Come and study without waiting for my visa...
Come and study without waiting for my visa...
"The University of Lausanne has accepted me for a Bachelor's degree in economics from September 2015, and I'm taking all the necessary steps to enter Switzerland for third-country nationals. The problem is that my appointment with the Swiss representation in Algeria isn't until July, so I'm afraid I won't get my student visa in time to start my course. Can I apply for a residence permit on this visa when I arrive in Switzerland and start studying there while I wait for the competent authorities to reply?
Ahmed, Oran
Under the Federal Law on Foreign Nationals, foreign nationals may, in principle, stay in Switzerland without a permit for up to 3 months without taking up gainful employment; if they intend to stay longer, they must apply for a permit, even if they do not intend to take up gainful employment.
Foreign nationals may therefore be admitted to Switzerland for training or further training for a maximum of 8 years, provided that the management of the establishment concerned confirms that they can be admitted, that they have suitable accommodation and the necessary financial resources, and that they have the level of training and personal qualifications required to follow the planned course of training.
No previous residence, no previous application procedure for a residence permit, and no other factor should lead the authorities to doubt that the purpose of invoking this training is to evade the regulations on the admission and residence of foreign nationals in Switzerland.
The Federal Court has had occasion to specify that these are the only criteria that should guide the authorities' assessment of an application for entry and residence authorisation in our country; While reiterating the need to wait for a decision on the application before coming to Switzerland and formally advising applicants against presenting the authorities with a fait accompli, our Supreme Court invited the Federal Office for Migration to issue the appropriate permit to a serious student who had been unable to receive it before the start of his course and had entered Switzerland on a Schengen visa.
You should therefore do everything possible to obtain a visa before coming to Switzerland for the start of your university course.
