The Italian government has come up with a change to long-term visas (D Visa) related to international students and long-term stays over 90 days. As of January 10, 2025, applicants will have to make bookings for individual appointments at Italian consulates to collect their fingerprints as per Schengen. News, rather than batch appointments that used to be employed by several U.S. institutions to expedite visa applications. The new policy adds administrative burdens to consulates and complicates things for students.
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Rising costs and increased waiting times have been worrying issues for the whole international education community. According to Jill Allen Murray, Deputy Executive Director of Public Policy, NAFSA, “this new policy will increase additional costs and stress for students, especially those traveling long distances for consulate appointments.” Also, Melissa Torres, CEO, of Forum on Education Abroad, predicted severe impacts on the growth of Italy as a study destination pointing to an upward 37% enrollment by American students choosing Italy over the previous year. She warned that the introduction of extra costs and administrative obstacles might deter students from going to Italy to study in a program of a semester-long.
The effect on students from Iran and Afghanistan might also be quite strong: Iranians protest long processing times for Italian visas, with about 1,000 still waiting for a reply. There are also more than 150 Afghan students waiting for appointments, some that have been waiting since July, many of them having to travel to Pakistan or Iran.
Dissatisfaction among international students may increase with these measures and may dissuade them from choosing Italy as an education destination, which certainly proves to be an issue for study abroad providers and students financially and logistically as well.