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Degree Seeking Students | Study Abroad | John Cabot University
Immigration Services
Degree Seeking Students | Study Abroad | John Cabot University

Degree Seeking Students

STUDENTS WHO HOLD A EUROPEAN PASSPORT

If you are an Italian or a European Union country citizen, you will need to upload a copy of your passport and national health insurance (or any other private health insurance) on the Student portal.

STUDENTS WHO HOLD A NON-EUROPEAN PASSPORT

Non-European citizens have various steps to complete in order to be able to study and reside in Italy legally. Complying with Italian laws is essential to studying at John Cabot and our staff is committed to assisting our students in the process.

All non-European Union students must apply for a study visa to legally enter Italy. Once you are accepted at JCU, the Admissions Office will provide the information and documents you need to apply for a visa. In order for our Admissions Office to issue you the necessary paperwork to apply for a visa, you must be enrolled for at least 12 credits.

If you need to apply for a visa, you must request it at the Italian Consulate with jurisdiction over your home state or city before you come to Italy. It is your responsibility to start the process, so make sure you do it as soon as possible, as the visa may take up to two months or longer to obtain.

After you have obtained your visa, you will need to request a Permit to Stay (Permesso di Soggiorno) within 8 days of your arrival: this residence permit allows you to legally study and live in Italy.

PERMIT TO STAY REQUEST PROCESS

PRE-ARRIVAL STEPS THROUGH THE STUDENT PORTAL
You will need to start your Permit to Stay request through the Student Portal by following these steps:

1. Upload a scanned copy of:

  • Your original passport;
  • A health insurance valid in Italy: please visit the JCU Health and Wellbeing page for information regarding the recommended coverage plan.
  • Your study visa;
  • Proof of financial support (you can submit the same document you used to obtain your visa)

2. Pay the Permit to Stay request fee through the JCU online payment system.

3. Register at the link provided on the Student Portal to start your Permit to Stay application.

ORIENTATION STEP
BRING YOUR PASSPORT! During your scheduled Immigration step at Orientation, the Immigration Services Office staff will accompany you to the local Post Office, where you will be issued your Permit to Stay receipt and fingerprinting appointment letter.

The Permit to Stay receipt is the legal proof that you have applied for a Permit to Stay: it is crucial that you keep it in good conditions, and that you take note of the day of your appointment. 

FINGERPRINTING APPOINTMENT
The fingerprinting appointment is held at the Central Immigration Police Station (Questura Centrale) in via Teofilo Patini 1. The appointment is automatically scheduled at the time of the Post Office appointment. It is mandatory to attend and cannot be rescheduled. Missing the appointment will result in a €250 fee and will jeopardize your Permit to Stay application.

The Immigration Services Office staff will accompany you on the date of your appointment. We will send you all information via email about 2 weeks in advance: remember that you are responsible for checking your email regularly.

In order to complete the appointment successfully, you will need to have with you:

  • Your original passport;
  • Your original permit to Stay receipt;
  • 2 passport-sized pictures.

REMINDER: Students waiting for their Permit to Stay Card may leave Italy if they are travelling directly to their home country with their original Permit to Stay Receipt, or if they have a valid multi entry visa. Students travelling under circumstances other than these do so at their own risk.

PICKING UP YOUR PERMIT TO STAY CARD
The Permit to Stay card should be ready for pickup 30/40 days after your appointment. 

Once the card is issued, you will receive an email from the Immigration Services staff and be asked to pick up the card at the police station closest to you live. You must go to the police station in person with your original Passport and original Permit to Stay Receipt. You must provide the Immigration Services Office a copy of both sides of your Permit to Stay card. If you miss this last step, a hold will be placed on your account, and you will be blocked from registering for classes. 

PERMIT TO STAY RENEWAL

Under Italian law, the Permit to Stay for study purposes has a maximum validity of one year. However, the expiration date of each card is at discretion of the Police, and the Immigration Services Office cannot predict the validity of the Permit to Stay card.

Students are responsible to begin their Permit to Stay renewal with enough advance before its expiration, as instructed by the Immigration Services Office via email. Students can remain in Italy for a maximum of 60 days after the Permit card expires, but they cannot travel outside of Italy during this period.

The renewal process does not require a new visa, but you will have to repeat all the first request steps. In order to do so, you must set up an appointment with the Immigration Services Office by emailing [email protected].