INDEPENDENT VISA APPOINTMENT GUIDE

Transcription

1 INDEPENDENT VISA APPOINTMENT GUIDE Students who cannot participate in the group appointment (e.g. - pending international travel, living in independent housing and/or seeking to bring a spouse or dependent) will need to apply for their visas individually. The following are some guidelines and hints to assist students in the individual visa process. Each Italian Consulate has its own visa protocol and interpretations of the visa process. Therefore Consulates, even within the same country, may have different requirements for completing the visa process. While Marist makes every effort to familiarize ourselves with the consulate regulations and to assist our students in the visa process Marist Italy does not claim expertise or authority over the visa process. It is ultimately the responsibility of the student to understand the requests of the consulate to which they are applying. Included in the packet are the following: Visa Document Check List: It contains a list of all of the items you need for a complete visa application as well as clarification on which documents are the student s responsibility and which documents Marist will provide. It is your responsibility to coordinate the documents you need from Marist with your program coordinator. Note some of these documents are prepared by other offices so please allow two weeks for processing of documents. Group Appointment Application and Instructions: Allthough this paperwork has been designed for the group appointment, it will provide students with independed appointments with some general guidelnes on how to correctly compelte the application. Take note that the phrasing of questions on this application could generate various answers. We have provided line by line instructions that clarify the intent of each question. Students making an individual appoihtment in New York can use the sample application. Those working with other consulates should use the application on the website for their assigned consulate but refer to the instructions on how to complete the application. Proof of Financial Soundness Guidelines: The next several pages discuss the financial soundness requirement. This will be the same for all consulates. A List of Italian Consulates in the U.S.: This list details the Italian Consulates in the US and the jusrisdictions that they serve. Be sure that you are making an appointment at the correct consulate. Visit the website for that particiualt consulate to confirm that they are not requesting additional materials. Also be aware that each consulate has a different procedure for the acceptance of visas. Be sure you understand the process for your consulate. Tips for Preparing For Your Appointment and Preparing Your Documents for Submission

2 GROUP VISA APPOINTMENT CHECK LIST This list is the list of documents needed to successfully apply for a group visa through the NY Consulate. The New York consulate is one of the largest Italian Consulates in the U.S. and many other consulates defer to New Yorks visa practice. Therefore this is a very good place for all students seeking an Italian Visa to start. DOCUMENTS PREPARED BY STUDENT Passport Signed Verify Expiration is 3 months past return Must have at least 2 completely blank pages Application (4 Page Application Form) No cross outs All Fields completed as instructed Signed and dated on page 4 Color Copy of Front Page of Passport This is NOT the cover of your passport; it is the page of your passport with your personal data and photo. Color Copy of Driver s License or State ID Card (real size do not blow up or shrink) If you do not have a government issued ID or driver s license please contact your program liaison to discuss possible substitute documentation. Color Copy of School ID (real size do not blow up or shrink) Students who are legal residents also need to provide copies of their green card or residency papers. Letter of Financial Soundness (Bank Letter) This letter must be an ORIGINAL issued on bank letterhead and must contain a bank officers signature. Student s name must be on account as the account holder (it cannot be a joint account) The letter must show a minimum of $5,700 for 1 semester students. Not all banks will issue this letter in the branch so give yourself ample time to organize this request. Money Order in the amount of $59.00 made payable to the Consulate you will be going to Visa Document Request Form *** *** If not previously submitted DOCUMENTS PREPARED BY MARIST ITALY Upon receipt of your original signed visa document request form Marist Italy will produce the following: Passport Photo Certificato D Iscrizione Proof of Lodging Marist Sponsor Letter Verification of Enrollment Health Insurance Letter ADDITIONAL DOCUMENTATION FOR STUDENTS WITH PREVIOUS SCHENGEN VISAS A copy of your permesso or the receipt for filing for the permesso Copies of prior visas ADDITIONAL DOCUMENTATION FOR STUDENTS DOING AN INDIVIDUAL APPOINTMENT ** Copy of your Marist Transcript Verification of Enrollment at Marist College Copy of Flights ** These are several additional items that we suggest students doing independent appointments prepare. Many of our students have been asked for these additional documents during individual appointments.

