Swiss Student Immigration
Legal Documentation
Passports & Visas
All students are required to obtain passports well in advance or to have their current passport renewed if necessary. Passports should be valid for at least one year beyond the end of the academic year.
Students who do not obtain a student visa (when necessary)
may be required to return to their country of origin before being admitted into
Switzerland.
The University declines all responsibility for complications and personal liabilities arising from a student's failure to verify with his/her nearest Swiss Consulate as to whether a separate Swiss student visa is required.
Most students from non-European countries require either a visa stamp in their passport or a permit in order to travel and return to Switzerland legally. There are a few countries with exceptions to the visa requirement. Students should contact Sabina Macchi for personalized immigration advice.
Residence Permits
The University will obtain Swiss Student Residence Permits for all students upon arrival in Lugano at the opening of the semester. Switzerland is part of the Schengen area countries—meaning the student residence permits will also serve as a Schengen visa. The permit is valid for the duration of one semester or one year - depending on the student’s academic plan. Degree-seeking students renew their Residence Permit once a year during their studies.The Swiss Immigration Department requires that a student is present in Switzerland when their Swiss Residence Permit is valid. If a returning student with a valid Residence Permit needs to arrive late for the start of the semester, they are required to continue paying for their Swiss health insurance and housing/rent fees in order to keep their Swiss Residence Permit valid. If something changes and the returning student is no longer able to arrive after receiving permission from the OSL to arrive late, they would still be responsible for paying their health insurance and housing/rent fees for the time when they were expected to arrive and their Residence Permit was open. At the same time, Franklin would be required to retroactively cancel their Residence Permit from the point of their departure from Switzerland if they do not arrive within the late arrival time permitted. When this student returns for a future semester, they would need to re-start their immigration process by obtaining a visa to return to campus to continue their studies.
Immigration
Status for Residential Students Policy
In accordance
with Swiss immigration regulations, all Franklin students living in Switzerland
must be registered with Swiss authorities during their studies. Enrolled
Franklin students must have Swiss citizenship, a Swiss Residence Permit, or
other Swiss immigration permission in order to live in Switzerland during their
studies at Franklin. Students who commute to campus from outside of Switzerland
during their Franklin studies must have authorized immigration status in order
to enter Switzerland as a commuting student.
In accordance with Swiss immigration regulations, all Franklin students living in Switzerland must be registered with Swiss authorities during their studies. Enrolled Franklin students must have Swiss citizenship, a Swiss Residence Permit, or other Swiss immigration permission in order to live in Switzerland during their studies at Franklin. Students who commute to campus from outside of Switzerland during their Franklin studies must have authorized immigration status in order to enter Switzerland as a commuting student.
Students Renting Apartments Off Campus
In Switzerland, all foreigners residing for a period longer than 3 months, must register not only with the Swiss Immigration (Swiss Residence Permit) but also with the Town Hall for the municipality where they reside. This is a mandatory process in Switzerland. The residence must be primary and not secondary. In terms of documents for both offices (Swiss Immigration and Town Hall) it is necessary to acquire a rental contract for a primary residence, duly signed by all the parties involved. This is not possible with Airbnb properties, since they are considered a secondary residence and registration in a Swiss Town Hall will not be allowed. Students who receive approval to live off campus, must rent a primary residence and obtain the proper documents necessary for Immigration and Town Hall registration purposes. For this reason, Franklin students who require a Swiss Residence Permit to remain legal in Switzerland will not be allowed to rent an Airbnb property as their off campus housing location during their studies.
Contact Sabina Macchi in the Office of Student Life for personalized immigration advice.