Italy introduces new visa rules for international students starting in 2025

Starting January 10, 2025, applicants for Type D visas, including students on programs longer than 90 days, will be required to schedule individual appointments for fingerprinting at Italian consulates. This new requirement is expected to increase administrative burdens on both consulates and prospective students.

“In addition to the increased expense, many students will incur travelling 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,” Melissa Torres, CEO of Forum on Education Abroad told The PIE News.

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“The policy change also effectively eliminates the option for ‘batch’ processing, which many US institutions have used to help their students secure visas in a timely fashion and increases the administrative demands on each Italian consulate,” said NAFSA deputy executive director of public policy Jill Allen Murray, as per a The PIE News report.

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In the 2022-23 academic year, Italy emerged as the top destination for US students, drawing 15% of those studying abroad, marking a 37% rise compared to the previous year.

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US stakeholders have cautioned that the policy might lead students to choose other destinations and could worsen the current trend of students favoring shorter study abroad programs.