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Italian Student Visa Packet
Consulate General of Italy in Philadelphia
This consulate is for students whose zip codes fall under the jurisdiction of the Consulate
General of Italy in Philadelphia. Your assignment is based on your home zip code from your
SU Abroad application. If you have questions regarding your consulate assignment, please
contact Gael Noyes or Marie Rauturier. Read this packet in its entirety and all instructions.
Before you begin:
Ensure you have a passport valid for at least six months after your program ends.
Ensure you will not need your passport before the program starts.
Note: If you will need your passport before the start of the program, we cannot
guarantee you will receive your visa in time and you may need to apply
independently. Contact Gael Noyes immediately to verify your eligibility for the group
submission process.
Visa application due date: May 2nd, 2016
Main contacts:
Marie Rauturier, Visa Coordinator: 315-443-9428, [email protected]
Gael Noyes, Florence Admissions Counselor: 315-443-0252, [email protected]
Do not send anything directly to the consulate. Send or bring all materials to:
SU Abroad
ATTN: Italy visas
106 Walnut Place
Syracuse, NY 13210
International students may apply through the Philadelphia jurisdiction if your home
school is in Delaware, Maryland (except Montgomery and Prince Georges Counties),
some New Jersey counties (Atlantic, Burlington, Camden, Cape May, Cumberland,
Gloucester, Hunterdon, Mercer, Ocean, Salem, Somerset), Pennsylvania, North
Carolina, Virginia (except Arlington and Fairfax counties), or West Virginia. Submit a
copy of your I-20 or Green Card with your other paperwork. If you are on an F1-visa,
make sure it is valid at least 3 months after your program ends.
Students with European Union citizenship traveling with their EU passport do not
need a visa.
Full year students: If there is any chance that you may decide to stay in Italy for the
academic year (fall 16/spring 17) with our program, you should get a visa to cover
both semesters in advanced. If you do not, you will have to return to the US during
the winter break and apply for a new visa for the spring semester. Please contact
Marie Rauturier or Gael Noyes regarding this matter.
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Table of Contents
Application Rules Page 3
Checklist of Required Documents Page 4
What is a Notary? Page 4
ID Page of Your Official Passport Page 5
Confirmed Round-Trip Flight Itinerary Page 5
What is the Schengen area? Page 6
Your Offical passport Page 7
Official Passport Photo Page 7
Copy of Your Driver’s License or State ID and Student ID Page 7
Visa Application Form Instructions Page 8
Number of Days (application question 25) Page 8
Program Dates (application questions 29 and 30) Page 8
Sample Visa Application Page 9
Bank Letter Instructions Page 13
Sample Bank Letter Page 14
Affidavit of Support Page 15
Affidavit of Health Insurance Coverage Instructions Page 16
Affidavit of Health Insurance Coverage Page 17
Money Order Page 18
Prepaid UPS label Page 19
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Rules for Submitting Your Italian Visa Application:
1. All documents must be submitted/postmarked by the deadline, sent in one package.
2. All documents must be printed single-sided.
3. Do not use any staples, paper clips, glue, or tape on any portion of your application.
4. All forms with handwritten sections must be legible and written in black or blue ink.
5. All photos, photocopies, and scans must be clear and easy to read.
6. You may print and photocopy in black and white or color.
7. You may use the forms provided in this packet or you can download them from your
SU Abroad Portal.
8. Make copies of all documents for your records and reference. Remember especially
to keep a copy of the ID page of your passport.
9. Send applications through a courier service (FedEx, UPS) or registered mail (US
Postal Service with a tracking number).
Note: We strongly recommend using FedEx or UPS. US Postal Service may take up to
two extra days to reach the SU Abroad office.
10. Make sure your passport is signed!
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Checklist of Required Visa Documents
The following documents must be uploaded to your SU Abroad Portal:
□ A scan of the ID page of your official passport
□ Confirmed round-trip flight itinerary
The following documents must be mailed or brought to SU Abroad:
□ Official SIGNED passport
□ One official passport photo
□ Italian visa application form
□ Photocopy of your student ID card and driver’s license or state ID
□ Official bank letter and (if applicable) notarized affidavit of support
□ Money Order for $55.05
□ Notarized affidavit of health insurance
□ International students: copy of your I-20 form or Green Card (both sides)
□ Pre-Paid UPS label
Note: What is a Notary?
