Consulate General of Italy Visit Part One

As a United States citizen if you wish to stay longer than ninety days in Italy you need a visa. As such, I went to the Consulate General of Italy in Chicago to determine how I would go about obtaining a visa. There are many different types of visas and I was forced to determine between a work visa and a business visa. I emailed the requirements to our affiliate office in Italy and also to our general consulate at True Partners. The determination was business visa as I will still be employed by True Partners here in the US. Next step, make an appointment. The Consulate General of Italy requires that you call an 800 number and then give them your credit card so they can charge you 2.49/minute to make the appointment. After five minutes on hold I finally secure an appointment for Wednesday, December 10 at 9:30. I think I have all the requirements and I arrive thirty minutes early (I know you are all shocked). The man in front of me is being drilled and I hear him say this is his third visa as his wife is an Italian citizen...I'm staring to get nervous. The man working behind the bullet proof glasses for proof of health insurance during his visit...my palms start to sweat. I don't have proof of insurance yet but I do have a note in the letter from TPC verifying my employment that they will cover my health insurance. Will that be enough I wonder. He is then asked if he has a notarized copy of his drivers license. What is that? Beads of sweat are now starting to from on the back of my neck. I walk over to the information desk and ask what this notarized copy of the drivers license is. He informs me that if I am here in person I will not need a notarized copy. Phew...crisis averted. I go back and wait for the man who has the 9:00 appointment (which of course begin at 9:10...man I love Italians) to finish.
I am called and present my information. A questioning look appears on the mans face (who happens to have cigar hanging from his lips...unlit...but stationary as he speaks...I think it was the mustache holding it up). You are applying for a business visa...yes I reply. The documentation is for eight months...no sir six months. Oh he says...we do not issue business visa for longer than 90 days. I begin to get confused as you don't need a visa for less than 90 days so why would you ever apply for a business visa? Of course I do not want to ask as I am still sweating and now have started to shake a little bit. I don't want to be on a black list so I can never get a visa. He tells me to wait as he goes behind the wall. He returns with a young lady while they are finishing their passionate discussion in Italian. I can catch a few words here and there that tell me it isn't looking good. He tells me that he was correct and a business visa can not be issued for longer than 90 days and that my documentation is not for less than 90 days so he can not accept it. My voice starts to quiver as I see my entire trip being cancelled. I ask what type of visa I would need and he replies a work visa which I know requires a work permit. I ask if it matters that I will not be paid by an Italian company but that I will still be paid by my current US employer. No he replies it does not matter. He hands me back my paperwork and I leave. Have on fear another appointment has been booked (by what I am pretty sure is a call center in Ireland) for January 16th. Think good thoughts!