There’s no mystery behind why 1.8 million people from all over the world want to visit Italy every year. Living in the city of dreams that Los Angeles is, one can truly get out of touch with reality. Living in the centre of the TV and cinema industry that Hollywood comprises of can be a surreal life. But it comes with its own setbacks. A getaway is almost a necessity, and if your dream destination is Italy, then you’re already on the right track. It’s got the sprawling beaches, and the great Mediterranean. The food and the people are just an added bonus that you get.
Update : It is now mandatory to get COVID Insurance when you travel Abroad. Click the below link to get your COVID Insurance at cost price.
Many thousands of applications go for the Italy Visa every year from LA alone. With a visa rejection rate of 6%, you don’t exactly have the odds in your favour.
So what are some steps you can take to ensure that your visa application gets through and approved? Here are the steps that help simplify your Italy visa application process. Your visa application should be submitted no more than 3 months before your intended day of entry in Italy. An advisable time is about 3 weeks prior to departure. Here’s a simplified guide to everything about visiting Italy from the United States at the embassy in Los Angeles.
Application for an Italian Visa at the Los Angeles Consulate involves the following steps :
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Choose the right jurisdiction where you can apply for Italian visa
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Schedule an appointment online according to your availability ( Get Schengen visa appointment for $ 10 )
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Organize and keep all the required documents ready for the appointment
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Attend the visa interview and get your visa approved
Book Italy Visa Appointment for $10
Do you need to apply for a Schengen Visa while travelling to Italy?
The first question you must answer is, whether or not, you need to apply for a visa to travel to Italy.
As decided at the recent Schengen agreement, that all the 26 European states will function as a single state and they have lifted any kind of border check. The Consulate General of Italy in US has a helpful wizard that will help you determine whether or not, you require a Schengen Visa. Visit the website and answer four questions to find out if you need a visa to enter Italy.
Choose the language you prefer to answer from the top right and enter the following details:
- Nationality
- Country of Residence
- Length of your stay
- Reason for your visit
After filling all the details, Select “Go to Answers” to find out whether or not an Italian visa is required.
If you’re a US citizen, with a US passport, then you DO NOT need to apply for a visa. You will be subjected to the normal immigration procedures and laws of the country, however, you do not need to apply for a visa.
However, if you’re not a US citizen but a permanent resident, you can apply for your visa at the Italian Consulate in Los Angeles.
Which Consulate Do I visit to Apply for my Visa?
The territorial jurisdiction of each consulate differs from one another. Understand which embassy controls the area of your permanent residence. If you’re looking to apply at the Italy Consulate in LA (California), then you need to have legal residency in one of the following states; Arizona, Nevada, and New Mexico.
There are also about 10 or so counties within California that fall in the jurisdiction of the consulate in LA. Find the complete list here.
Do Green Card Holders need Visa for Italy?
If you are a permanent citizen of the US, then you will need a visa and a formal application for the same. It’s only the US citizens who don’t need a visa to enter Italy.
How do I get an appointment at the Italian Consulate in Los Angeles?
The consulate requires that you walk in with a physical application. Even the application requires that you make an appointment in the online portal provided by the consulate. Remember, you can only apply online by clicking this link to the online portal.
Create an account by clicking on the New User Registration tab, and fill in your details to the best of your ability and accuracy. They must fully match with the details in your passport and other documents.
Once you do this, an automated mail will be sent to you. Click on the activation link, and you will then be taken to the appointment page.
Log in and then start by picking an appointment day and time. You might find that your preferred date and time isn’t available. So keep checking at regular intervals, so that you get an appointment that suits your needs. Cancelled appointment become available and that is what you need to keep a tab off.
If you cancel on any booked appointments, make the relevant changes on the system, so that others can use your slot.
List of Documents Required for Italy Schengen Visa application from Los Angeles
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Here’s a list of documents that you need to prepare and keep ready along with a printed, and duly filled application form for the visa, found here.
- Passport (Original)
- Photographs (as per specifications in application)
- Permanent Residence Card
- Flight Itinerary
- Schengen Visa Insurance
- Hotel Booking
- Cover letter (includes your travel purpose and trip itinerary. Refer to sample)
- Proof of sustenance (you must present either your bank statements for the last three months, or credit/travel cards)
- Letter of employment (if applicable)
- Letter from college (if applicable)
- Company registration (only for self-employed applicants)
- International medical insurance (it should have a minimum cover of €43000. Read more)
Your passport needs to have at least two blank pages. Its validity should be at least three months from the date of your return from Italy.
Two photographs with clear front-face views.
US Permanent Resident Card to prove that you have the legal right to live in the US.
Credit cards, travel cards, and bank statements to proof that you can sustain in Italy financially.
Letter of employment from your employer mentioning that you’re employed in the US and your date of employment.
