We provide application assistance of Residence Permits for non-Swiss residents / student visas but we cannot obtain visas on a students’ behalf: this must be done by parents. It is up to the State Secretariat for Migration (SEM) and/or the cantonal migration authority to grant or deny an intended place of residence. If the student holds a current passport from one of these countries, he/she can travel freely in and out of Switzerland. The Saint Charles Travel Office (head of boarding) will obtain the student’s residency permit upon arrival in Switzerland: Andorra, Austria, Belgium, Brunei, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, England, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Latvia, Lichtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malaysia, Malta, Monaco, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, San-Marino, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden and The Vatican.
Further information is available on the Swiss Federal Office for Migration website, www.bfm.admin.ch.
When a Swiss visa is required, the student must submit an application for a multi-entry visa to the Swiss Embassy or Consulate in their own country. Please note that visas can take up to 12 weeks to process. Students are not able to begin studying in Switzerland until their visa has been approved, so it is crucial that an application is made at the earliest opportunity, to avoid important work being missed at the beginning of the new school year. College Saint Charles can welcome students during the course of the year.