A valid passport or travel document (for stateless persons) is required to enter any European country. You should be prepared to show it if requested at the check-in counter before boarding your flight, and at Italian immigration and customs upon your arrival. In addition, a passport is required in Italy for most in-bank transactions, such as when you cash travelers' checks, or take a cash advance with a credit card. Passports are also required to register at a hotel. In other words, you must carry your passport with you when you travel abroad. It is advisable, however, to carry it with you only when you know you will need to show it. Otherwise leave it in a safe place in your apartment. Plan on making several photocopies of it, leaving one copy at home with your parent(s) or guardian(s), or a close friend. Remember to use the utmost caution in carrying your passport when you are out in public, particularly in Italy around major tourist attractions and on popular bus routes. A pouch on a string around your neck and under at least one layer of clothing is a common security strategy.

 

All participants in the Rome Program are required to apply for a study visa in advance of departure. This is true whether your program lasts three weeks or four months. Visa applications are managed by the international programs coordinator, who submits them to the Italian consulate in Chicago for processing. A visa is not required for American citizens to visit Italy. Your passport alone allows you to stay in Italy for up to 90 days before you can re-enter again legally. The study visa gives you the legal right to live in Italy as a student for a specified period, such as a semester or a summer. Students with a European passport, however, are not subject to these restrictions, and do not require a visa.

 

In addition to a passport and visa, each student is required by the university to obtain an International Student ID Card before traveling. You can obtain one for $25 at STA Travel in Ames or at the Study Abroad Center, 3228 Memorial Union. In many cases this will be a condition of your airline ticket. Nevertheless, this card is of great value to students visiting Europe, providing some insurance, and qualifies you for reduced train fares and free admission to museums and galleries in some countries. In Italy the benefits are somewhat less, although students can still receive reduced fares for train travel and flights.

 

Once in Rome you will need four photocopies of your passport (both of the photo page and the visa page), plus six passport-sized photos in either color or black and white, for the Permit of Stay (Permesso di Soggiorno) application and personal records. While the photocopies and photographs can be obtained once you have arrived, it is easier to bring them with you since there will be other things to deal with in your first week in Rome.