Hi there, I'm new here but I've come across this website before (as well as others but I feel this is the most comprehensive)
Í just have a few queries that I'd hope you be able to answer. So I'll basically be going to Switzerland for 1 semester as an exchange student.
I'll be applying for a Visa 'D' & my university recommends I submit the application form for residence permit for study purposes at the same time to speed up the process.
I just have 2 main queries actually
1) Financial means -
now the University states that I need to prove that I have 2000CHF per month & that consulates request this amount for the whole academic year usually.
However when I checked with the embassy, they mentioned a far smaller amount but reiterated that the canton decides - for my case it's canton of Vaud
Of course to be safe (and not delay the visa process), I'll be showing the amount for the whole academic year but I would like to know if anyone has a rough idea of how much proof is needed ? Seeing that i'm only staying there for ~5 months
2) Residence Permit
This pertains more to the processing. Having read through some websites, I understand that after arriving in Switzerland and doing the formalities like presenting myself to the office, when they process the residence permit, I am not allowed to leave Switzerland during this period ? (even if it's say across the border to France or Schengen?)
What if at this point the visa D is still valid (and multiple entry)? or does the processing of residence permit supercede the validity of the visa 'D' ? This is so I can plan my travels
Thank you
Welcome to EF.
Proof of financial means - this thread may help:
Proof of sufficient financial means (long stay visa)
Visa - In Switzerland, visas are only used for entry into the country. The D-visa means you're going to be staying in Switzerland more than 90 days. Your residence permit serves as your "visa" when you travel to other Shengen countries. If you want to travel while the permit is processing, you can ask the municipality for a document saying the permit is approved and is being processed. From what I've read here on EF it's not expensive, maybe 20 Francs?
Thanks for the link
& thank you so much for that explanation. I've been meaning to figure it out but every other place I've looked just states that "you are not allowed to leave the country while your permit is processing" - which struck me as odd because I would be in possession of the 'D' visa but now it's clearer with your explanation
I understand that we will be given a similar document (that states it's processing) which could help in opening a student bank account and such ?
Well don't quote me at the border if someone asks. Double-check when you register for your permit.
Hi there again
I have another question that came to mind recently so I thought I'd add it in here as a continuation as opposed to starting a new topic.
Because I cannot enter EU nor Schengen without a valid visa, my question pertains as to when does the residence permit for my exchange expire ?
I understand it as follows :
D Visa given to enter Switzerland -> apply for residence permit for exchange (1 semester) -> obtain residence permit
So how long is this permit valid for ? Because my school term ends around 8th July, and I plan on travelling around schengen after that.
Even if the permit expires after my school term ends, I understand that we have to notify the swiss cantonal authorities when we are leaving the canton.
So during this notification will they revoke the permit ? Because if so, then I will have to apply for a short stay visa C for tourist purposes prior to my course ending. Thanks !
Assuming you are a Singapore citizen you do not need a visa to enter Switzerland at all.
"Nationals of the following states do not require a visa to enter Switzerland under any circumstances: Brunei, Japan, Malaysia, New Zealand and Singapore.
However, the competent Swiss authority will issue a prior authorisation of a residence permit in the following cases:
a) for a stay of more than 90 days, or
b) a stay involving gainful employment:
lasting more than eight days, or
from the first day of work in the primary or auxiliary construction sectors, the hospitality sector, industrial or private cleaning services, surveillance and security services, itinerant sales and services or erotic services.
This prior authorisation of a residence permit is issued directly to the foreign national, or to a third party (employer), by the cantonal migration authority. The Swiss diplomatic or consular mission is not involved in this procedure."
You would just need to apply for the student residence permit once you arrive.
The permit will most likely end when your course/semester does. So if you need a visa for Schengen then you will need to get one before you start travelling.
I'm not a Singapore citizen though. If I were it'd be a lot easier since Singapore citizens don't need a visa for Schengen either. But thanks for the advice ! Seeing that the permit would most likely end after my course ends then it means I would need a Schengen visa
Ah well, back to the usual method then.
You could always ask when you go to organise the permit whether it could be extended for a bit. But the problem is unless you are actually resident, i.e. have an address here, paying rent, etc, then you can’t have a permit. So unless you plan to travel for a few weeks, but keep whatever place you’re staying at here during that time and then return to Switzerland before you finally leave a permit extension is probably not going to be possible.
Oh yeah that's actually a good idea. Because i'm still in the early stages of planning so I was thinking of how to travel around with that bulky suitcase of mine. I could extend the lease on my accommodation so I could leave the luggage behind while I traveled & take a return flight back from Geneva (more convenient too)
Thanks a million ! for the helpful & prompt advice!
Just be careful on the lease. Most are geared around official cantonal moving dates: 31st March, 30th June and 30th September. You will get places available outside these dates, but the choice may be more limited. And you might find you run into one of these dates when it comes to terminating your lease. Read the contract carefully or if you don’t know the relevant Swiss language get someone to translate for you. The last thing you want is to want to extend the contract for maybe 2 months and find the next termination date is 3 months ahead as you’ll have to pay that extra month’s rent. Also check when exactly you have to give official notice by, usually this is 3 months before the lease ends, but again check your contract. And by official notice I mean a written letter sent by registered post to arrive however many months ahead the contract specifies. So if terminating on 30th June, the letter must arrive with the landlord/agency by 31st March for example. E-mails, texts, phone calls are not accepted and many people have been caught out for the extra months’ rent by not making sure they terminate their rental lease properly.
Hey so I thought I'd just update this thread so in future if anyone who's in a similar case as me (note: exchange studies - ~5-6 months) will roughly know the timeline.
I've just received (as of this post about 10 mins ago), the authorization for the local Switzerland embassy to deliver the Visa. My university's in Lausanne so it was the Population office for the canton of Vaud (i understand different cantons may vary a bit).
Anyway I submitted the Visa documents on 23rd September and the authorization decision was made 10th November (so about 7 weeks) but I just received the email today (so 9 weeks).
Just to take note, for those applying for exchange and all, there are 2 separate forms - the Visa form as well as the Application for temporary residence permit for study purposes in Canton of Vaud. The documents required will overlap but be sure to just include them since they are handled by different departments.
At least this way your paperwork will be in order and you need not worry about missing stuff that may delay the processing.
I'm grateful for the advice received here too