As I mentioned under 'Bureaucratic Situations', I talked with the Honorary Consulate office here in Phoenix yesterday. They indicated I could get health insurance in Venice? They said I could go to the police station or something and buy a years worth of local health insurance for about $150...when I go online to get insurance for the year, they want about $1000....it would be nice to save money!!! However, I have to get the insurance before I apply for the Visa at the end of January, so if it is an option in Venice, I would like to take care of that when I am there next week. Can anyone give me more details?

I'm not sure on what basis they're saying you can buy local health insurance here. If they mean enrolling in the Italian health system, you need residency, meaning you need a PdiS. I think they're confusing the procedures - go to the police station (Questura) to apply for a PdiS, et al, which starts the process.

The need for health insurance for an ER visa application comes up a lot here. Some countries, like Australia, have a reciprocal agreement with Italy for state health coverage. An Australian, coming to Italy, is covered for the first six months by the reciprocal agreement. By the end of the six months, residency should have been achieved, so enrolling locally is possible.

I don't think the US has a reciprocal agreement. The cheapest solution is probably to buy a six months, no-frills international policy. There are plenty on offer online. Within the six months, residency should be achieved, so you can join locally.

150 sounds like the student rate. If you're a student you can sign up for that. It's not $150. It might be 150 Euros or something close. I don't remember but with some luck a search will pull it up.

IIRC the rates are for Jan to Dec. If you come over after Jan I don't think you get a discount. So if you land late in the year might make sense to wait until Jan1.

That's right. There's no pro-rata. We traipsed into the office last November. They told us we'd be paying the full annual rate for two months of coverage, told us it was a waste of money, suggested we return early in January.

no, not going as a student and figured $150 was too good to be true but thought I would ask! I think I will just go with the internet option and call it a day! :-)

here's another 'technical' question...the requirements from the LA website do not say that I have to purchase insurance but I know I do at some point. The local office said an affidavit saying I would purchase is enough...do we have any consensus on this? also, if I purchase now, do I have to purchase the entire year's worth or can I just do month to month or six months?

Things tend to go missing from consulate websites. Most consulates insist on health coverage for the visa application. Maybe someone else who went through LA can help out. I wouldn't, I have to say, trust the local office. Anyway, if you do need it, six months cover should be sufficient. Within the six months, you should have residency, and be able to enroll locally.

Yes, I am getting very suspicious of the local office...of course, I can't say that I totally trust the LA office either....so, I am trying to be overprepared!

Our experience at the LA consulate went like a runaway rollercoaster. They told us that we did not need to show proof of insurance to get our ER visa as we wouldbe on the Italian health system. SO, when we arrived in Italy to apply for our PdS, they asked where our insurance was. we looked a bit dumfounded, but pulled it together quickly and said"we have insurance in the US that covers us overseas (aheem, a small lie as we had no insurance at the time). I made a call to our previous insurer, got our poilicy number, looked up our coverages online and printed out what looked like a statment of coverage with an expiration date abouta year out. The questura didn't question it once. In fact, the documents from our bank could have easily been fake too. They werenot, but no one makes a call overseas to check. You can buy insurance for your family at about 380 EU for the year. State ins. Unless you work, then your taken care of. Just apply at the Sanitario (?)

Why not just photoshop a fake permesso?

photoshopping can be a side business! haha

I was wondering who was checking all these documents anyway...since I am quitting my job, I might have to check earlier to see if I am covered in Europe..then I could use Scotts system rather than dishing out more money. I called one of the International insurance places..they told me I could purchase month to month via the web and if I canceled before the start date, I would get 100% back...so I suppose that is an option also.

No offense Scott, and it's good it worked for you, but I would not recommend falsifying your application documents. If an alert examiner saw what you gave them, at best you would be booted out of the questura and at worse, out of Italy. Is it worth a few hundred bucks?

I agree, but one makes due when you are in a tight situation! I am glad it worked for Scott...I will, on the other hand, get some insurance to cover me just in case...thanx for the info!

quote:

I agree, but one makes due when you are in a tight situation!

I'm sorry, but it would have been just as easy to log on to the web and bought the required insurance. Especially during a tight situation you need to use your common sense and try to do the right thing.