# Urgent Help Needed - PDiS vs Visa



## JDonna (Nov 6, 2011)

Ok, here is the problem and let me first tell you that I read every forum online and asked in the Questura twice about this, but all information I keep getting are contradictory and confusing. 

I am in a 3-year PhD program in Italy and have spent the first year in Italy with a PDiS that expired last January. At the time of its expiration I was abroad for research (basically home in Egypt) and to make matters worse with the revolution happening in the country I was unable to get back to Italy before last September with a new Visa. I now am in the end of my second year of my PhD and in need to be traveling to the UK for library research as well as again to Egypt for data collection if I intend to finish my PhD in the third year as I am required to. I cannot afford to wait months and months for the PDiS when I have one only year left to work on the PhD thesis. That background clarfied, now to the technical issues:

The technicalities: I have a multiple entry long-stay type-D Visa (national visa) (valid for one year) for study purposes for Italy issued in Sept. 2011. I used it to enter Italy last Sept and have applied for the infamous PDiS. When I went for the fingerprints appointment they told me that I do not need to give a second set of fingerprints as a first timer because I already had one expired PDiS. They said they are running behind though and all PDiS applied for at this time will be issued in 4-5 months. I have a valid 6-months UK multiple entry visa and intend to travel next week directly from Italy to the UK for 10 days and back to Italy. I intend to travel again in December for 10 days to the UK traveling always directly without passing through the Schengen area as well as to Egypt by the end of December and will be returning by the time I will pick up the PDiS and will stay in Italy for the rest of my PhD period.


Now the question that has been driving me crazy is: will I face problems entering Italy anytime I leave to any country in the world (either country of origin or a country to which I have a valid visa) just because I am waiting for the PDiS even though I have a valid multiple entry visa, the post office receipt and an expired PDiS? I asked at the Questura and they said if you have a valid UK visa then it's fine, but then I keep hearing contradictory information here and there.

I honestly do not see a point in being stopped at the border and then re-applying for the same Visa I already have for a third time! It simply doesn't make any sense to have a multiple entry visa and still be restricted in movement to any country in the world (non-Schengen) just because you are in an undetermined waiting period that simply depends on your luck. Please help with this dilemma


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## sheilamarsco (Jul 2, 2010)

can't your university supervisor advise/help?


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## JDonna (Nov 6, 2011)

The reason why I am asking on a forum is because I was misinformed before by my university and had to once go through a whole new Visa process due to wrong information I received. As for my supervisors, they don't know anything about the whole Visa process/permesso that non-EU/EEA nationals have to go through and live with throughout the whole study period. 

In any case, I know that no one is to give me concrete information online. I was just trying to see if someone would know anything about this or has been through a similar situation. Thanks for your reply anyways


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## Arturo.c (Aug 15, 2010)

JDonna said:


> Now the question that has been driving me crazy is: will I face problems entering Italy anytime I leave to any country in the world (either country of origin or a country to which I have a valid visa) just because I am waiting for the PDiS even though I have a valid multiple entry visa, the post office receipt and an expired PDiS? I asked at the Questura and they said if you have a valid UK visa then it's fine, but then I keep hearing contradictory information here and there.


For what I know, there have been a couple of ruling from Italian courts stating that, if someone applies for renewal of the PDiS before its expiry date and needs to leave the country before receiving the new one, he can do so and be admitted back in Italy as long as he can show proof of his/her timely application for renewal (usually the post office slip).

Furthermore, on the website _"Portale Immigrazione"_ you can check the status of the renewal process by using the username and the password printed on the post office receipt.


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