Visa & Passport Information

A student visa is an official stamp placed in your passport (rather than a printed piece of paper or a QR code you save to your phone). All students who apply for their visas through the Study Abroad Office will have them issued by the Italian Consulate in Boston.

Pertinent information about the visa application and required materials will be shared by the Office of Study Abroad the semester before you depart. Because you will need to supply your passport to the Consulate, you must NOT PLAN TO TRAVEL INTERNATIONALLY for the period of 4-5 weeks that your visa is being processed: typically late October through November OR late June through July. 

The fee for an Italian student visa is approximately $55 (subject to change on an annual basis). This is an out-of-pocket, student expense.

You do not need a visa to study in Florence if you hold an EU passport. This said, we highly recommend that you travel abroad with both passports. 

You will be required to submit scans of both passports to the Office of Study Abroad prior to departing for Florence.

In the event of a lost/stolen passport, students are advised to take these immediate steps:

1) report the loss/theft to local authorities

2) follow the protocols posted by the US Department of State

3) contact ISOS to open a case

4) Alert the on-site director of your program

5) Alert the Office of Study Abroad

As unfortunate as this situation is, students will need to be self-directed, making use of the Embassy and/or consular resources in the country in which the event occurred. It should be noted that the emergency passport often issued by the US Department of State as a replacement for a lost/stolen passport is NOT automatically recognized by all countries, including some in the Schengen Area (France, for example). Students will therefore need to learn the most secure means of travel back to their host country/institution. Depending on that country and its respective regulations, the student's future travel may be curtailed out of necessity.

Given the fact that international rules and regulations will dictate proper procedures and future travel, students and their families should be aware that ISOS, the Office of Study Abroad, the College of the Holy Cross, and on-site staff have no ability to influence and/or change the conditions that a student may face. As gathered by the student, information provided by the US Embassy or Consul within the country(s) in question will stand as the guiding and ultimate authority. 

Here are some recommendations to prevent/insure against a lost or stolen passport:

• Keep photocopies of your passport and visa (if applicable) both at home in the US and in your room abroad when you travel

• Keep photos of your passport/visa on your phone

• Always keep your passport on your person in a zipped and/or hidden pocket, especially when riding public transportation

• When traveling, always lock your passport in a hotel safe, if available

• Learn the rules of your host country: if you are not required to have your passport on your person when traveling internally, leave it in your room. Travel instead with your school and/or other forms of ID.

For more information about the risk of travel and student responsibilities during their study abroad term, students are strongly encouraged to re-read the Study Abroad Student Contract and Conduct Policy which they signed as a requirement for submission of their study abroad application.