EU Blue Card in Italy and the University diploma
According to the new EU Blue Card implementing guidelines, Italian authorities are now accepting the CIMEA Statement of Comparability and of Authenticity as an alternative to the Declaration of Value (“Dichiarazione di valore”) diploma validation. CIMEA stands for Academic Equivalence Mobility Information Centre. The primary goal of CIMEA is to enhance academic mobility in all its forms.
It aims to facilitate understanding of the Italian education system and foreign education and training systems, while promoting the principles of the Lisbon Recognition Convention on qualifications recognition. The website https://www.cimea.it/EN/, available in English, provides many useful information on the application process. By paying a reasonable fee, it is possible to have the Statement issued in 60 days.
To apply for CIMEA’s services you will be asked to upload the scan copies of your documents (such as diplomas, transcripts etc.) onto the dedicated platform https://cimea-diplome.it/page-homepage. The website guides through the submission process, provides list of documents required for each country (note it also indicates if translation is required or not) and generally helps navigating the overall process with clear guidelines.
Applicants should however be aware that local offices are implementing the new guidelines slowly and that the EU Blue card online application form has not yet been updated by the government, therefore before going for the CIMEA validation it is advisable to check with the relevant immigration office if they do accept it in place of the DoV at this stage.
