Visa for Religious Reasons

GENERAL INFORMATION

Visa Department
Email: visti.losangeles@esteri.it

To make an appointment please register and book your appointment on our online portal PRENOT@MI

Please note that applications can be submitted up to six months before the start of the planned trip and no later than 15 calendar days before the departure date.

Only for National Visa: Within 8 days of your arrival in Italy you must register with the Police Department (Questura) and obtain the “Permesso di soggiorno” (Declaration of stay for foreigners). You must present a copy of the documents that were submitted with your visa application bearing the seal of the Consulate General of Italy.

Please note that religious students and seminarians going to Italy for a period of study/novitiate must apply for a regular “Study Visa”

1. Completed Visa Application form, either short term (Schengen) or long term (National). The form must be signed in the presence of a Consular Officer;
2. Recent passport-size photograph (2”x1.5” or 3×4 cm), on white background, full face and front view. Scanned or photocopied photos will not be accepted;
3. A valid passport, plus one 1 copy of the page showing the photograph and expiration date. The passport or travel document must be valid for at least three months after the visa expiration date. Please make sure the passport has at least two blank pages to affix the visa;
4. For non-US citizens: original and copy of Permanent Residence Card OR other US immigration document allowing re-entry into the United States (e.g., valid long-term US visa, Advanced Parole, etc);
5. A letter attesting to the applicant’s religious status, issued by their local Religious Institution and stamped by the “Nunziatura Apostolica”;
6. An invitation letter from the Italian Religious Institution stating the religious nature and duration of the visit. The letter must bear the official seal of the “Segreteria di Stato Vaticana” or the “Nunziatura Apostolica”;
7. Proof of Financial Means and Health Insurance

Applicants must provide either:

– Bank statements covering the most recent three 3 months and proof of valid health insurance coverage, or

– Declaration issued by the Religious Institution confirming its assumption of full financial and medical responsibility for the applicant for the entire duration of the stay;

8. Confirmed flight itinerary;
9. Visa fee: (non-refundable) in the form of a money order or cashier’s check, payable to the Consulate General of Italy – Los Angeles, with the applicant’s name and address as the remitter: please refer to the Handling Fees for the exact amount.

The Consular office will evaluate the documents submitted and may request additional ones at its discretion. Furthermore, you should also be aware that submitting the required documentation does not automatically guarantee the issuance of a visa.