Wikimecum:How to get a Student Visa
Overview
Not all students who come to Venice are American citizens (or citizens of a country that lets you enter European countries without a visa). If this applies to you, you will need to apply for a Schengen Visa at an Italian consulate. The visa you'll want to apply for is a "tourist/visit" visa, because "student" visas are only for those involved with an official school in Venice. However, because you are going to Venice to work on a school-related project, and depending on the person working in the consulate that day, you might be forced to obtain a student visa. A student visa is free, but creates more of a hassle in Venice itself - you will need to report to the Italian police and get Italian medical insurance once you arrive. A tourist visa is the way to go, if possible.
For both visas, you need to make an appointment at the consulate beforehand. Visit the consulate's site (click here) to find the phone number and office hours.
Documents needed for Visa
There are several documents needed to apply for a visa, and this is made more difficult by the fact that you might get one of two types of visas. So make sure you have all the following documents WITH PHOTOCOPIES - take several photocopies of all original documents as well.
- Visa application form - you can get this at the consulate itself as well.
- A recent passport-style photo - You can get this done at a CVS. Make sure you have extra copies.
- Passport or travel document valid for at least three months after the visa expiry date. Make sure you photocopy the main page and the address page.
- Proof of enrollment or pre-enrollment in your course of study, indicating the number of hours of daily study and duration of course - you need this for a student visa, so take this just in case. The WPI Registrar can probably provide this.
- Documentation of educational history in your country of origin.
- Letter of invitation - you can get this at the IGSD. Make sure it invites you to Italy and includes a residence address. If possible, ask the IGSD office to invite you to Venice for "visit purposes" only.
- "Proof of available means of support for the stay in Italy of an amount not less than that established in Table A annexed to Ministry of Interior Directive 1.3.2000" - basically, this means copies of your most recent bank and credit card statements. If you don't have enough money in the bank at that moment (an average of 35 euros per day, I think), ask your parents to give you a copy of their bank statement and a letter stating that they will take care of all incidental expenses during the trip. Make sure ALL the bank statements, etc. are certified (stamped, sealed, etc.) by your bank.
- Declaration of the availability in Italy of appropriate lodgings, as well as the funds necessary for repatriation. This could possibly be demonstrated in the form of a return airline ticket.
- Insurance coverage for medical treatment and/or hospitalisation, to be demonstrated by:
- Consular declaration attesting to the applicant's right to health care in the presence of specific agreements between Italy and the applicant’s country of origin; OR
- a foreign insurance policy or one underwritten with Italian bodies or firms that must not include limitations or exception to the fees established for emergency hospitalisation.
- Visa application fee IN CASH - credit cards and personal cheques are NOT accepted.
Once again, make sure you photocopy ALL the documents (except the visa application form). In Boston, there is a Staples photocopy place down Summer street (on your left as you walk from South Station towards Downtown Crossing) in case you forget to photocopy something.
Where to obtain a Visa
Boston - General Consulate Address: 600 Atlantic Ave. - Boston, MA 02210 Tel.: 0016177229201, 7229203 Fax: 0016177229407 Website: [www.consboston.esteri.it www.consboston.esteri.it] E-mail: [email protected]
There are other Italian consulates in the United States, but this is the one closest to WPI.
Once in Venice
If you have a tourist visa, you're all set! Otherwise, once you arrive, you'll need to make sure that someone who works in the VPC knows that you need report yourself to the police within seven days of your arrival. Once you report to the police, you should get a case number and a "Permit of Stay". With the case number and Permit of Stay in hand, you'll then need to buy medical insurance at the Post Office. Someone in the VPC should help you with all these legal steps, since they are all very important in order to avoid problems when in Italy. Also, make sure, when you travel around Italy/Europe, to keep the Permit of Stay with you, because it should always be carried along with your passport.
Travel to Countries not in the Schengen states
There are still some countries in Europe that are not a part of the Schengen agreement, or which still need to implement the Schengen visa policy (Eg. the U.K., Ireland, Romania, etc). If you plan to travel to any of these countries, make sure you get the visa before you go to Venice, as you will not be able to get these visas once in Europe!