You will notice a few documents require notarization. A notary is a person authorized to
perform legal formalities; in this case, authorization of a signature on an official document.
This tells the consulate that it has been legally confirmed that YOU signed the document
before him/her. You can find notaries at most banks. SU Abroad does not have an acting
notary.
Remember to keep a copy of all documents for your records!
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UPLOAD: ID Page of Your Official Passport
You are required to provide a copy of the
identification page of your passport. Please scan
and upload a copy of this page to your SU Abroad
Portal. Ensure the copy is clear and legible and you
can clearly view all numbers and letters. Please see
the sample on the right.
Please be sure that your passport is signed on the
page opposite your photograph and check again
that your passport is valid for at least six months
after your program ends.
UPLOAD: Confirmed Round-Trip Flight Itinerary
To obtain a visa, students must provide proof of exit from the country. You must provide
confirmation that you have purchased a round-trip ticket to Italy and out the Schengen area
(explanation on the following page). Upload a copy of the flight confirmation from the airline,
agent or travel agency. This must include all legs of your flight and confirmation that you
purchased the flight.
If you are traveling on the group flight and/or booking your flight through Advantage Travel,
please inform Marie Rauturier via email and Advantage Travel will send SU Abroad all
confirmed itineraries. Please ensure that you purchase this flight before the visa deadline. If
you have questions regarding group flights, call Advantage Travel (315-471-2222).
You are responsible for researching whether you need a visa for any independent travel
before, during or after the program. International students are strongly advised to check
tourist visa requirements thoroughly as there may be restrictions.
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What is the Schengen Area?
The Schengen Area includes the countries listed below. You will be able to travel freely in
these countries within the dates of your program and/or visa.
Austria
Belgium
Czech Republic
Denmark
Estonia
Finland
Germany
Greece
Hungary
Iceland (not EU)
Italy
Latvia
Liechtenstein (not EU)
Lithuania
Luxembourg
Malta
Netherlands
Norway (not EU)
Poland
Portugal
Slovakia
Slovenia
Spain
Sweden
Switzerland (not EU)
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MAIL: Your Official Passport
The consulate requires your official passport in order to place the visa inside as a
permanent page. This visa confirms the official approval of your stay in your host country
and is required for any student not of European Union citizenship.
If you do not have a passport or your passport will expire within six months of your
program ending, apply for or renew your passport immediately! SU Abroad strongly
recommends that you have your passport application expedited to ensure your new passport
arrives in time to apply for your visa with the group. Applications for passports and passport
renewal can be found online at Travel.State.Gov.
Once you have applied for your passport, contact Marie Rauturier or Gael Noyes and
immediately begin working on the remainder of your visa application and submit it to SU
Abroad by the published deadline. Do not fill out ANY passport information, we will fill that in
when your new passport arrives. Add a note with your submitted documents detailing the
date you submitted your passport application. Once you receive your new passport, do not
forget to sign it before sending it to SU Abroad.
MAIL: One Official Passport Photo
The consulate requires a separate photo to create your visa.
This does not need to be the same photo in your passport. You
may have official passport photos taken at various copy centers,
drugstores and other stores (i.e., CVS) for a fee. The photo
should be 1.77 inches by 1.37 inches and feature only you in
front of a white background. You may not take the photo
yourself. Only send one photo with your visa application, but
keep the extra photos and bring them with you to Italy. Please
write your name clearly on the back of the photo. Please see
the sample at left.
MAIL: Photocopy of Your Student ID and driver’s license
Your university ID card provides proof that you are a full-time
student at an accredited university. Your driver’s license or state
ID confirms that you live in the region served by the Philadelphia
consulate.
Please photocopy both on the same blank page, with nothing
written on the back. See sample to the right
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MAIL: Visa Application Form
You must submit a paper application for your visa. Please fill out the application based on
the sample provided on the following pages. Fill out each page exactly as it is filled out on
the sample with your appropriate information. There are two signatures required on this
application and you must complete both for the application to be complete.
