DOV for Italy: How Indian Students Can Apply

• The DOV (declaration of value, dichiarazione di valore) comes from the Italian office for the state that issued the degree, not where the student lives.
• Degrees and transcripts need the state Higher Education Department's stamp and a Ministry of External Affairs apostille; E-Sanad (the MEA's online system) is accepted in Mumbai and Bengaluru, not New Delhi.
• Submission is in person, with the originals; Mumbai states up to 90 days.
• ApplyAZ, an Italy-based consultancy that works only with public universities, helps eligible students by preparing and checking their visa and DOV file before the appointment.

If an Italian university has asked for a DOV, this guide covers which Italian office in India issues it, how each office takes the request, where E-Sanad is accepted, and what we handle for eligible students applying to a public university in Italy.

What is a DOV for Italy, and when is it needed?

The DOV is an informative document that Italian universities ask for in the admission process. It describes the Indian qualification and the years of study behind it, and it is issued by the Italian diplomatic office for the state where the degree or school certificate was issued, according to the Mumbai and Bengaluru DOV checklists.

For the visa, the New Delhi, Mumbai and Bengaluru study visa checklists ask for a copy of a DOV or of a CIMEA statement (from CIMEA, Italy's centre for qualification recognition) only if the university requires one. The offices also handle DOVs for work or research under other rules; this page covers the DOV for study. The wider picture is in studying in Italy: eligibility, costs and visa rules.

Which Italian office issues your DOV?

The office for the state that issued the degree or school certificate, not the one for the state where the student lives. The Mumbai DOV checklist states both rules: the DOV follows the place the degree was issued, and the study visa follows the student's residence. One student can therefore deal with two different Italian offices.

A student living in Pune with a degree from Karnataka, for example, gets the DOV from Bengaluru and applies for the visa under Mumbai. Mumbai also reserves the right to refuse documents that do not fall under its jurisdiction. We work out both offices when the student starts with us; the visa side is covered in our Italy student visa guide for Indian students.

Where to apply for your DOV, by state of degree

The state that issued the degree decides the row: that office issues the DOV, whatever the student's home address. The offices take the request in different ways, and each page link opens that office's full DOV checklist.

Source: each office's DOV checklist for study, 2026/27 (New Delhi: the Embassy's current version), and the offices' Visas pages for the states covered. Verified on 28 September 2026.

Kolkata has no page here yet, because its 2026/27 DOV checklist for India is not published.

E-Sanad and attestation, office by office

All three offices want HED attestation (the state Higher Education Department's stamp) and the apostille (the Ministry of External Affairs certification) on the final degree and the transcripts. They differ on E-Sanad (the MEA's online attestation and apostille system), and none of the three accepts SDM attestation on study documents.

• New Delhi: not accepted. The Embassy's DOV checklist says E-Sanad attestation will not be accepted. The HRD stamp (New Delhi's name for HED attestation) must come from the Regional Authentication Centre (Department of Education) of the state that issued the degree, and the apostille should name both the issuing and the attesting authority.
• Mumbai: accepted. A digital degree or transcript attested by the Higher Education Department and apostilled online through E-Sanad is accepted, with the original submitted alongside.
• Bengaluru: accepted, QR code visible. An original colour copy apostilled online through E-Sanad goes in with the original certificate, and the QR code must be visible for verification.
• All three offices: no SDM attestation. SDM attestation is not accepted on study documents; Mumbai and Bengaluru add that HED attestation is mandatory.

We check every stamp and apostille against the rule of the office that receives the file. The whole chain is explained in HED attestation, apostille and E-Sanad for Italy.

Which documents go into a study DOV file?

All three DOV checklists ask for the same core: the signed DOV form and the data privacy form, a passport copy, and the final degree or school certificate and the transcripts with HED attestation and apostille. The number of copies, the earlier qualifications and the accepted alternatives differ by office, so each office page carries its full checklist.

• Forms. The DOV form, filled in and signed by the student, and the data privacy form. How each section is completed: the DOV form, field by field.
• Passport. A copy of the first and last page.
• Degree and transcripts. In original with HED attestation and apostille, plus 2 copies each in New Delhi and Bengaluru, or 1 black and white photocopy each in Mumbai.
• Admission. The admission or acceptance letter from the Italian university and the pre-enrolment summary downloaded from Universitaly (the Italian pre-enrolment portal).
• Earlier qualifications and grading. New Delhi and Bengaluru ask for copies of earlier qualifications, such as the Class 12 certificate for a Bachelor's degree, and for information on the grading system when it is not readable on the back of the degree or transcript.
• Names. A one and the same certificate when the name differs across the documents, as explained below.

