forfeiting this benefit. Students who submit their receipts in time will receive a credit on your DU account, not cash reimbursement.
  • All other costs associated with the visa, including mailing fees, notary fees, envelopes, photos, and photocopying, are the responsibility of the student.
 
By marking off this checklist item, you understand that it is your responsibility to secure the correct immigration status to study in Italy and understand relevant deadlines in that process. The deadline indicated in this checklist item is your deadline to have reviewed the information above and have booked your appointment at the Italian Consulate. Additionally, you understand the information above is provided by the University of Denver in order to serve as a general guide to assist students, that it is ultimately your responsibility as the applicant to follow the Italian Government's protocol (even if different from above guidelines) in order to secure the proper immigration status, and that DU does not hold any authority for this process. You should touch base with your program for next steps and appropriate websites to gather the needed information.