Visa & Residence Permit and Health Insurance
Before your arrival - Visa & Residence Permit
Visa requirements
Depending on your nationality you may be required to have a visa before entering Switzerland. Once you have completed the online enrolment procedure at HSG and we have approved your enrolment for your guest stay, we will send you an acceptance letter electronically.
- Citizens of countries where you have to apply for a visa: With the acceptance letter, you can apply for a visa at your nearest Swiss embassy or consulate in your country of residency. After receiving your acceptance letter, you should apply for a visa as soon as possible.
- Citizens of countries where Student Mobility will send you a grant for visa: Wait until you receive the grant for visa to contact the Swiss consulate or embassy in your country of residence. With the grant for visa, the visa application process takes less time.
Please have a look at the table below to see whether your nationality needs to apply for a visa.
Residence Authorisation
Who?
(Citizens of the following countries)
|
You get What? |
How? |
Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Cyprus, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxemburg, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden |
Nothing
|
Neither a visa nor a grant for a residence permit is required prior to arrival in Switzerland. You may enter Switzerland with your passport or Citizen ID.
|
Japan, Malaysia, New Zealand, United Kingdom and Singapore |
Grant for a residence permit* |
The grant for residence permit will be sent to you (by the end of June for the Autumn term or mid-November for the Spring term) electronically by the Student Mobility Office. You may enter Switzerland with your passport.
|
Afghanistan, Algeria, Bangladesh, Burundi, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Guinea, Haiti, Iraq, Iran, Cameroun, Libya, Morocco, Nepal, North Korea, Pakistan, Republic of the Congo, Ruanda, Sri Lanka, Sudan, South Sudan, Syria and Vietnam |
Visa application |
You must apply directly in person at the Swiss consulate or embassy in your country of residence for the visa. Present your University of St.Gallen acceptance letter to the Swiss representation to apply for the visa. Apply as soon as possible after you have received your acceptance letter from us.You may enter Switzerland with the visa in your passport. |
all other countries |
Grant for a visa*
|
The visa authorisation form will be sent to you (by the end of June for the Autumn term or mid-November for the Spring term) electronically from the Student Mobility Office. After receiving the form, contact the Swiss consulate indicated in the top right corner of the authorisation form as soon as possible to begin the visa application process. The Swiss consulate should already have a copy of your visa grant on file.
|
*Student Mobility will apply on your behalf for the relevant immigration document at the St.Gallen Migration office/Bevölkerungsdienste. The University of St.Gallen is invoiced by the St.Gallen Migration office for your grant for visa/grant for resident permit document. After we send you the document by e-mail, you will be required to reimburse the University of St.Gallen for these costs (CHF 96.-) which must be paid online in advance of your arrival in St.Gallen. Payment is possible by credit card only and must be paid within two weeks after receipt of payment portal information. The link to the payment portal will be sent to you by e-mail.
Please note: If you cancel your exchange semester after we have ordered the permit document, you are still required to reimburse the university for the fees.
Visa = NO work permit
A student visa does not entitle you to work. Canton officials must approve an application for a working permit handed in by your employer. Due to current regulations, students without EU/EFTA nationality are highly unlikely to receive a work permit.
Residence Permit
If you remain in Switzerland for more than 90 days, you will need to obtain a residence permit. With the residence permit, you must register at the Resident's Office in St.Gallen within 14 days of arrival. (More information in the section "After your arrival") The Resident's Office will issue each student a residence permit.
Bringing your family to St.Gallen
You may bring your family, children etc. to St.Gallen but HSG is not able to assist you with applying for the necessary visas, approval procedures etc.. Information about HSG childcare options can be found under advisory services. If your school-age children travel with you to St.Gallen, you will need to make contact with schools in the area yourself.
After your arrival - Visa & Residence Permit
All students whose academic stay in St.Gallen is longer than 90 days must register at the St.Gallen Resident's Office within 14 days after arrival. Please see the procedures below according to your citizenship.
Citizens of EU/EFTA countries
What to bring?
- Valid passport or national identity card
- Form R: Registration at the Resident's Office (Bevölkerungsdienste)
- Copy of your rental agreement
- CHF 70.- for your Residence permit (Ausländerausweis Typ L)
What to do?
- Go to the Resident's Office and take all of the documents listed above and enough funds to pay for your residence permit (payable by cash, credit or EC debit card
What now?
- After
your visit at the Resident's Office, they will contact you and send you an appointment letter by postal mail to
have your passport photo to be taken. During this appointment, your Residence permit will be issued.
Citizens of Japan, Malaysia, New Zealand and Singapore
What to bring?
