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Università degli Studi di Bari "Aldo Moro"
Pre-arrival insurance
What insurance do I need before I arrive?
Before you leave · step 4 of 6Checked Aug 2026
First, you need
What it is
Short-term health insurance that covers you from before you leave home until you can register with Italy's national health service.
Why you need it
The consulate will not issue your visa without proof of cover, and the residence permit application asks for it again on arrival.
When
Arrange it before your visa appointment, and keep the policy active from the date you travel until you are registered with the national health service.
What you need first
- Your visa application, since the policy is submitted alongside it
- This is a bridge only: once you register for the national health card ("tessera sanitaria") after arrival, you no longer need this policy
Ask a student
Ask which insurer they used and whether a claim, if they made one, was straightforward. This is one of the few documents nobody checks again after the permit.