3 NY ITALIAN CONSULATE APPLICATION INSTRUCTIONS PAGE #1 1. Surname (s) : Your last name. If you have hyphenated last name or two last names please put both. 2. Surname (s) at birth: If your current last name is different than your last name at birth (maiden name or, adoption, etc ) enter the last name that appears on your birth certificate. 3. First Name : Your first name 4. Date of Birth: Your date of birth 5. Place of Birth: The city & state you were born in 6. Country of Birth: the country you were born in 7. Current Nationality: Your current citizenship (not ethinic origin); if you have dual citizenship note the nationality of the passport on which you will be traveling. 7a. Nationality at Birth: if different from 7 put your nationality at birth. 8. Sex: gender 9. Marital Status: Married, Divorced, Single, Separated, or Widowed 10. Guardians Information: Only for students who are under 18 years of age 11. ID Number: leave blank 12. Type of Passport: Most of you will have an ordinary passport 13. Document Number: Your passport number 14. Date of Issue : The date passport was issued 15. Valid Until: The expiration date of passport 16. Issued By: Most U.S. passports will be the U.S. Department of State. This information is on the personal data page of the passport in the middle of the page on the right side 17. Applicants Home Address & Address: Your permanent address and Marist address. 17a. Telephone number: your home phone number 18. Residence in a country other than your country of origin, have you permission to return to that country: Leave this blank unless you are in the U.S. on a student visa, green card or other type of visa. 19. Current Occupation: Student 20. Employer s Information: Marist College, 3399 North Road Poughkeepsie, New York USA 21. Purpose of Journey: Study PAGE #2 22. City of Destination: The city that you will be living and studying in - for most of you it is Florence 23. Member State of First Entry The first Schengen country you arrive in. E.G. - If the plane s first stop is in Munich, write Germany. 24. Number of Entries: Multiple 25. Duration of Intended Stay: length of your school program. From the first day or orientation to last day of school. (note early arrivals and late departure days are not counted in the student visa) MAP = Schengen Visas issued in the Past 3 Years: If you have received a visa to work or study in any of the Schengen countries you will need to supply the country and dates of the visas. If no leave blank 27. Have you been fingerprinted for a Schengen Visa: 1st time visa applicants answer no. Previous Schengen visa holders who were finger printed for the Permesso process, mark yes and note the date of your finger printing. 28. Entry Permit for final country of destination: This should be left blank as Italy is your final destination 29. Intended Date of Arrival into Schengen Area: This is the date of your program arrival. MAP = January 29, Date of intended departure from Schengen area: The date of your program departure. MAP = May 19, Name of Person in Italy/Employer: 31 has 3 boxes - 1st box write: Marist-LdM, Via Faenza 43, Firenze, Italia. Leave the second two boxes blank. 32. Name of Host Company/Organization: 32 has 3 boxes - 1st box: Lorenzo de Medici /Marist 2nd Box: T F rd Box: Marta Cantalamessa, Registrar College Programs Marta@lorenzodemedici.it Via Faenza 43, Costs of Trip are Covered By: In box on left side check boxes marked: Myself, Cash, Credit Card, Prepaid Transport. In box on the right side of the page Check second box for Other write next to Other - Marist College. Then check the boxes for accommodation provided, Other. Next to other box write Prepaid Tuition. PAGE # EU Family Member - For the purpose of the study visa this section will be left blank. Note one of the statements references a visa fee. There is no visa fee for a study visa. The second statement discusses the use of the information provided in your visa application. Be sure you read this carefully. PAGE #4 On page 4 you simply need to complete the last two boxes at the bottom of the page. Place and Date: This is the location (City & State) where the application was completed and the date on which it was completed. Signature: For students over the age of 18 simply sign this box. If you are not 18 contact your program coordinator immediately

