Hi, went the the Consulate today about obtaining a long stay visa. I knew I did not have all my documents and wanted to find out exactly what I needed. Of course I needed the FBI report, but was not told the cost or what info they needed to start the process. Tomorrow I will call for that info. I also needed an address in Italy. Since at this time I do not have one I was told I could have one of my friends write a letter stating I will be living there with all their information and mine. Bottom line decided not to do this. While I am in Italy for this visit, I will find a place and obtain the papers necessary then return to the US to start the process. I have to come back here in Sept. as I will be 65 in Dec and need to arrange for Social Security. I will then return to Italy hopefully with my visa. Stay tuned. Luigina

I know that this is maybe not the best advice or information but I have spoken with several people lately who stay for extended periods in Italy and never get the long-term VISA. They clearly tell me that it works fine. I am not certain that I am comfortable with this and do not know what we will do but people with experience seem to downplay the need. One of them is a well-known ST contributor.

Luigina, all of the information about obtaining the long stay visa was documented by our very own Jill (We Love Italy) who is probably packing her last items as I write. You can find it all obmy site HERE I hope this helps some. Let us know if you need more info or if something is different at your consulate.

Cristina

Jane, the law is 90 days out of 180 is allowed within the EU. I know that there are people who stay here without a visa but they are breaking the law. My very own opinion, if someone loves this country so much why do they start their dream off with doing something that they shouldn't? The people with experience that downplay the rules are lucky in my experience. Times are changing, the cops are getting stricter. People downplay the IDP debate but since July they are cracking down. There is an American girl here in Siena that had her car impounded on the spot because she did not have the IDP. I also know of an American who was deported. I am sure these people would argue with the other experienced people. I know a couple of people (yes from this board) who live here illegally but every other expat that I know is legal. I would say 30 legals to 1 illegal. I'll go with the majority on this one.

One time I told someone that they would be an illegal alien if they stayed without a visa. The resonse I got, "no I wouldn't, I'm an American" Kind of smug no?

This is my favorite subject...Long Stay Visa. I'm engage to be married with an Italian but have not set a date. I want to be in Italy this summer to plan for our wedding, buy a house and get settled. So, I thought a long stay visa will buy me time. Im very stressed out about the whole thing and confused of what the Italian Embassy requires of me financially to get the long stay visa approved. I have read many threads on here and found that its all depending on your situation. I dont have hundreds of thousands of dollars sitting in the saving account but I do have a monthly income. Should I even tell them that Im going to italy to get married? I'm trying to figure out if its worth the time and headache to get the long stay visa. I live in Japan and I have to go back to SF to file for visa....in person as I was told. I cant leave here until the summer and I dont know if my visa will be approve in time. My fiancé told me to just come over as tourist and we'll get an extension or hire me as his employer. I dont know if this is legal and if it can possibly be done and I am more nervous about this when he's not. I want to do things in the right way, so I'd appreciate some good advice as the summer is approching soon. Thanks!

Allithai, go as a tourist but make sure you go and apply for the PdiS within 8 days. Then at the end of your 90 days (well a little before) go back to the questura and ask for an exention because you plan to get married. Bring your fiance along and have him write a letter saying that you live with him, have medical insurance (get proof of this) etc. etc. Have him also bring copies of his 730 to prove that he has a job and if possible a contract on a house. They will normally give you a 90 day extention once. Would 6 months be enough time to get everything set up? There is also a way to get a visa to help you plan for your wedding and I think that is 6 months (you would still need the PdiS but at least only have to go once in the 6 month period). HTH

Thank you sooooo much carrot: Cristina...you are the of visa problems. You dont know how long I've been sweating over this problem...whew.
One more thing, I plan on shipping some of my stuff to Italy. Will I have problem with customs when I go to claim my shipment? and are there taxes for foreigner on household goods? All I need is a plane ticket...yeah...yeah! By the way we are looking for a house to buy in south of Milan area...if anyone know of anything...please email me.

Cristina your advice about going to the questura would that help me. I would like to stay for 5 months. This will give me time to find an apartment (one requirement for a long stay visa is an address in Italy). I have to be back in the States by September to take care of some business( I turn 65 and need to go to Social Security). I would then start the process for a long stay visa and return when I have that. I know you can't say yes positively, just asking if might be possible. Thanks, Luigina

Luigina,

If you have proof of health insurance, proof of funds to support your stay, proof of a place to stay (even a hotel)and you apply for the permesso di soggiorno as a tourist (valid for 90 days) within the required 8 days upon arrival, they will normally let you have a 3 month extention. This is a one off extention but it works for a lot of people doing exactly what you are doing. HTH

Cristina

quote:

---

Originally posted by Cristina:
My very own opinion, if someone loves this country so much why do they start their dream off with doing something that they shouldn't?

---

For luigina there is even more reason to go through the legal procedur, as tedious as it may seem. Most people who chose to live here illegally are "foorced" to do so because they are quite desperate for money. I am talking of people coming from poor countries and who immigrate to Italy to sustain their families or because their life is in danger in their own countries. These people have little other way to survive than to live in that grey area of illegal staying in a EU country (or in the USA, as many to over there too) while not actually being criminals, and doing underpaid jobs to get along.
Luigina comes from an affluent western country, has means to support herself and will hardly be denied PdS, therefore why should she have to go though the risk of being thrown out of the country with no right to come back? Doing it all legally may be more tiring, but when she will have done it all, she will be able to stay here as long as she wants being fully legal. And since she is even of Italian ascent, she may even be able to apply for nationality, if she may want to.