- Valid passport or national identity card
- Form R: Registration at the Resident's Office (Bevölkerungsdienste)
- Guarantee for a residence permit (Zusicherung der Aufenthaltsbewilligung)
- CHF 122.- for your residence permit (Ausländerausweis Typ L)
- CHF 20.- processing fee
What to do?
- Go to the Resident's Office and take all of the documents listed above and enough funds to pay for your residence permit (payable by cash, credit or EC debit card. The Resident's Office will stamp your Form R to confirm your registration.
- After your visit at the Resident's Office, the St.Gallen Migration Office will contact you and send you an appointment letter by postal mail to have your biometric data processed*. The letter will include the time and location for completing this step. Biometric data will be saved for a period of five years.
*The costs for the biometric data processing is CHF 20.- and will be due to pay at the appointment at the St.Gallen Migration Office.
After processing your biometric data, your residence permit should be issued in approximately 10 days and sent by registered letter to your St.Gallen address.
What now?
- Upload the signed Form R on your Mobility-Online account.
Citizens of all other countries
What to bring?
- Valid passport or national identity card
- Form R: Registration at the Resident's Office (Bevölkerungsdienste)
- CHF 122.- for your residence permit (Ausländerausweis Typ L)
- CHF 20.- processing fee
What to do?
- Go to the Resident's Office and take all of the documents listed above and enough funds to pay for your residence permit (payable by cash, credit or EC debit card. The Resident's Office will stamp your Form R to confirm your registration.
- After your visit at the Resident's Office, the St.Gallen Migration Office will contact you and send you an appointment letter by postal mail to have your biometric data processed*. The letter will include the time and location for completing this step. Biometric data will be saved for a period of five years.
*The costs for the biometric data processing is CHF 20.- and will be due to pay at
the appointment at the St.Gallen Migration Office.
After processing your biometric data, your residence permit should be issued
in approximately 10 days and sent by registered letter to your St.Gallen address.
What now?
- Upload the signed Form R on your Mobility-Online account.
Before you depart from St.Gallen
After your arrival in St.Gallen, it was important that you register at the St.Gallen Resident's Office. Now at the end of your stay, it is important that you de-register from St.Gallen. Please take Form D fill it out and go to the St.Gallen Resident's Office. The Resident's Office will then stamp your Form D and verify your de-registration. After that you can upload the scan of Form D to your Mobility-Online account. You can de-register at the St.Gallen Resident's Office up to one month before your actual departure.
Before your arrival - Health Insurance
What kind of proof for public health insurance do I need to have?
Individuals living in Switzerland for 90 days or more are required by Swiss law to have sufficient health insurance coverage throughout their stay. Normally only Swiss health insurance policies are recognised but if you can provide adequate proof of sufficient health insurance, the St.Gallen Resident's office will accept this. Please see the expanders in the section "After your arrival" (just below) for country-respective information.
Health insurance requirements according to nationality
Nationality
|
Legally required health insurance in
|
Required documents
|
EU/EFTA or Swiss citizen
|
Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia,
Finland, France, Germany, Greece,
Hungary, Ireland, Iceland, Italy,
Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania,
Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands,
Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania,
Slovakia, Slovenia, Sweden, Spain |
- European Health Insurance Card
or
- Health Insurance Certification, signed by your insurance provider at home |
UK ctizen
|
UK |
- UK Global Health Insurance Card
or
- European Health Insurance Card
or
- Health Insurance Certification, signed by your insurance provider at home
|
Non-EU/EFTA or non-Swiss citizen
(national of another country, e.g., Chinese national insured in Germany) |
Germany |
- European Health Insurance Card
or
- Health Insurance Certification, signed by your insurance provider at home |
Non-EU/EFTA or non-Swiss citizen
(national of another country, e.g., Chinese national insured in France)
|
Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Greece,
Hungary, Ireland, Iceland, Italy,
Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania,
Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands,
Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania,
Slovakia, Slovenia, Sweden, Spain
|
Health Insurance Certification, signed by your insurance provider at home
|
All other nationalities
|
Another country (non-EU/EFTA) |
- Health Insurance Certification, signed by your insurance provider at home |
In case your health insurance cannot complete the Health Insurance Certification, you must purchase sufficient health insurance in Switzerland. You find a list of reasonable Swiss health insurance providers in the expander below.
Once you are in St.Gallen, you need to show your original Matriculation Confirmation from the University of St.Gallen. You will be able to print out the matriculation confirmation from your mailbox in Compass (student portal) by the end of August (for the Autumn term) or January (for the Spring term). We recommend you to print our the confirmation before you travel to Switzerland.
Privately insured
If you are privately insured, your insurance company must complete the health insurance certification form.
If your insurance company cannot complete the health insurance certification form, you must purchase health insurance in Switzerland.