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8 PROOF OF FINANCIAL SOUNDNESS (BANK LETTER) As of Fall 2017, the Italian Consulates in the United States are requiring that students produce a bank letter that verifies that students have approximately $50 in an account for each day they be in Italy. Based on current calculations students will need to show the following totals: Marist Abroad Students staying only one semester = $5,700 Marist Abroad Students staying the full academic year = $13,500 The Letter Format: This letter must come from a bank or other financial institution, and must be an ORIGINAL document (no copies or faxes), on bank Letterhead, signed by a bank representative. The consulate will NOT accept a statement. Proof of Financial soundness must come in letter format. For tips on drafting the bank letter please see the following page. The account must list the student as primary account holder. ** NOTE ** If you plan to use an account with joint ownership be sure that the letter only shows the student s name. A letter with multiple names will be rejected by the consulate. The consulate has provided a format and preferred text for the creation of this letter. Marist Italy highly advises that you take this sample with you to your financial institution and request the letter in the recommended format. Meeting the Minimum Realizing that these sums are large amounts, and understanding that each student has a different economic status we have provided some suggestions on how students and their families can meet this request: 1. You may use multiple accounts, in your name, noted on one letter from the same institution or multiple accounts from different institutions (multiple letters) that total the amount noted for your particular program. 2. Students may use any combination of bank account types including Savings, CDs, Money Markets, College Saving Plans, 401Ks and Investment Accounts. 3. The funds shown in this letter are not frozen, nor does the Consulate advise how long the funds need to remain in the account. The request is simply to show proof that the funds exist. 4. If you have concerns regarding this component of your visa application please contact your program liaison immediately.

9 PROOF OF FINANCIAL SOUNDNESS - LETTER SAMPLES

10 The following is a list of the Italian Consulates in the U.S., their contact information, and their jurisdictions. BOSTON 600 Atlantica Avenue, Boston, MA Tel: (617) /02/03 main number Fax: (617) Homepage: archivio.boston@esteri.it Jurisdiction: Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, Vermont. PROVIDENCE Honorary Vice Consulate RHODE ISLAND 49 Weybosset Street, Providence, RI Tel: (401) SPRINGFIELD Consular Agency MASSACHUSETTS 11 Acushnet Ave, Springfield, MA Tel: (413) WORCHESTER Consular Agency MASSACHUSETTS 6 Seward Street, Worchester, MA Tel: (508) MIAMI 4000 Ponce de Leon Suite 590, Coral Gables, Florida Tel: (305) main number Fax: (305) Homepage: italianconsulate.miami@esteri.it CHICAGO 500 North Michigan Avenue Suite 1850, Chicago, IL Tel: (312) /1/2 main number Fax: (312) Homepage: centralino.chicago@esteri.it Jurisdiction: Colorado, Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, South Dakota, Wisconsin, Wyoming DENVER Vice Consulate COLORADO 7325 South Jackson Street, Littleton, Colorado Tel: (303) Fax: (303) italyconsucolo@msn.com KANSAS CITY Honorary Vice Consulate KANSAS New Brotherhood Building 753 State Ave., Suite 102, Kansas City, Kansas RSerra@wycokck.org SAINT LOUIS Honorary Vice Consulate MISSOURI 211 North Broadway Suite 3400 St. Louis, Missouri, Jurisdiction: Alabama, British Virgin Islands, Cayman Islands, Florida, Georgia, Island of Saba, Mississippi, Puerto Rico, St. Maarten, St. Eustatius, South Carolina, Turks and Caicos, U.S. Virgin Islands

11 PHILADELPHIA 1026 Public Ledger Building 100 South 6th Street Philadelphia, PA Tel: (215) main number Fax: (215) Homepage: Consulate: PR Office: Citizenship: Jurisdiction: Delaware, Maryland (except Montgomery and Prince Georges Counties). New Jersey (the following counties: Atlantic, Burlington, Camden, Cape May, Cumberland, Gloucester, Hunterdon, Mercer, Ocean, Salem, Somerset), Pennsylvania, North Carolina, Virginia (except Arlington and Fairfax counties), West Virginia. Please note that Maryland residents (except residents of Montgomery and Prince Georges counties) may deal directly with the Italian Honorary Consulate in Baltimore. BALTIMORE Honorary Consulate Equitable Building Suite 940, 10 North Calvert St. Baltimore, Maryland Tel: (410) Fax: (410) NORFOLK Honorary Consulate VIRGINIA (except Arlington and Fairfax counties) 300 East Main Street, Suite 1180, Norfolk, VA Tel: (757) Fax: (757) PITTSBURGH Honorary Consulate PENNSYLVANIA Rockwell Hall, Suite Forbes Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA Tel: (412) Fax: (412) NOTE: Those in bold are Consulate Generals. All others are satellite offices. When in doubt, contact the Consulate General in your area for directions on where to report. LOS ANGELES Wilshire Boulevard Suite 300 Los Angeles, CA Tel: (310) / main number Fax: (310) Homepage: Jurisdiction: Arizona, California (the following counties: Imperial Valley, Kern, Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside, Santa Barbara, San Bernardino, San Diego, San Luis Obispo, Ventura), New Mexico, Nevada. ALBUQUERQUE Honorary Vice Consulate NEW MEXICO 804 Halter Drive, SW Albuquerque, NM Tel: (505) NEW YORK 690 Park Avenue, New York, NY Tel: (212) main number Fax: (212) Number to make an appt: Homepage: Jurisdiction: Connecticut, New Jersey [the following counties(*): Bergen, Essex, Hudson, Morris, Passaic, Sussex, Union, Warren], New York, Bermuda. (*)For visas only. For any other requests, residents of these counties must contact the Italian Vice Consulate in Newark, NJ. Italian Vice Consulate NEWARK One Gateway Center Suite 100, Newark, NJ Tel: (973) Fax: (973) Homepage: Jurisdiction: New Jersey [only the following counties (*): Bergen, Essex, Hudson, Middlesex, Monmouth, Morris, Passaic, Sussex, Union, Warren]. (*) For visas, residents of the above counties must contact the Italian Consulate General in New York.

