New Visa Rules in Italy Could Deter International Students

Starting January 10, 2025, Italy’s new visa regulations are set to increase the challenges faced by international students. Under the updated rules, applicants for Type D visas—required for programs longer than 90 days—must attend an individual appointment at an Italian consulate for fingerprinting. This change is expected to heighten administrative burdens for both consulates and prospective students.

Melissa Torres, CEO of the Forum on Education Abroad, expressed concern over the potential consequences of the policy. “In addition to the increased expense many students will incur traveling to a consulate and the likelihood of massive wait times for visa appointments, I am concerned that this new requirement will impact students’ decision to spend a full semester abroad,” Torres told The PIE News.

The new policy also ends the practice of “batch” processing, previously employed by many U.S. institutions to streamline the visa application process for their students. Jill Allen Murray, NAFSA’s deputy executive director of public policy, explained that this shift will increase the administrative load on Italian consulates and complicate the process for students.

Critics fear that these additional obstacles could deter international students from choosing Italy as a destination for their studies, potentially affecting the country’s reputation as a hub for global education. Meanwhile, proponents of the changes argue that enhanced security measures are necessary to improve the integrity of the visa process.

As the implementation date approaches, education and travel organizations are closely monitoring the situation and advocating for adjustments to mitigate the potential negative impacts on student mobility.

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