STUDENT VISA AND RESIDENCE PERMIT INFORMATION Congratulations on your acceptance to the American College of Thessaloniki (ACT) as a study abroad student! In order to study and stay in Greece or another country of the Schengen Area for MORE than 90 days, you MUST obtain a Student Visa (prior to arriving in Greece) and apply for a Residence Permit (after arriving in Greece). The list of countries forming the Schengen Area are: Austria, Belgium, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland. (Bulgaria and Romania are currently in the process of joining the Schengen Area.) Obtaining a Schengen Multi Entry Type D Visa will allow you to stay in the Schengen region for a total of 90 days within a period of 6 months. You can leave and return to the Schengen Area any number of times within the 180 day period but the combined stay in the Schengen region cannot exceed 90 days. Applying for a Residence Permit allows you to stay in the Schengen region for a whole year. Fall Semester students may have the option of coming to Greece for the Study Abroad program without a Visa or Residence permit, only by ensuring that their stay in the Schengen Area does not exceed the specified 90 days. This could be possible by planning to arrive in the Schengen region between the 16 th - 18 th of September 2014 and departing on the 13 th of December 2014. Study abroad students are allowed to make arrangements with their instructors for early final exams and submission of term papers and assignments. If your total planned stay in the Schengen region exceeds the 90 days by 3-4 days, you can plan to spend 3-4 days in a non-schengen country during fall break, as these days will not count toward the 90 days. IMPORTANT: When you arrive into the Schengen Area, it is crucial to ensure that your passport is stamped; this is the only way to prove the amount of days you spend in the Schengen. **NOTE: The Student Visa is obtained prior to coming to Greece from your local Greek Consulate. Student Visas are only issued in the U.S. and their issue takes time. You must apply for a Student Visa as soon as possible.** Filing for a Residence Permit occurs AFTER arrival in Greece and a Student Visa needs to have been obtained in order to file for a Residence Permit. Ms. Natalia Alexiou (nalexiou@act.edu) will assist you with the residence permit process after your arrival in Greece. 1
STUDENT VISA INSTRUCTIONS PLEASE READ THE BELOW INSTRUCTIONS THOROUGHLY BEFORE BEGINNING THE PROCESS OF OBTAINING YOUR STUDENT VISA. 1. Ensure that you have a valid passport and that its expiry date is at least three months after the date you plan to depart from the Schengen Area. Check that you have signed your passport. If you do not have a passport you must apply for one or choose EXPEDITED processing in order to have one issued on time. 2. A pivotal point of your student visa application is getting a background check. ATTENTION: The procedure for acquiring can be lengthy. You must request the national criminal record report through the FBI; the document is officially called FBI Identification Record. According to the information on the FBI website, the FBI Background Check processing time is currently around 30 days but can take as long as 6 weeks or more. In order to accelerate the process, please follow the guidelines below: Option 1: Submit your request directly to the FBI Visit http://www.fbi.gov/about-us/cjis/identity-history-summary-checks and follow the instructions for acquiring an FBI Identity History Summary. Download, print and complete the FBI Applicant Information Form available on the FBI website and make sure you specify where you want the report sent to (either your home address or your school address). Download and print a fingerprint form from the FBI website and call your campus or local police department to get more information on having your fingerprints taken. Print and sign the request and prepare a packet including: 1. Signed FBI Applicant Information Form 2. Fingerprints 3. A money order or credit card form (personal checks or cash are not accepted). Send the request by overnight courier (UPS, FedEx or DHL) with a tracking number. A couple of days later, follow-up with the FBI by email (liaison@leo.gov) or by telephone, (304) 625-5590, to confirm that they have received your request. If you do not receive your report within the time specified, contact the FBI to check if there are any problems in processing your paperwork. Option 2: Submit to an FBI-approved Channeler. A Channeler is a private business that has contracted with the FBI to receive the fingerprint and relevant date, collect the associated fees, electronically forward the fingerprint submission to the FBI and receive the electronic summary check result. An FBI-approved Channeler simply helps expedite the delivery of Identity History 2
