Residence permit

Usually required documents

Please find hereunder the list of the usually required documents. 

• For UE or AELE nationals (list of countries): – Upload the form “Annonce d’arrivée” available on point 7 of this page.
• For non-UE or non-AELE nationals: – Upload the form “Rapport d’arrivée” available on point 7 of this page. and – Upload the form “Application form for a temporary residence permit for non-EC/EFTA nationals for study purposes in the Canton of Vaud” available on point 4 of this page.
• Copy of valid passport or ID card in color.
• Copy of Marriage or divorce certificate (if existing)
• Proof of EPFL enrolment registration less than 3 months old. Enrolment certificates can be printed out directly from your secured access in IS-Academia.
• 1 passport photo.
• Copy of the rental contract where you are living in Switzerland or landlord attestation if you do not have a rental contrat (attestation templates are sometimes given on municipalities’s websites).
• For european students: A document proving that you have sufficient funding (2000.- CHF/month) for your stay in Switzerland. You will find how to prove it on this page.
• Copy of the scholarship attestation if you benefit from it (chapter residence tax below).
• For foreigner students, cash money to pay your residence permit (the amount is depending on the municipality and your arrival country, we advise you to take ~200.- CHF).

If you are living in a temporary accommodation, you must nonetheless report to the municipality where this temporary accommodation is located in order to start the process for obtaining your residence permit. Remember to inform the post office of your new permanent address as you could receive your residence permit by post.

The residence tax for students is often CHF 37.-per month. The exact amount may vary from one municipality to another, as local regulations apply.

Students who receive a scholarship, whether Swiss or foreign, can request an exemption from the residency tax from their municipality by providing their scholarship attestation or notification (exemple «Declaration of obligations» for students from the Swiss-European Mobility Programme, Swiss Government scholarships, social scholarship, etc…). However, the granting of this exemption is not guaranteed and depends on each municipality.

Residence tax is payable to the landlord, who is responsible for payment to the tax collector.

There is no need to precise the type of permit needed, it will be given according to your situation. For information, as a student, you can receive:

• Student permit: Permis B
• Student permit for short term (6 months): Permis L

The Residents’ registration office will provide you with an attestation (while awaiting the official residence permit) which will allow you to open a bank account.

Please note that this certificate will not allow you to re-enter Switzerland if you leave the country. Please refer to the chapter “Going out of Switerzland without the residence permit” below.

After your registration at the Residents’ registration office, you will receive a letter from the Population office inviting you to go to the Biometric Center in Lausanne to proceed with the registration of the biometric data and thus finalise your residence permit.

The Population office provides all the information (procedure, costs, etc… ) on this document (in French and English). Should you have any problems to get your residence permit, do not hesitate to contact them.

If you have to go out of Switzerland and have not received your residence permit yet, please check your visa: if it is a “multi entry visa” and if you are in the deadlines, then you can go abroad and come back into Switzerland without any problems. If your visa is not a “multi entry visa” you will have to ask for a return visa to the population office. This new visa will be delivered at their desk the same day (to bring: passport photo that is less than 6 months old and your valid passport). More information on this page.

• The permit is generally issued for one year.
• After one year, a letter is sent by the authorities in order to explain how to proceed to get the extension if needed.
• Proof of sufficient financial means could be required for the extension of your residence permit. See chapter “Proof of sufficient financial means” on this page.

If your stay in another Canton is provisory, the Population office advise to keep the principal address in canton de Vaud and to take a temporary address in the other Canton. It is very long and complicated to change of Canton if it is for a short term. To keep your principal address if you do not live in Canton de Vaud:

• Ask in your municipality if you can have an administrative address. Not all municipalities do accept it but it worth it to ask.
• Ask a friend if you can register with him/her in his/her house. In this situation you will have to register at the Residents’ registration office of the municipality of your friend.

It is important to inform your first municipality of residence that you have a temporary address in another canton. All occupancy taxes and insurances will be linked to you principal address. In the Canton where you are doing your internship you will have to:

• inform the Residents’ registration office about your temporary address
• be sure that the company where you are doing your internship declares you at the working department.