Visa/Passport Dilemma!!!!
 

So im an Aussie, heading to Europe for a year of solo backpacking

Fortunantly for me i qualify for Italian citizenship and therefore an Italian passport...................which is !@#$in awesome


So i got the ball rolling on Italian citizenship in january (i leave May 20th) but its still not finalized, they told me today that they should know if im sweet in ten days.
So i thought "sh*t i better get a Visa, just in case" but it turns out that UK Visas have gone up from $220 to $580.............................this makes me wonder, should i


A)stuff the Visa, hope i land the Italian passport and if i don't head to the UK as a visitor, and then sort out my italian passport in Italy (this will take some re-arraging of flights, to ensure i leave the UK in 6 months, which i will easily anyway)


B)Suck iy up and pay the $580 knowing all too well that my passport could be sorted in a couple of weeks and i just flushed nearly $600 away




arrrgh

I would go with plan A, unless you think you may not get the ITA citizenship. But as you note, you qualify. I am no expert by any stretch, but if you qualify don't you just that, qualify?

Best of luck.

How long does it take to get the Visa as a worst case scenario?

Up to 4 weeks for the Visa............so its cutting it thin


I qualify for Italian citizenship its just a matter of when i get approved, it seems to be taking forever, then once approved i need to get my passport.......................................... ....God damm the Italian Consulate







So in regards to visiting the UK as a visitor, i need

*To stay no longer than 6 months
*Prove i have onward travel arragements
*Prove i have enough money to last until those travel arragements


Is that right??????????????

If it were me, I'd wait the few more days to see if I got the Italian before taking other action. If you have to re-arrange flights, then you have to rearrange flights. Less of a problem since you'll be over there a while, right?

If it's a matter of time, then I would wait for the citizenship... Worse case scenario is getting fixed in Europe... shouldn't be a big deal. No point in wasting hard earned money on a visa.

Best of luck

Why don't you just stay in the UK for 6 months and then catch a flight out for 72 hours and then head back in? I'm not sure if that's a loophole that the UK has but I know a lot of other countries don't bat an eye at that.

With cheap Europe air it'll be a lot less than a visa.

I think just wait a few days. It should come through and it will be totally worth it!

i would wait if i was you!! i didnt realise a visa for the uk cost so much!! do you want to work here or something? does every tourist have to pay that much???

only in england!

Well i bit the bullet and applied for a Visa

cost me $550 but its better to be safe than sorry