You should have downloaded a blank application when you downloaded this packet. If you
did not, please visit the SU Abroad website and enter your zip code to access the
appropriate application. You can also find it in your SU Abroad Portal.
Please refer to this page when answering questions 25, 29 and 30 of your visa application.
Number of Days for Fall 2016 (question 25)
Question 25: Program
SU Florence Center
(includes Studio Arts, Architecture, Engineering, Intensive Language,
Florence Center & University of Florence (courses taught in English)
SU Florence Center (includes Studio Arts, Architecture, Engineering,
Intensive Language, Florence Center & University of Florence (courses
taught in English) + Greek Odyssey
Direct enrollment at University of Florence
(courses taught in Italian)
Direct enrollment at University of Florence
(courses taught in Italian) + Greek Odyssey
Program Dates for Fall 2016 (questions 29 and 30)
Question 29: Program
Arrival Date
Pre-Semester Seminar: The Greek Odyssey
Arrive: August 19, 2016
Arrive August 19, 2016
All programs
Arrive August 30, 2016
Question 30: Program
Departure Date
SU Florence Center
(includes Studio Arts, Architecture, Engineering, Intensive
Language and University of Florence (courses taught in
English)
Depart December 14, 2016
Direct enrollment at University of Florence
(courses taught in Italian)
December 20, 2016
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Philadelphia
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MAIL: Bank Letter (Proof of Financial Means)
The consulate requires proof that you have financial means to reside in Florence by
presenting the consulate with an original, signed bank letter from a US bank or financial
institution. SU Abroad cannot waive or alter this requirement. All students must provide
documentation of their funding. See the requirements below and sample bank letter on the
following page.
If you are unable to provide proof of the required amount, you may submit a bank letter in a
parent or guardian’s name supporting you. If you wish to do this, the account holder must
complete the Affidavit of Support on page __, have it notarized and submit it with your visa
materials. Please note you may only use the Affidavit of Support provided for you in this
packet. You may not use a form from another jurisdiction as they are different. If you have
questions regarding this, please contact Gael Noyes.
You may also submit a financial aid letter from your university as long as it meets the
requirements detailed below. The letter should be signed by your financial aid office, and
must show clearly that you have at least $4,000 available, after all your fees are deducted.
No screenshot will be allowed.
Statements from retirement accounts, 401k and stock portfolios are NOT accepted by the
Italian consulates in lieu of a bank letter.
Accessible amounts required:
Semester students: $4,000
Academic year students: $8,000
Fine Arts Graduate students: $12,000
**NOTE: Some programs vary in length. If your program is longer than four or eight
months, you will need to add $1,000 per month to the amount.
The format of the letter is basic, but should convey the following:
YOU (the student) OR the specified person in support of the student are the account
holder
The specified funds are present in your account at the time the letter is generated
Guidelines for the bank letter:
The document must come from a United States bank or financial institution.
Letter(s) must be original. Copies, scans, emails, and faxes are unacceptable.
Letter(s) must be on the bank or school original letterhead and have a signature of a
representative. Electronic signatures are unacceptable.
Bank statements are unacceptable.
Letter(s) must be dated as close to the visa deadline as possible.
You may combine two accounts from different institutions to reach your required
amount.
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United States Bank of Syracuse
123 Main Street
Syracuse, NY 13210
April 15, 2016
To The Honorable Italian Consulate General:
This letter certifies that the title of the following accounts reflects [your name here] as an account holder.
The above mentioned balance(s) is accurate as of [today’s date].
Sincerely,
John Doe
Bank Teller and Customer Service Representative
(315) 555-2252
[email protected]
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Affidavit of financial support
(Study program in Italy)
Please note:
- The affidavit must be completely and clearly filled out by the person providing financial support.
- The affidavit must be signed and notarized.
I the affiant, _______________________________________, born in ___________________________________
First name Middle name Last name City, State and Country
on ___________________________
Date of birth
BEING DULY SWORN ON OATH, DEPOSE AND SAY:
1. That the visa applicant ______________________________________ born in ________________________
First name Middle Name Last name City, State and Country
______________on ___________________________ is
Date of birth
__ my son __ my daughter __ my _____________________
2. That the visa applicant intends to pursue his/her education by attending ________________________________
Name of academic
institution
_________ in _____________________________, during the period ________________________________
Location of institution in Italy From To
of the academic year ___________ .