The full lists are on each office page: the Embassy's DOV checklist for New Delhi, the Mumbai Consulate's DOV checklist and the Bengaluru DOV requirements. We check each document against the list of the office that receives the file.

DOV or CIMEA: which one does the university ask for?

Either one can accompany the qualification. The Ministry of University and Research circular for 2026/27 and 2027/28 (Part II, Section 3) says the qualification must be accompanied by either a CIMEA statement of comparability and verification or a DOV. The university decides which one it asks for, and some universities make the DOV mandatory.

For eligible students, we find out from the university which document it accepts before either route starts. When it names CIMEA, we prepare and file the CIMEA statement request through CIMEA's DiploMe platform. The two routes are compared in DOV or CIMEA for Italy.

How the DOV process runs, and what we handle

The DOV sits between admission and the visa, and each step has its own authority: the university, the state Higher Education Department, the Ministry of External Affairs and the Italian office. This is how a study DOV runs, and where it fits in how ApplyAZ works for eligible students.

1. The university's requirement. The university decides whether it wants a DOV or a CIMEA statement. We find out which document it accepts before either route starts.
2. Office and jurisdiction. The DOV goes to the office for the state that issued the degree, and the visa to the office for the state where the student lives. We map both offices at the start.
3. Attestation and apostille. The state Higher Education Department attests the degree and transcripts, then the Ministry of External Affairs apostilles them, on paper or through E-Sanad where the office accepts it, each on its own timing. We list which documents need the stamps and check each one when it comes back.
4. Universitaly pre-enrolment. The pre-enrolment summary goes with a study DOV request at all three offices. Bengaluru does without it when the university makes the DOV mandatory for pre-enrolment; in Mumbai, a DOV without the summary falls under the Consulate's paid DOV category. We handle the Universitaly pre-enrolment and add the summary to the file.
5. The DOV form. The form is the student's own declaration, written in capital letters exactly as in the passport and signed by the student; the data privacy form goes with it. We fill it in with the student from their documents and check it; the section by section DOV form walkthrough shows each field.
6. Submission in person. Mumbai and Bengaluru require the student to submit the DOV request in person through VFS, and Mumbai also takes it through the Uni-Italia office in Mumbai before the visa application; New Delhi asks for the original documents to be shown at submission. We prepare the whole file, check every document against that office's checklist and get the student ready for the appointment.
7. Processing and issue. Mumbai states up to 90 days from submission, not counting time for extra documents, and sends an advance notice of refusal through VFS with 30 days to respond when something is missing. New Delhi and Bengaluru state no time, and Bengaluru can extend processing to hold an interview or ask for more documents. The Italian office issues the DOV; we plan the file around the visa deadline, as Bachelor and Master visa applications for 2026/27 are not accepted after 30 Nov 2026.

Name mismatches: when is a one and the same certificate needed?

When the student's full name differs across the certificates, or between the passport and the certificates, all three DOV checklists ask for proof that the names belong to one person, attested and apostilled. None of them accepts an affidavit, and Mumbai also refuses self-declarations, so a sworn statement cannot fix a mismatch.

• New Delhi: a letter from the Indian university or institute, or a one and the same certificate from the Tehsildar or SDM of the place of residence, attested and apostilled.
• Mumbai: a one and the same name certificate from the Tehsildar, the Registrar of Births and Deaths (Municipal Corporation) or the Gram Panchayat, attested and apostilled.
• Bengaluru: a one and the same certificate on the issuing authority's letterhead, attested (SDM is accepted here) and apostilled; or a university letter (only for differences in educational documents) or a Gazette notification, each attested and apostilled.

We compare every name across the passport and the degree documents before anything is apostilled, and arrange the certificate from an authority the office names. More in the one and the same certificate for Italy.

Reality check

What we handle: for eligible students, we work out which office issues the DOV and which takes the visa, find out whether the university wants a DOV or a CIMEA statement, plan the attestation and apostille, handle the Universitaly pre-enrolment, fill in the DOV form with the student and check every document against that office's checklist before the in-person submission.

What we do not control: the Italian office for the degree's state issues the DOV, on its own timing, and the consulate decides the visa. The state Higher Education Department and the Ministry of External Affairs attest and apostille on their own timing. The university decides admission and which document it accepts.

