Student Visa
Many governments require a visa for entry into their country. A visa, which is a stamp or attachment in your passport, allows you to stay in that specific country for a certain amount of time. Visas are issued by a consulate or embassy of that country. Each country has its own immigration and visa policies. Please make sure you have fulfilled all of the requirements necessary before your departure. Each country has different rules and it is your responsibility to know and understand these rules.
In general, students applying for a student visa are allowed to apply AFTER receiving acceptance letters and other supporting documentation from Freeman Abroad and the host institution. So while students are encouraged to research visa application requirements ahead of time, they should not start applying for a visa too early.
It is your responsibility to research how to apply for your visa, understand the requirements, make travel arrangements to apply for your visa (if necessary), and make sure you do so in a timely manner so you have your visa in hand before you need to leave for your term abroad.
If you are having trouble finding or understanding the visa requirements, Study Abroad & Exchange will help you find information, but you are responsible for making an appointment to receive such help.
For information about visa requirements, please see the "Helpful Links" section of your program brochure page on the Freeman Abroad website and/or contact the consulate or embassy of the country to which you are traveling. Plan early, some visas applications can take up to three or four months to process! A valid passport with a sufficient number of blank pages is needed prior to applying for a visa.
In most cases, you will be required to apply in person for your visa at the embassy or consulate that corresponds to your permanent address. Most countries have an embassy in Washington D.C. and consulates in other large cities in the U.S. You may be required to apply in person at the consulate assigned to your permanent address.
You must have a valid passport to apply for a student visa. If you do not have a passport or it is expiring, please apply immediately. You are required to upload a copy of your valid passport as part of your application for study abroad.
In most cases, your passport must remain at the consulate while you are applying for your student visa. It is important that you plan independent travels (family trips, birthright, etc.) around your visa appointment/processing.
New EU entry requirement for tourists starting in 2025
This information is applicable to students going to the EU who are not required to apply for a long-term (student, or national) visa. Those may be summer study abroad students, or students whose host countries do not require a special visa upon entry to the country.
The rules of travel to Europe are changing. Starting from 2025, travelers from countries that did not need a visa to enter the European Union, will now be required to have a travel authorization to enter most European countries. Therefore, most Tulane students planning to attend a short-term study abroad program in Europe must apply for ETIAS travel authorization.
ETIAS travel authorization is an entry requirement for visa-exempt nationals traveling to any of the European countries listed on this web site. ETIAS is linked to your passport and is valid for three years. If you get a new passport before the end of the three-year period, you will need a new ETIAS travel authorization.
Travelers with a valid ETIAS travel authorization can enter the countries linked above as often as they want for short-term stays (normally up to 90 days in any 180-day period). ETIAS does not guarantee entry. When you arrive, a border guard will ask to see your passport and other documents and verify that you meet the entry conditions.
You can fill out the application form using either this official ETIAS website or the ETIAS mobile application. Read more about what you need to apply and payment exemption.
Additional Information
For additional information about passport and visa requirements for U.S. citizens, visit https://travel.state.gov. For non-U.S. citizens: Please verify the visa requirements with the embassy or consulate of the country to which you are traveling.
For legal reasons, Freeman Study Abroad & Exchange is limited in its ability to provide information about how to obtain a visa for a foreign country. Visa requirements vary depending on your nationality, your host country, your length of stay, and the embassy or consulate that processes your application. Please contact the embassy or consulate of your host country for information and guidance.
