U.S. Department of State Bureau of Consular Affairs Office of Public Affairs and Policy Coordination
Please be aware that Visa's for some countries can take up to 6 months to obtain for the summer months. It takes longer if you are applying for a Visa from an Embassy or Consulate that is NOT in the participating program country. (Example: If you are going to Dublin Ireland but apply for your Visa from the Irish Embassy in Germany, then it can take 6 weeks for German processing then another 6 weeks for Ireland approval before the Irish Embassy in Germany issues the Visa.) Please allow for this time.
Should you require a letter from USD, you must obtain all the details needed for this letter, then e-mail the information to Ms Cindy King, cking@sandiego.edu. She will either mail or fax the letter to you or to where you designate. Please supply the entire address, individual/department name and the entire fax and phone number, please include any country codes and area codes for these fax and phone numbers. This letter can only be provided once you have signed up with USD and paid the appropriate amounts due to USD for your selected program(s).
To ALL individuals: Please be aware that there is no refund of any monies paid to USD for any amounts paid for tuition, housing, language classes, Russia Visa fee money order, Tutorial surcharge and/or the St Petersburg trip, if you cannot obtain a Visa to attend your selected program(s) after you have enrolled and paid your fees to USD.
If you are a non-U.S. citizen, it is your responsibility to find out what ALL the requirements are to obtain your Visa before you sign up for any of our programs. You would then start the Application Process and provided all necessary documentation/paperwork to enroll you, pay the required amounts due to be enrolled by USD, and then e-mail Ms Cindy King, cking@sandiego.edu what the Visa requirements are for you. Ms King will prepare or have prepared, the necessary documentation for your Visa from USD. If you wait until the last minute (30 days before the start of your program), USD would not be able to help you. You would then have to pay an outside company - not USD, the appropriate fees required to start your Visa process to obtain your Visa.
For U.S. citizens that hold a U.S. passport, there is no need for a Visa except for Russia, which our office will secure for you, if you provide us with all the required documents in a timely fashion. Remember, except for Russia, you are considered a "Tourist" not a "Student" so no Visa is required. If you do not have a U.S. passport or need to renew your U.S. passport, please be aware that in 2007 the U.S. passport agencies, all over the U.S., took 4 months to get passports back to U.S. citizens, instead of the 4-6 weeks they said it would take. Many U.S. students had to contact their Congressmen and women to get help. A lot of students even paid the expediting fee, but still could not get their passports before 4 months! So be prepared!
For non-US citizens, please go to each country's link below to see if you need a Visa and how to obtain it.
If you are a U.S. citizen and are going to USD's Russia program, then USD will obtain your double entry Visa for you. Visa paperwork and required documents must be at our office no later than April 1st. If this paperwork is submitted after April 1st, but before April 15th there will be a $150 expedited service charge. From April 16 - 30 the charge for expedited service rises to $200. After April 30, the expedited service charges rises to over $400, if we can process your Russia Visa information. No guarantee after April 30.
If you are in San Diego and need a Visa fast, go to Official Passport which specializes in "rush" visa services. They have offices in San Diego, Chula Vista and Escondido. If necessary, you can get your passport and Visa within 3 days vs 8 weeks or more.
FRANCE - Passport required. Visa not required for U.S. citizens on tourist stays up to 90 days (which you are considered if you are on our program). Contact the Consulate General of France, 4101 Reservoir Rd., N.W., Washington, D.C. 20007 (202/944-6200) or nearest Consulate: CA (310/235-3200) or 415/397-4330), FL (305/372-9799), GA (404/495-1660), IL (312/787-5359), LA (504/523-5772), MA (617/542-7374), NY (212/606-3644) or TX (713/572-2799). Internet: France
IRELAND - Passport required. U.S. citizens are not required to obtain visas for stays less than 90 days,(which you are considered if you are on our program) but may be asked to show onward or return ticket. Consult Embassy of Ireland, 2234 Mass. Ave.,N.W., Washington, D.C. 20008 (202/462-3939) or nearest Consulate General: CA (415/392-4214), IL(312/337-1868), MA (617/267-9330) or NY (212/319-2555). Internet: Ireland
ITALY - Passport required. Visa not required for U.S. citizens on tourist stays to 90 days. (which you are considered if you are on our program) Consult the Embassy of Italy, 3000 Whitehaven Street, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20008 (202/612-4400) or nearest Consulate General: CA (310/820-0622 or 415/931-4924), FL (305/374-6322), TX (713/850-7520), IL (312/467-1550), MA (617/542-0483/4), MI (313/963-8560), NY (212/737-9100), PA (215/592-7329) or TX (713/850-7520). Internet: Italy
Non-U.S. students arriving in Italy from the following countries do not require a Visa: Andorra; Argentina; Australia; Bolivia; Brazil; Brunei; Bulgaria; Canada; Chile; Costa Rica; Croatia; Cyprus; Czech Republic; Ecuador; Estonia; Guatemala; Holy See; Honduras; Hungary; Israel; Japan; Latvia; Lithuania; Malaysia; Malta; Mexico; Monaco; New Zealand; Nicaragua; Panama; Paraguay; Poland; Romania; Salvador; San Marino; Singapore; Slovakia; Slovenia; South Korea; Switzerland; Uruguay; Venezuela; Hong Kong SAR; Macao.
RUSSIA - Passport and Visa required. If you are a US citizen and are attending USD's program in Russia, USD will obtain your Visa for you when you turn in all the required information that USD will send you. Otherwise a Business visa requires 1 application, 2 photos, cover letter from your company, letter of an official invitation from an authorized Russian counterpart and the proper visa processing fees. Multiple-entry business visa (needs confirmation through the Russian MFA) - $200 to $450 processing fee. Fees must be paid by money order only. Transit visas required when traveling through Russia, even if you remain on the plane. Contact the Consular Section of the Embassy of Russia, 2641 Tunlaw Road, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20007 (202/939-8907 or 8918) or the nearest Consulate General: NY (212/348-0926, 0955, 0626), CA (415/928-6878) or WA (206/728-1910). Internet: Russian Embassy or Russian Federation Travel Documents System
(for more detailed Russia Visa information, please go to Russia Visa Info)
If for some reason your Visa will NOT arrive before you leave or you are late in applying and you need it to be RUSHED, please go to this link for further information on how to RUSH your Visa Application through Visa Express, if it is possible, no guarantees.
SPAIN - Passport required. Visa not required for U.S. citizens on tourist stays up to 90 days.(which you are considered if you are on our program) For information check with the Embassy of Spain, 2375 Pennsylvania Ave., N.W., Washington, D.C. 20037 (202/452-0100 and 728-2330) or nearest Consulate General in CA (415/922-2995 and 213/938-0158), FL (305/446-5511), IL (312/782-4588), LA (504/525-4951), MA (617/536-2506), NY (212/355-4080), PR (809/758-6090) or TX (713/783-6200). Internet: Spain
UNITED KINGDOM (England, Northern Ireland, Scotland, and Wales) - Passport required. Visa not required for U.S. citizens for stay up to 6 months. (which you are considered if you are on our program) Consult the Consular Section of the British Embassy, 19 Observatory Circle, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20008 (202/588-7800) or nearest Consulate General: CA (310/477-3322), IL (312/346-1810), or NY (212/745-0200). Internet: England
Many companies help non-US citizens apply for Visas. References in the links above are just a few. Rates vary from company to company. You might wish to do a search on the Internet and find out what other companies charge. Prices can range from $50 - $600+ depending on when you apply or when you need your Visa.
Also, here is a link to 111 Frequent Asked Passport Questions and Answers from the U.S. Department of State should you not find the answers to your questions on this page.