Italy Student Visa: Know Eligibility, Processing Time, and More

Internationally revered for its rich cultural heritage and amongst the most visited countries in Europe, Italy is a dreamland for those in awe of its historical glory and the amazing artists, writers and philosophers who hailed from Italy. Further, the country’s advanced academic system, renowned universities, affordable academic programs as well as significant developments in the education sector, has also made it one of the choicest destinations to study abroad. If you are planning to study in Italy and are sorting out the admission procedure of your chosen university, then you must also familiarize yourself with the requirements and application process for Italy Student Visa. Read this blog to get insight into the types of Italy Study Visa, document requirements and application process as well as fees and processing time.

Types of Italy Student Visas

Studying in Italy can be a great experience in terms of quality living and world-class education. For all non-EU students, obtaining the right type of Italy student visa is necessary to ensure a hassle-free stay in the country. Mainly, there are two types of student visas, i.e., Visa Types C and D, through which you can enter the Italian borders. 

Visa Type C	Valid for exactly 90 days.
Visa Type D	Valid for the duration of course which must be more than 3 months.

You will need a Type C visa or a short-stay visa if you are opting for a short-term program which ranges between 3 months or exactly 3 months. Under the Type C visa, you can pursue short-term courses like Certifications, Diploma or a Language course. On the other hand, if you are planning to get enrolled under a program that has a longer duration such as undergraduate or postgraduate degree courses, it is necessary to have a Type D visa. However, no matter the type of visa you require, the processing time of all the formalities for non-EU students is lengthy. It is suggested to start the process as early as possible so that you can obtain the Italy Student visa before the initial date of entry.

Eligibility Criteria for Italy Student Visa

To be able to apply and secure an Italy student visa, there are some specific requirements you need to qualify. Let’s go through the major eligibility requirements for applying for an Italian student visa for Indians:

• The applicant must be present in India while applying for an Italian student visa. 
• It is essential to have a passport that is valid for at least three months after the course ends. 
• It is mandatory to state that your main motive behind the visit is to indulge in educational activities such as research, internship, training, etc. 
• You must have already received a letter of invitation or acceptance letter from a recognised university in Italy. 
• Candidates must have sufficient funds to manage their stay in Italy. 

Italy Resident Permit (IRP)

Any non-EU national who has applied for and received the type D Italy student visa will have to apply for an Italian residence permit after landing in the country. Candidates must note that it is mandatory to apply for the IRP within 8 working days of their arrival. The permit officially allows non-native students to stay in the country for a longer period. The Italian living arrangement license card is electronic with an installed microchip inside. Enlisted below are some of the official documents that you will need to apply for the Italy Residence Permit:

1. 2 photocopies of your passport 
2. 2 copies of your visa for Italy 
3. Xerox of pages of passport containing official stamps 
4. Photocopy of your fiscal code
5. Photocopy of Politecnico, i.e., the document stating your enrollment in the course that you are about to pursue, etc.

Documents Required for Italy Student Visa

As soon as you receive your confirmation letter from the university, you should gear up to apply for the Italy Study Visa. As there is no fixed duration of visa verification, it is advised to start with the documentation process as soon as you can. Here is a list of Italy student visa requirements that you will need while applying for the. Once you have got all the documents ready as well as got your acceptance letter, you are all set to apply for an Italy study Visa.

1. A valid passport which is valid for at least three months after the end date of your study program.
2. A letter of acknowledgement from your University in Italy.
3. Recent passport-size picture. 
4. A final visa application form.
5. A copy of flight ticket (s) to Italy.
6. Verification of no criminal record. 
7. Verification of language capabilities in Italian or English (contingent upon the language of your program selected). 
8. Confirmation of satisfactory financial means to help yourself (somewhere in the range of €450 [INR 40,000] and €515 [INR 55,000] month to month).
9. Confirmation of accommodation set up in Italy.
10. Confirmation of satisfactory medical insurance.
11. Documents stating the submission of fee for the chosen program.

Italy Student Visa Processing Time

The processing time for an Italy Student Visa is between 1–3 weeks. The Italian Embassy takes roughly 14 days or more to process the application, schedule an interview and verify all the documents submitted by the applicant.

Application Process for Italy Student Visa

To ensure that you receive your student visa within the time of joining your chosen university in Italy, you will have to start the application process at least 45 days before your exact date of arrival. Here are some of the key points to remember while applying for the Italy student visa:

• Visit the official website and download the application form. 
• Book an appointment with the nearby embassy for the interview.
• Prepare for the interview and do not forget to carry all the important documents along with their photocopies.
• Once, you are done with the interview, wait for the exact status of your application.

Italy Student Visa Fee and Rejection Rate

The Italy Visa fee for a Type D Italian student visa is €76 (6,800 INR) whereas the application fee for a Type C visa for less than 5 years is €81 (7,000 INR). The Italy student visa rejection rate in 2017 was 8.2 per cent, in 2018 it increased to 9.6 per cent, and then again in 2019 to 9.9 per cent.

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FAQs

We hope that this blog was insightful in providing you with all the details regarding the Italy Student Visa. Many Indian students dream of pursuing education in foreign nations due to the exposure and career growth they offer. Consider joining a free counselling session with Leverage Edu if you plan to study abroad.