I've been reading all the posts on this topic and it's got me thinking:
Is the permesso di soggiorno valid for an EU citizen for as long as I stay in Italy?
Or do I have to go to the Questura to re-new it whenever it needs re-newing?
I'm a British citizen.

Susan

I have just started gathering information about obtaining an Elective Residence (long term) Visa. I have read Jill's article and the messages in this thread and would like clarification about the FBI report. The web page of my consulate (Detroit) does not list an FBI report, or any sort of Good Conduct Report among the documents I must provide when applying for a Visa. The web page is updated daily; so I doubt if it is a question of old information.

Is such a report required? If so, must it be and FBI report? My municipal police department will do a fingerprint check and issue me a statement attesting to the fact that I have no arrest record or other black marks. Is this sufficient?

Hi Canvecchio:

Before we went to the San Francisco Italian Consulate, I reviewed all the Italian consulate regional sites (Boston, NY, LA, Detroit). The consulate site in San Fran did not request a copy of our airline ticket, but others did. Thinking they may ask for this, I went ahead and made an airline reservation which I put on hold, and took a copy of the email itinery with me. I'm glad I did - because we were asked for this document.

The Detroit consulate may accept a police report statement, but if it were me, I would get the FBI report. Getting the FBI report was easy - and it is an official looking report. The hardest part was waiting for it to arrive (it takes 4-6 weeks)! I did get my exercise though during the wait, as every day I'd run to the mailbox, hoping the final papers had arrived.

My experience at the consulate is to be as prepared as possible! Bring copies of anything you might think they would ask for, even if it's not on the list. For example, I brought a letter from my bank stating my house loan, value and equity,- just incase they wanted more financial info, which they didn't ask for.

Good luck. Let me know if you have more questions!
- Jill

We were also under the jurisdiction of Detroit, and this consutlate doesn't (or didn't) require an FBI OR a state police report of any kind. Each consulate has different requirements.

Since your profile doesn't say where you live, I will add that it is also possible to apply at the vice-consulate in Indianapolis if this is closer to you.

We are new to this site, so please bear with us if we don't ask our question correctly. It has to do with visas, so this looks like the right group to us.

We have been spending a month to six weeks twice a year in Tuscany for the last six years. This time we want to stay for four months. We always stay in the same place and have made good friends there. BUT the Italian Consulate tells us (via e-mail, the only means by which they will communicate) that one may go to Italy for 90 days without a visa and that it is impossible to obtain any kind of visa for a longer stay. We don't always believe everything Italian officials say. Is it possible that the consulate is mistaken and that we can apply for some kind of visa that would enable us to stay for four months? We want to be entirely legal.

Thanks for the opportunity of asking.

Ros8alba

Hello ros8alba -

Most of the Living in Italy/Moving to Italy questions and posts have moved to Cristina's Expats in Italy website. She has a forum for "bureaucracy" questions.

Please ask your visa related questions there ... This forum is dedicated to travel. Thanks!

Moderator,

Sorry. We must not have made our question clear. We don't want live in or move to Italy. We just want to make our usual tourist trip--except this time we would like to stay for four months. Less than ninety days, no visa required. More than ninety days, no visa possible--at least according to the consulate. All we would like to know is whether it is, in fact, possible. But we truly do not want to move to Italy.

If this isn't a travel question in terms of this group, then, of course, we will stop asking.

Ros8alba

No problem with asking the question here--but Colleen was pointing you toward a website and group with loads of reliable info on working with the requirements necessary for a stay of over 90 days. Check out the "Getting to Italy" sections on "the Basics", "Visas"; as well as reading threads and asking questions in the Forum associated with the website.
Best of Luck! And feel free to jump into other threads, and post an introduction in the "Introduce Yourself" forum, above.

Luigina, I just have to write to you. My sister's name is Luigina (not something she's too happy about, either...she insists on being called Jean).
She is 65 and I see you're 64.
Our family is from Northern Italy, Trentino Alto Adige.
Where is your family from?

HI Jill,
Where did you get your fingerprints done? I am in San Fran also. I think you are too, or Seattle. San Fran Consulate does not require a travel document? I am trying to decide whether to apply for an extended stay or go over there and then apply for an extension after 90 days. I figure the FBI Good Conduct document is good to have either way.
grazie,
Chi Chi

quote:

Originally posted by We Love Italy:
Hi Canvecchio:

Before we went to the San Francisco Italian Consulate, I reviewed all the Italian consulate regional sites (Boston, NY, LA, Detroit). The consulate site in San Fran did not request a copy of our airline ticket, but others did. Thinking they may ask for this, I went ahead and made an airline reservation which I put on hold, and took a copy of the email itinery with me. I'm glad I did - because we were asked for this document.

The Detroit consulate may accept a police report statement, but if it were me, I would get the FBI report. Getting the FBI report was easy - and it is an official looking report. The hardest part was waiting for it to arrive (it takes 4-6 weeks)! I did get my exercise though during the wait, as every day I'd run to the mailbox, hoping the final papers had arrived.

My experience at the consulate is to be as prepared as possible! Bring copies of anything you might think they would ask for, even if it's not on the list. For example, I brought a letter from my bank stating my house loan, value and equity,- just incase they wanted more financial info, which they didn't ask for.

Good luck. Let me know if you have more questions!
- Jill