3. That I, the affiant, have full time employment as a ____________________________________________and
Profession
currently employed at _____________________________________________________________________,
with sufficient income and assets to provide for the expenses the applicant may incur while studying in Italy.
4. That I, the affiant will pay the applicant’s expenses as outlined above.
_________________ ____________________________________
Date Affiant’s signature
_________________ ____________________________________
Date Signature + Seal of Public Notary
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MAIL: Notarized Affidavit of Health Insurance Coverage
As part of the visa process, the Italian Consulate General requires that all students purchase
an insurance policy with I.N.A. ASSITALIA for the duration of their stay as a student in Italy.
SU Abroad purchases this insurance for every student once they arrive in Florence.
Therefore, this affidavit is the documentation acknowledging that the student is aware they
will have this coverage. You do not need to send any money with this application. This
insurance covers only emergency care and alone is not enough medical insurance for a
student for the entire semester. Students and their families are responsible for ensuring
that they are adequately covered while abroad.
Below is what the form will look like. The notarization should be completed at the bottom of
the page or as the notary sees fit. Do not sign the document until you are in the presence of
the notary. The actual form is on the following page. Please ensure this form has NOTHING
printed on the back when you complete it.
1. Print out the form on the following page. *DO NOT SIGN YET*
2. Take the sheet to a notary and have the document notarized.
3. Send the original along with you visa application.
Fill out in the presence of notary
Notarization here
Sign in the presence of notary
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AFFIDAVIT OF HEALTH INSURANCE
ONLY FOR LONG STAY VISA OVER 90 DAYS
DICHIARAZIONE DI IMPEGNO
Il sottoscritto
(Last name and first name)
nato/a a il
(place of birth) (date of birth: dd/mm/yy)
DICHIARA
di impegnarsi ad acquistare al suo arrivo in Italia una polizza assicurativa con societa` di
assicurazioni
italiane che prevedano il pagamento diretto alle Unita` Sanitarie Locali delle
spese per cure urgenti
ospedaliere, accompagnata da dichiarazione che tale polizza
“non contiene
limitazioni od eccezioni per le
tariffe previste per il ricovero ospedaliero urgente per tutta la durata del
ricovero stesso”
.
Prende inoltre atto che la ricevuta di pagamento della polizza assicurativa dovra` essere
presentata alla
Questura o Posto di Polizia della citta` di destinazione, competente a rilasciare il
“permesso di soggiorno” .
STATE
I, the undersigned, hereby swear that upon arrival in Italy I will purchase a health insurance policy issued
by an Italian Health Insurance carrier that will pay directly the Italian hospitals belonging to the national
health care system. I will obtain a written statement to the effect that the policy I have purchased has no
limitations or exceptions to the rates established by the Italian public hospitals for emergency medical
care or hospitalization, no matter for how long (please, note that the statement should be worded in
Italian as it appears written above in the Italian portion between quotes).
I have been also informed that proper receipt of payment for such health policy has to be exhibited
to the “QUESTURA” or “POSTO DI POLIZIA”, as supporting document to my application for
“PERMESSO DI SOGGIORNO” (permit to stay) and that is not later than eight days from my arrival in
Italy.
Letto, confermato e sottoscritto.
(Read, confirmed and signed)
Il Dichiarante
Firma (Signature)
If you mail this statement remember to have your signature notarized by a Notary Public:
Signature & stamp of the Notary Public:
NOTE
Major Italian Health Insurance companies offer policies with health coverage; for instance, the
“ISTITUTO NAZIONALE DELLE ASSICURAZIONI INA-ASSITALIA” offers a student health insurance
policy with the required coverage. The cost for INA’s policy is subject to change and payment should
be made through a postal money order (CONTO CORRENTE POSTALE) to the account n. 7127000
under the name of AGENZIA GENERALE DI ROMA INA ASSITALIA, Via del Tritone n. 131, Roma.
