Applying for a residence permit

How to apply for a residence permit?

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Regardless of whether you need an entry visa or not, you will in any case need a residence permit for your period of study in Switzerland.

You must apply for the permit in person within 14 days after moving to Switzerland at the Residents' Registration Office at your new place of residence.

Students from non-EU/EFTA countries who already live in another canton in Switzerland, apply for a change of canton 8-12 weeks before planned arrival in Zurich.

Within the city of Zurich

Please external pagebook an appointment online to register at the Residents' Registration Office (Personenmeldeamt Zürich).
Please note the address in the confirmation!

Outside the city of Zurich

Search for "Anmeldung Zuzug and the name of your new place of residency" and you will find the right place for the registration.
Usually no appointment is needed, however note the opening hours.

Documents:

a valid identity card or passport
your Downloadextended confirmation of matriculation (PDF, 161 KB), see explanation below
your rental agreement
approx. CHF 40.- for the registration confirmation
approx. CHF 70.- (EU citizens) / CHF 142.- (non-EU citizens) for the permit fee
proof of sufficient financial means:
- if you entered Switzerland with a student visa: not required.
- as a Non-EU/EFTA citizen if you entered Switzerland without a visa: statement from an bank account in your name at a European or bank of the external pageFINMA list with at least CHF 21,000.
- EU/EFTA citizen have 2 options:
  1. a European bank statement of an account in your own name if the balance is at least CHF 21,000
  or
  2. a letter from the parents confirming that they will support you with CHF 1750 per month. The parents' letter does not have to be in a specific format and ETH does not provide a template
- Joint Master students, who only spend a semester at ETH Zurich: financial means for the time of your stay (7 months a CHF 1750 per month = CHF 12.250)
non EU/EFTA student, which entered Switzerland without a visa, have to submitt in addition the same documents as students with a visa obligation (without the cover sheet, visa application form and confirmation of tuition fee payment)
non EU/EFTA students, which entered Switzerland with a valid Schengen permit or valid D visa, have submitt in addition the following documents

At the Residents’Registration Office, you will be given an appointment at the Migration Office of the Canton of Zurich to submit your biometric data.

A few weeks after this appointment you will receive your residence permit by registered post mail.

The residence permit is usually issued for one year (B permit) and can be extended subsequently if your studies last longer.

Please note that proof of sufficient financial means must be provided again for the extension of the residence permit in the form of

your own bank statement for non-EU/EFTA citizens,
confirmation letter from your parents for EU/EFTA citizens.

Extended Confirmation of Matriculation

The Migration Office of the Canton of Zurich requires the “extended confirmation of matriculation” of the upcoming semester when issuing your residence permit for the first time and when renewing it.

The “Downloadextended confirmation of matriculation (PDF, 161 KB)” can you download in myStudies as soon as you have enrolled for the (new) semester.

Log in to myStudies > Functions > Download PDF > Downloadextended confirmation of matriculation (PDF, 161 KB). Please note that the "Standard" confirmation of matriculation is not accepted.

If you are not yet able to enroll, submitt the following documents:

BSc students: "Anmeldung Studium" or "Bestätigung zu Handen Behörden"
MSc students: “Confirmation of Registration” and “Matriculation Confirmation” (“Bescheinigung zu Händen der zuständigen Behörden“ and "Anmeldebestaetigung").

The Migration Office will ask you by mail to submit the "extended confirmation of matriculation". You can submit this external pageonline (only available in English) together with the letter your received from the Migration Office.

Contact International Student Office

Please note: The information on this page is meant for information purposes only. No responsibility is taken for the correctness of this information. The rules and regulations may have changed in the meantime. For legally binding information please contact the respective authorities.