12 HOUSTON 1300 Post Oak Boulevard Suite 660 Houston, Texas Tel: (713) main number Fax: (713) Homepage: Jurisdiction: Arkansas, Louisiana, Oklahoma, Texas DALLAS Honorary Vice Consulate 6255 W. Northwest Highway, Dallas, Texas Tel: (214) NEW ORLEANS Honorary Consulate3501 Causeway Blvd., Suite 3000, Metairie, LA Tel: (504) Fax: (504) SAN FRANCISCO 2590 Webster Street, San Francisco, CA Tel: (415) / main numbers Fax: (415) Homepage: Jurisdiction: Alaska, California (except the following counties: Imperial Valley, Kern, Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside, San Diego, Santa Barbara, San Bernardino, San Luis Obispo and Ventura (which are under the jurisdiction of the Italian Consulate General in Los Angeles), Idaho, Montana, Oregon, Utah, Washington, Hawaii. Also the following American territories of: Guam, Caroline Islands, Northern Mariana Islands. DETROIT Buhl Building, 535 Griswold, Suite 1840 Detroit, MI Tel: (313) main number Fax: (313) Homepage: Jurisdiction: Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, Ohio, Tennessee CLEVELAND Honorary Vice Consulate, OHIO 618 Hanna Building, 1422 Euclid Avenue Cleveland, Ohio Tel: (216) Fax: (216) INDIANAPOLIS Honorary Vice Consulate 107 N. Pennsylvania Street, Suite 900 Indianapolis, Indiana Tel: (317) Fax: (317)

13 Preparing For An Independent Appointment: Is an appointment necessary? If so, how do I make an appointment? (note many consulates especially those in the U.S., book appointments a minimum of one month in advance) Most consulates will not process visas more than 90 days prior to the program start date. Do I need to appear in person or does this consulate accept applications by postal mail? If you need to appear in person some consulates also have Vice Consulates (satellite offices in additional locations) check to see if you can apply at a vice consulate near you that you may appear at rather than traveling to the official consulate. Does the consulate have a list of documents (including an application form) that I must present as part of my visa application? Does the consulate give instructions on how to retrieve my visa and passport once the process is complete? (e.g. can I provide a self-addressed stamped envelope and have my documents returned by mail?) Preparing Your Documents for Submission: The consulate has a specific order in which they like the documents to be presented. Passport Money Order Application Passport Style Photograph - Staple to front page of application Copy of Front Page of Passport Copy of School ID Copy of Drivers License or State ID Card Certificato D Iscrizione Marist Sponsor Letter Verification of Enrollment (if required by your consulate) Letter of Financial Soundness (Bank Letter) Affidavit of Insurance (GeoBlue Letter) Copy of flight itinerary (if required by your consulate) In addition to the documents listed above, you will need a second copy of the following: These copies should form their own packet stapled behind the packet of original documents. Certificato D Iscrizione Marist Sponsor Letter Affidavit of Parental Support Letter of Financial Soundness (Bank Letter) Affidavit of Insurance Other notes There should be no white out or cross-outs on ANY document you submit to the Consulate. Your visa application will not be accepted with cross-outs or white out. Be sure to prepare a full set of copies for your file at home.