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MAIL: Money Order
Applicants are required to pay a processing fee in the form of a personal money order of
$55.05 made out to Consulate General of Italy, 1026 Public Ledger Building - 150 South
6th Street, Philadelphia, PA 19106.
Please make sure you write your name, home address and phone number on your money
order. You can purchase one at your local U.S. post office, in a bank, or at the offices of
Money Gram, Western Union or Currency Exchange. Some pharmacies may also sell money
orders.
Any alteration to the money order (i.e. Whiteout) will render it unacceptable.
$55.05
DATE
CONSULATE GENERAL OF ITALY
1026 PUBLIC LEDGER BUILD. 150 S 6
TH
ST.
PHILADELPHIA, PA 19106
YOUR NAME
YOUR ADDRESS
YOUR PHONE NUMBER
ITALIAN VISA PROCESS
FIFTY FIVE DOLLARS AND FIVE CENTS
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MAIL: Pre-Paid UPS Label
You must provide SU Abroad with a pre-paid UPS label in order to have your passport and
visa returned to you. You do not need to provide SU Abroad with an envelope, just the label.
Following are directions on how to create one. The label is available for printing for 24 hours.
If you do not have immediate access to a printer, you can save the label as a PDF file and
print it later.
1. Go to www.ups.com and select the “New User” tab. Complete the sections if you do
not have a UPS account:
a. Contact name: your first and last name
b. Email: the email you will check regularly
c. User ID (create one)
d. Passport (create one)
e. Technology Agreement
f. Terms and Conditions: Agree
2. Enter your new profile information
a. The “address” must be your home/permanent address OR where you will be
during the academic break. Please ensure that this is a secure location with
someone available to sign for the package
3. Communication preferences: Select your own options. Click “Create a shipment.”
4. “Where is this Shipment Going?”
a. Select “Address Book”
b. Select “profile address”
5. “Where is this Shipment Coming From?”
a. Select “Edit”
b. Company or Name: SU Abroad
c. Contact: Gael Noyes
d. Address Line 1: 106 Walnut Place
e. City: Syracuse
f. State: NY
g. Zip Code: 13210
h. Telephone: 315-443-0252
i. Email: [email protected]
j. Click “Update”
6. “What are you shipping?”
a. Select “UPS Letter”
7. “How would you like to ship?”
a. Service: UPS 2
nd
Day Air or UPS Next Day Air
b. Select “Send email notifications”
c. DO NOT select “Deliver without signature”
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8. “Would you like to add a reference number to this shipment?
a. Leave this section blank
9. “How would you like to pay?”
a. Select “Use Another Payment Card”
b. Enter your credit card information
c. Specify your billing address
10. “Would you like to schedule a pickup?”
a. Leave this section blank
11. Review that the information is correct, and make sure that box is checked for
“Review Shipping details, including price, before completing this shipment”
12. Click “Next”
13. Enter any email address(es) you’d like to be notified upon shipment, and a personal
email message if desired (e.g., “John Smith’s passport”)
14. Click “Next”
15. Review the shipping information and click “Ship Now” if correct
16. Print or save the label.
IMPORTANT: Although we will do everything in our power to help you locate a missing
package, SU Abroad cannot be responsible for shipments that are wrongfully delivered or
lost by UPS. It is UPS policy to require a signature for a package unless otherwise
instructed and to leave packages in a secure location. However, we unfortunately have
no control over individual drivers and whether they adhere to UPS policy.
SU Abroad recommends that you track your package when you are notified that your
passport has been sent. If you have special requirements for delivery (a specific door,
ringing the doorbell, etc.), these must be addressed by you as the customer with UPS.
For greater control over how your UPS shipment is delivered, please consider signing up
for the UPS My Choice service. You can receive alerts regarding the package and can
provide further instructions how you would like the package delivered (leave inside a
side door, reschedule, bring to a different address, etc.). Read about this service here:
http://www.ups.com/content/us/en/bussol/browse/personal/delivery_options/my_choi
ce.html. To sign up, use this link: http://www.ups.com/mychoice/welcome.html
Please contact UPS Customer Service at 800-PICK-UPS (800-742-5877) with your
tracking number if you have questions about the delivery of your package or to file a
claim for a missing package. You may also file a claim from your online account.