Tourist Visa and Student Visa

Caitlin, I've been reading around for a couple of hours and trying to think what I did for a couple of my kids (not for Italy and a good while ago).

First, everything I've read says you can't apply for a visa while you're in Italy. Steve's idea seems to be out.

What about what Frank says, put the onus on your school here? I'm sure they've delt with the issue before.

The last idea puts me on dangerous ground since I may not know what I'm talking about. My experience with visas is that they're as much for an end date as for a duration. (They want you gone by a certain time.) What would happen in you reasked the consulate in Miami for a six-month (or whatever) student visa that would expire at the completion of study but with the clear statement that you will be in Italy for X months prior to starting the course of study? In other words, did you give them the full scoop previously or where you just working on the three-month deal?

I only have applied for one student visa in Spain years ago when my son was studying in Madrid. We did everything via the mail. I would think that you could do the same time in the US and have it returned to a US address within the 90 and then mailed to you in Europe.

I will have to check to see if they will possibly allow me to apply for the visa more than 90 days prior.

Now a days you have to apply for the visa and pick it up in person so I wouldn't be able to do it by mail, unfortunately.

The Miami Consulate is the closest Italian Embassy to me and I have tried calling but they are not taking calls, so the only way to communicate with them is through email and the replies haven't been very thorough.

Simple, obtain the student visa here before you go. The institution where you are studying should assist in obtain the student visa. You automatically get a tourist visa for 90 days out of 180.

The Italian Embassy won't let you apply for the visa more than 90 days of when you will be using the visa. I will be in Italy for 90 days before I will need the student visa.. any other suggestions?

See if this helps:

Here are links to the Official website of the Italian Foreign Ministry, which explains the various visa categories and application fees. I don't know how easy or difficult it is to obtain one of these visas (in particular, the "long-stay Type D Visa"), not having had the need for one:

http://www.esteri.it/visti/index_eng.asp

http://www.esteri.it/MAE/EN/Mi...ervReteConsolare.htm

Note: the "long-stay" (over 90-days) Visa is the "Type D Visa"

http://www.esteri.it/visti/costi.asp

http://www.esteri.it/visti/tipologie.asp

http://www.esteri.it/visti/home.asp (Italian)

http://www.esteri.it/visti/home_eng.asp (English)

NOTE THAT THERE IS NO PROVISION FOR A "TOURIST" VISA FOR U.S.NATIONALS. RATHER, THERE ARE PROVISIONS FOR AN "ELECTIVE RESIDENCE" TYPE VISA (OVER 90 DAYS).

NOTE ALSO THAT THERE ARE SEVERAL OTHER TYPES OF VISAS ALLOWED FOR U.S. NATIONALS: STUDY, FAMILY, RELIGIOUS, etc. Not all the 20 Visa types are recognized for U.S. Nationals.

OPINION: For individuals who desire to stay in Italy more than 90 days within any 180 day period, it does seem better to obtain one of the foregoing "long-stay" visas rather than trying to juggle within the parameters of the 90-day Schengen rules. The cost of the visa is much less than buying two round-trip plane tickets between Italy and the U.S.!!! Note that when applying for the long-stay visa, you must demonstrate adequate financial resources: bank/brokerage statements of account, recipient of social security or other pensions, etc. You must also demonstrate availability of lodging in Italy: rental contract, ownership of vacation home, etc.

(continued)

QUOTE from Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs:

"An alien wishing to enter Italian territory or the Schengen Area must have sufficient financial resources available to guarantee maintenance throughout the planned visit. The availability of means of subsistence is therefore an essential condition for the entry of an alien into the Schengen Area (Common Consular Instruction).

On 1.3.2000 the Ministry of Home Affairs, (pursuant to section 4(c)(3) of the Consolidated Act no. 286 pf 25 July 1998), issued an Order, "Directive defining means of subsistence for the admission and stay of aliens within Italian territory" (published in the Official Gazzette No 64 on 17.3.2000).
This Order requires foreign nationals to demonstrate that they possess means of subsistence by showing liquid cash, bank guarantees, insurance policy guarantees or equivalent credit instruments, vouchers for prepaid services or other documents demonstrating access to sources of income in Italy.
Except where otherwise provided by the instruments mentioned above, the alien must indicate the existence of appropriate accommodation within Italy and the availability of funds for repatriation, which may also take the form of a prepaid return travel ticket.
The need to provide evidence of means of subsistence in the amount required is not only a fundamental condition for the issue of certain types of visas, but is also required at the moment the alien enters Italian territory.
No visas can be issued in the event of failure to produce evidence of means of subsistence or, in the event that such evidence cannot be produced to the Border Police, the alien will be formally turned away from the border."

(continued)

The MINIMUM GUIDELINES for establishing adequate financial resources appear to be quite low:

Stays above 20 days:

Fixed amount: € 206,58
Daily amount per person € 27,89

Not sure how to interpret this: 837 Euros per month (plus an additional 207 Euro?)

I assume all income is NET after applicable taxes, not gross before taxes!!!

IMPORTANT QUOTE from Italian Foreign Ministry website:

"No visas (and no extension to previously issued visas) may be granted to aliens who are already on Italian territory."

END OF POSTING

Those financial requirements are real.

When my son applied for a student visa for Italy (he was staying 11 months, not 3) I had to provide an affidavit from my bank indicating I had the required amount of $$$ for his stay, and I had to swear that I would support him throughout his stay.