If you’re self-employed, include your Business Registration Card to the list.
Students need to bring a letter from their university.
A cover letter with your travel plans. Mention all the documents you’re bringing along with you as well.
What about Flight Tickets?
Opt for our temporary flight ticket booking services to save money. Temporary flight tickets are accepted by most of the consulates preventing your from making actual bookings before your visa gets approved.
What is a flight itinerary? Is it accepted by the Schengen consulate?
Of course, in fact all the embassies mention the same. We have added links to the official visa pages which you can verify.
France Consulate
Your travel itinerary : you MUST BOOK your airline ticket but do not purchase until the visa has been approved.
We recommend that you do not purchase travel tickets until your visa has been approved. On the other hand, you may provide us with a reservation, a planned itinerary or an online printout of a roundtrip ticket.
Travel reservation to and from schengen area, not a ticket. Note: Make travel reservation which you can cancel
Flight (roundtrip)/travel reservations and full itinerary (if several Schengen States will be visited or if the trip covers several Schengen States and non-Schengen countries) with the name of passenger and one copy
Round trip ticket/reservation, originating in this jurisdiction to Europe (and ultimately to Italy) and back, including internal entry and exit points of travel i.e. EURORAIL tickets, car rental, internal flights. The names on reservations have to reflect the names on passports.
We can provide you with flight itineraries which is accepted by not only for Schengen visa but for all visas. We have customers using the same flight itinerary for Malaysia visa, Singapore visa, India visa, UK visa etc.
In fact the European union visa requirements for visa states the same.
As per the official document,
Round trip reservation or itinerary with dates and flight numbers specifying entry and exit from Schengen state.Schengen authorities accept the itinerary when applying for the visa but request the original air ticket when visa is collected.
That is why we have 100% visa acceptance rate although some of our customer have been requested to provide “additional documents”,none of their visa has been rejected for providing fake documents.
With 80% of our customers being return customers or companies which process visas for their employees/clients, our approach is the best approach if you want to ensure the safety of your visa.
This is our orders screen for this month. Most of the orders have been placed by repeat customers.
The best part about our service is along with getting a flight reservation without payment, you can also get confirmed hotel bookings, personal cover letter, leave/no objection letter for your visa consulates.
[/su_spoiler]What about Hotel Booking?
Proof of accommodation is one of trickier ones to get right. You might want to skip booking an actual hotel for the duration of your stay, since you may have to pay up cancellation fees. But since this is a necessary document in your visa application, we are dedicated to making sure you don’t end up making bookings that are useless to you.
You can make all your temporary hotel and flight bookings with us without burning a hole in your pocket.
Want temporary flight, hotel or insurance for your Schengen visa appointment ?
Can I apply via mail?
No, you need to apply online and then attend the interview in person. On the appointment day, you must carry all the required documents as well as a prepaid envelope with self addressed, containing a prepaid barcode along with a tracking number. Get a copy of it too. Once the visa appointment is cleared, your passport will be mailed to you.
What about B1/B2 Visa Holders?
If you have a B1/B2 visa in the United States, you CANNOT apply for a visa to Italy or any other Schengen country from the embassy in LA, or any other city or state in the US.
You will need to apply for a visa from your country of origin. You can however, apply for a transit visa.
What are the visa charges?
The charges are subject to change on a quarterly basis. The latest update, valid till March 31, 2018, states that the costs for visa applications are as follows:
These charges have to be paid during the time of visa application. The consulate only accepts payments in the form of cashier’s check and/or money orders. Cash payment is possible and allowed, but requires due previous authorization. Also, the charges are refundable.
Why should I take Bookings from You?
We have handled more than a 100,000 visa applications in the past 5 years alone, so you know you have someone with experience on your side. These bookings are also considered valid by all the embassies in the Schengen area.
You can always opt to stay with your relatives or family, if any, residing in Italy. They must send across a letter of invitation, attested with a copy of their ID (for permanent citizens), or ‘permit of stay’ (for non-EU citizens).
How do I Know if my Visa is ready?
You will get notified by the Italian Consulate in Los Angeles, once your visa is ready. You can check your status online in your account.
When will I get My Visa?
The visa procession can take from 2 to 15 days time.
Will my visa be granted for 90 days?
It depends upon your visa type (destination and duration). It ideally will be granted for the days you have mentioned in your travel itinerary. Add 5-10 days to your existing travel plans, so that you have the right to stay back a little longer if you want.
Can I Submit Passport Copies?
No, you have to submit your original passport at the Italian Consulate in Los Angeles.
Related Italy Schengen Visa links
https://travelvisabookings.com/italy-schengen-visa-in-7-days/
https://travelvisabookings.com/italy-visa-requirements-for-us-green-card-holders/