Study Abroad in Italy: New Visa Rules Could Deter International Students

Starting January 10, 2025, Italy will require Type D visa applicants, including international students in programs lasting over 90 days, to secure individual appointments at Italian consulates for fingerprinting.

This new policy is expected to increase administrative burdens for consulates and prospective students alike. In the 2022-23 academic year, Italy emerged as the top destination for US students, drawing 15% of those studying abroad.

In addition to the present fees that students bear, the obligation to travel to Italian consulates for fingerprinting will raise their financial burden.

This change makes the application process more stressful and difficult for students.

This development may result in fewer students selecting long-term studies in Italy if the new visa restrictions make the procedure too complicated.

Calls for Policy Adjustments

Deputy executive director of the National Association of Foreign Student Advisers (NAFSA), Jill Allen Murray, who expressed disappointment with the update, stated that in addition to requiring individual appointments, the update eliminates “batch” processing, a practice used by US universities to help large groups of students secure visas efficiently.

Murray explained that this would place additional administrative demands on each Italian consulate.

In response to the changes, NAFSA and Forum on Education Abroad have written a joint letter to the Italian ambassador, urging the restoration of batch processing.

They have also requested that Italy allocate more resources to consular appointments and allow fingerprinting to be done at honorary consulates or local police stations.

Both organisations warn that the new system may not be able to handle the expected demand for student visas, and they encourage students to apply as soon as possible to prevent delays.

Do you have plans to study in Italy? Talk to us in the comment section below. Or if you need more advice on the above, contact us for further travel & immigration advice.

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