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Visa General Information
Visa General Information
The Consulate General of Italy in Chicago can process visa applications for legal
residents in its district ONLY, i.e.: Colorado, Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota,
Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, South Dakota, Wisconsin and Wyoming. For other
States click here.
Students studying full-time at a University located in the district of the Consulate General
of Chicago will also meet the residence requirement.
Only holders of one of the following documents may apply for a visa:
• U.S. Passport;
• U.S. Permanent Resident Card (formerly Green Card), foreign students holding
valid visas and valid I-20, exchange visitors holding valid visas and I-
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• Valid long term visas except B1/B2.
Fifteen countries make up the Schengen area: Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland,
France, Germany, Greece, Iceland, Italy, Luxemburg, Netherlands, Norway, Portugal,
Spain, Sweden. A Schengen Visa issued by a Consulate of one of the Schengen countries
mentioned above allows the holder to travel freely in those countries.
Short stays for either tourism or business purposes in one or more of the Schengen States
cannot exceed the 90 days over a period of 6 months.
If you intend to visit only one Schengen country, you must apply at the Consulate of that
specific country.
If you intend to visit several Schengen countries, you must apply at the Consulate of the
country which is your main destination, or the country where you will be staying longer.
If you intend to visit several Schengen countries but do not have a main destination or
will be staying the same amount of time in each of them, you must apply at the Consulate
of the country you will enter first.
If you do not need a visa for the Schengen country which is your main destination, please
note that a visa may be required for other Schengen countries. You should then apply for
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a visa at the Consulate of the country of first entry. A valid visa (if required) for the
Country that you are visiting after a Schengen country is needed.
PROCESSING TIME
According to Italian law, processing time for the visa can vary to a maximum of 90 days
depending on the applicant's nationality.
Since this matter is regulated by law, the visa officers cannot intervene in the process.
The applicants are therefore required not to discuss or try to negotiate the date of issuance
of the visa. At the same time, the applicants are advised not to buy a ticket, before
knowing exactly how long it will take to get their visa. Be advised that neither urgency
nor emergency fees are considered by the Schengen procedure.
MINOR APPLICANTS
• Authorization to travel signed by both parents, full printed names of both parents
must be mentioned and the signatures MUST be notarized by either the Chicago
Consulate or one of its peripheral consular offices;
• Birth certificate, original or a notarized copy;
• Notarized copies of both parents' picture I.D.
All foreign documents MUST be translated into English and the translations legalized by
the competent Consulate. No fee is required for minors aged below 6 years old.
IMPORTANT INFORMATION
Applicants must apply in person and must provide the original passport or a valid travel
document (photocopies are not accepted). The Visa Section is open to the public from
9.00 am to 12.30 pm, Monday through Friday. Closed on Wednesday. The phone
appointment service is available at the following numbers:
Chicago, IL 60611
Fax: 312-467-1335
E-mail: visti.chicago@esteri.it
2. Individual College students may apply through one of the Honorary Vice Consuls or
Consular Correspondents of the Chicago consular jurisdiction, if there is one in the state
where they reside or go to school full-time. Please note that Honorary Vice Consulates
are only entitled to notarise the signature of the Applicant on the Application Form
EXCLUSIVELY FOR STUDENT VISAS.
HONORARY CONSULATES
CONSULAR CORRESPONDENTS
MILWAUKEE (Wisconsin)
Consular Correspondent - Carmela MASECCHIA
Tuesday and Thursday from 09.00 am to 11.30 am
Monday and Friday from 02.00 pm to 05.00 pm
e-mail: italconsmke@wi.rr.com
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Tel: 414-469-8192
NOTICE: Please contact Mrs. Masecchia via email rather than phone unless you urgently
need to communicate with her.
MAILING INFORMATION
If the applicant wants the passport with the visa returned by mail, a self-addressed, pre-
stamped "UNITED STATES POSTAL SERVICE (Express Mail)" envelope is required.
No other courier will be accepted.