What costs students the most:

• A DOV filed at the wrong office: the DOV follows the state that issued the degree, and Mumbai reserves the right to refuse documents that do not fall under its jurisdiction.
• An E-Sanad document sent to New Delhi: the Embassy does not accept E-Sanad attestation, so the HRD stamp from the state's Regional Authentication Centre is needed before the file can be complete.
• An incomplete file: Mumbai gives 30 days to answer an advance notice of refusal and rejects the application if the documents do not arrive, on top of up to 90 days of processing, while Bachelor and Master visa applications for 2026/27 are not accepted after 30 Nov 2026.

Frequently asked questions

Is a DOV mandatory for an Italy student visa?

Not always. The New Delhi, Mumbai and Bengaluru visa checklists ask for a copy of a CIMEA statement or of a DOV only if the Italian university requires it. New Delhi and Mumbai list the applicant's CV as a third option in the same item; Bengaluru asks for a one-page CV as a separate item.

Can a DOV be applied for online?

None of the three DOV checklists describes an online route. The Mumbai and Bengaluru DOV checklists say the student submits the DOV request in person through VFS, and Mumbai also takes it through the Uni-Italia office in Mumbai before the visa application. New Delhi asks for the original documents to be shown at submission. For eligible students, we prepare and check the whole file first.

Does the degree need an apostille before the DOV request?

Yes. All three DOV checklists ask for the final degree or school certificate and the transcripts in original, with HED attestation and the Ministry of External Affairs apostille. SDM attestation is not accepted on study documents. New Delhi and Bengaluru say copies of earlier qualifications need no apostille.

Can I get a study DOV without an admission letter?

All three checklists ask for the admission or acceptance letter from the Italian university with a study DOV request, together with the Universitaly pre-enrolment summary. In Mumbai, a DOV without the pre-enrolment summary falls under the Consulate's paid DOV category, and Bengaluru waives the summary only when the university makes the DOV mandatory for pre-enrolment.

Does a study DOV need an Italian translation?

Not when the documents are in English. Mumbai needs no translation for documents issued in English, and Bengaluru the same unless the university specifically asks for one. New Delhi lists an Italian translation only for work or research DOVs. When a translation is needed, we work from the office's published list of translators.

Is a provisional certificate accepted for the DOV?

Yes, with conditions. New Delhi accepts an original provisional certificate with HRD authentication if the final one is not issued yet. Bengaluru needs it to show the final mark and ranking criteria and prove the course is complete, and Mumbai accepts one only for students graduating in 2026 whose final certificate is not issued.

Can ApplyAZ handle my DOV for me?

Yes, for eligible students. We prepare the DOV file and form with you and check every document against the office's checklist; you sign the form and submit it in person, and the Italian office issues the DOV. Check your eligibility first. If you are eligible, you book a one to one consultation with one of our Italy experts, and from there we take care of everything.

Your next step: check your eligibility first. It takes about two minutes. If you are eligible, you book a one to one consultation with one of our Italy experts, and from there we take care of everything.

Sources

• Embassy of Italy, New Delhi: requisite documents for the DOV (declaration of value), current version
• Embassy of Italy, New Delhi: Visas page (jurisdiction and VFS centres)
• Consulate General of Italy, Mumbai: requisite documents for DOV for study purposes 2026/27, revised June 2026 (PDF)
• Consulate General of Italy, Mumbai: Declaration of value (DOV) page
• Consulate General of Italy, Bengaluru: requisite documents for DOV (study) 2026/27 (PDF)
• Consulate General of Italy, Bengaluru: translation and legalisation page (list of translators)
• Embassy of Italy, New Delhi: Italian study visa checklist 2026/27 and 2027/28 (VFS Global New Delhi)
• Consulate General of Italy, Mumbai: Italian study visa checklist 2026/27 and 2027/28 (VFS Global Mumbai)
• Consulate General of Italy, Bengaluru: requisites for study visa (C and D) 2026/27 and 2027/28 (PDF, VFS Global)
• Ministry of University and Research circular for international students, 2026/27 and 2027/28, Part II, Section 3 (CIMEA statement or declaration of value), published on Universitaly
• CIMEA: statements of comparability and verification of qualifications
• Ministry of External Affairs, Government of India: Attestation and Apostille (who issues the apostille on Indian degree certificates, and the e-Sanad service)
• Verified on 28 September 2026
• Written by İrem Yılmaz, Student Experience Lead. Reviewed by Reeya Sharma.

Related guides

• How the DOV form is filled in
• HED attestation, apostille and E-Sanad for Italy
• The one and the same certificate for a name mismatch
• DOV or CIMEA: which document your university asks for
• The full Italy student visa guide, office by office