Summary information on behalf of the FBI. For more information visit http://www.fbi.gov/about-us/cjis/identity-history-summary-checks/fbi-approvedchannelers 3. Four to six weeks after you have been notified of your acceptance to ACT you will receive an official letter of acceptance in Greek from ACT. This letter will be sent to the study abroad office at your home school (or to your permanent address if you do not attend an ACT partner school). You will need to submit this letter to the Greek Consulate in order to acquire your Student Visa. 4. Locate the Greek Consulate that is nearest to you. Students with a U.S. passport can visit http://www.mfa.gr/usa/en/the-embassy to find a list of consulate offices and their contact details. 5. Call the Greek Consulate nearest you and ask them what the Student Visa application fee is (as this varies from one consulate to another). Make sure to ask exactly what documents you will need to present to them (as this can vary a little between consulates) and find out what time they accept people for visa application. Most consulates do not make appointments and you have to go at pre-set times. DOCUMENTS REQUIRED TO REQUEST A VISA AT THE GREEK CONSULATE: The official letter of acceptance in Greek from ACT Your passport The Visa Application Form (available to download on the Greek Embassy website, http://www.mfa.gr/images/docs/schengen/1application_form_schengen_en_21032010.doc) Your FBI Identity History Summary A copy of the medical evaluation you had completed for your application to ACT One colour passport photos (2x2 inches). Do NOT staple the photo on your application as they glue the photo on your visa eventually and stapled photos are rejected. Cash or a money order to pay the visa fee A statement from your home college stating that your academic and financial standing are appropriate for studying abroad. A proof that you have sufficient funds to support your stay in Greece (bank statements, W2 Forms from the last 2 years, tax returns from the last 2 years) or a signed affidavit from your parents stating they will cover all your living expenses while in Greece. Parents bank and credit statements Parents W2 forms from the last 2 years Your flight information to and from Greece A proof that you have health insurance that will cover you during your stay in Greece If you wish to have your passport sent back to you rather than picking it up in person you must provide a prepaid, self addressed, courier envelope 3
WE RECOMMEND YOU MAKE A COPY OF ALL THE ABOVE DOCUMENTS FOR YOUR PERSONAL RECORDS IN CASE YOU ARE ASKED TO PRESENT THEM AGAIN. DO NOT rely on emailing in order to communicate with the consulate, they do not use it as their primary means of communication. Make sure to call them if you have any questions, and also, when you have submitted all your forms and materials, call them to ensure that they have all the material they need and that your visa is being processed. ATTENTION: ACT advises students to get a student visa prior to arrival in Greece Because: a) The student visa is required in order to be able to apply for a residence permit. b) Students overstaying their visa run the risk of being fined. This fine is payable the next time the student returns to the Schengen Area. RESIDENCE PERMIT INSTRUCTIONS In order to stay in the Schengen Area longer than 90 days you MUST file for a Residence Permit once you are in Greece. The residence permit is valid for one year. Residence Permit processing fees are approximately 233. Please note that this fee is not included in other ACT fees and covers the following costs: 150 for the residence permit fee paid to the Immigration Office 70.50 for basic insurance by a Greek provider for the purposes of a residence permit 12 for hospital fee You must come to Greece prepared to spend this amount in order to complete your residence permit application. It is your responsibility to ensure that you have your student visa before travelling to Greece and to plan accordingly in order to obtain the necessary documents once in Greece. Ms. Natalia Alexiou (nalexiou@act.edu) will be able to assist you in applying for your residence permit once you are in Greece. However, it is your responsibility to travel to Greece with all appropriate paperwork and personally take the necessary steps to obtain the Residence Permit. NOTE: Only the student visa and the passport photos can be obtained in the U.S, all other required documents/items which follow must be obtained once in Greece. 4
Checklist of documents you will need for your residence permit: Current passport with student visa 5 passport-size photographs Proof of finances: You will need to open a bank account at a Greek bank and deposit 500. You will then request a certificate from the bank that indicates that your account maintains a balance of 500. You will also need to sign an official declaration (that ACT will provide you with) confirming that the amount of 500 will be deposited into your bank account monthly as living expenses. Please note that you are NOT required to deposit this amount in your account monthly. In addition, once you obtain the bank certificate indicating that you have an account in your name with a balance of 500, you may liquidate your account. Health certificate: You will visit a public hospital to do a TB test and a chest x-ray to ensure you are not carrying any contagious ailments. These tests cost around 12. Proof of medical insurance: Original, official letter of insurance coverage (on insurance company letterhead) from a Greek insurance provider. Upon your arrival we will assist you in locating an insurance provider that offers minimum coverage required for residence permit purposes at a cost of 70.50. Official letter of acceptance in Greek from ACT (this will provided to you by ACT). 150 residence permit fee. Be prepared to spend this amount for your application process. You do not need to carry cash, but you need to plan on having these funds available to cover your application costs. For any clarifications or questions on the Residence permit, please get in touch with Ms. Natalia Alexiou (nalexiou@act.edu). Please rest assured that Ms. Alexiou will help you throughout the process and you will be chaperoned and assisted to meet all the requirements and paperwork. 5