Monthly rates for health insurance vary from approximately CHF 90 to CHF 290, depending on your age and personal needs.
If you would like to obtain health insurance in Switzerland, you may do so. We have listed a few examples for reasonable health insurance providers below. However, please note that you are fully responsible for researching the details of the different insurers and policies yourself.
After your arrival - Health Insurance
After your arrival in St.Gallen you will be required to demonstrate that you have sufficient health insurance coverage. The documentation required will depend on your nationalty and type of health insurance. See the expanders below and refer to the respective countries.
Please note that you must show a printed proof/scan of your health insurance certificate.
EU/EFTA or Swiss Citizens who obtain public health insurance in an EU/EFTA country
Health insurance requirements according to nationality
Nationality
|
Legally required health insurance in
|
Required documents
|
EU/EFTA or Swiss citizen who obtain health insurance in an EU/EFTA country
|
Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia,
Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Iceland, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Sweden, Spain |
- European Health Insurance Card (printed scan of both sides of the card)
or
- Health Insurance Certification, signed by your insurance provider at home
and
- Form C: Application for release from Health Insurance Requirement
- Original confirmation of matriculation from the University of St.Gallen*
|
|
|
*You will be able to print out the matriculation confirmation from your mailbox in Compass (student portal) by the end of August (for the Autumn term) or January (for the Spring term).
|
Non-EU/EFTA or non-Swiss Citizens who obtain public health insurance in an EU/EFTA country
Health insurance requirements according to nationality
Nationality
|
Legally required health insurance in
|
Required documents
|
Non-EU/EFTA or non-Swiss citizen
(national of another country, e.g., Chinese national insured in France) who obtain private health insurance in an EU/EFTA country (except Germany)
|
Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Greece,
Hungary, Ireland, Iceland, Italy,
Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania,
Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Sweden, Spain |
- European Health Insurance Card (printed scan of both sites of the card)
or
- Health Insurance Certification, signed by your insurance provider
at home
and
-Form C: Application for release from Health Insurance Requirement
- Original confirmation of matriculation from the University of St.Gallen |
|
|
*You will be able to print out the matriculation confirmation from your mailbox in Compass (student portal) by the end of August (for the Autumn term) or January (for the Spring term).
|
All other nationalities who obtain public health insurance in a non-EU/EFTA country
Health insurance requirements according to nationality
Nationality
|
Legally required health insurance in
|
Required documents
|
All other nationalities
|
Another country (non-EU/EFTA) |
- Health Insurance Certification, signed by your insurance provider at home
and
- Form C: Application for release from Health Insurance Requirement
- Original confirmation of matriculation from the University of St.Gallen*
|
|
|
*You will be able to print out the matriculation confirmation from your mailbox in Compass (student portal) by the end of August (for the Autumn term) or January (for the Spring term).
|
All other nationalities who obtain public health insurance in Germany
Health insurance requirements according to nationality
Nationality
|
Legally required health insurance in
|
Required documents
|
Another country (non-EU/EFTA, non-Swiss)
|
Germany |
- European Health Insurance Card (printed scan of both sites of the card)
or- Health Insurance Certification, signed by your insurance provider at home
and
- Form C: Application for release from Health Insurance Requirement
- Original confirmation of matriculation from the University of St.Gallen*
|
|
|
*You will be able to print out the matriculation confirmation from your mailbox in Compass (student portal) by the end of August (for the Autumn term) or January (for the Spring term).
|
UK nationalities who obtain public health insurance in UK
Health insurance requirements according to nationality
Nationality
|
Legally required health insurance in
|
Required documents
|
UK
|
UK |
- UK Global Health Insurance Card (printed scan of both sites of the card)
or
- European Health Insurance Card (printed scan of both sites of the card)
or
- Health Insurance Certification, signed by your insurance provider at home
and
- Form C: Application for release from Health Insurance Requirement
- Original confirmation of matriculation from the University of St.Gallen*
|
|
|
*You will be able to print out the matriculation confirmation from your mailbox in Compass (student portal) by the end of August (for the Autumn term) or January (for the Spring term).
|
Privately insured
If you are privately insured, your insurance company must complete the health insurance certification form.
If your insurance company cannot complete the health insurance certification form, you must purchase health insurance in Switzerland.
Monthly rates for health insurance vary from approximately CHF 90 to CHF 290, depending on your age and personal needs.
If you would like to obtain health insurance in Switzerland, you may do so. We have listed a few examples for reasonable health insurance providers below. However, please note that you are fully responsible for researching the details of the different insurers and policies yourself.
Examples of reasonable Swiss health insurance providers
If you would like to obtain health insurance in Switzerland, you may do so. We have listed a few examples for reasonable health insurance providers below. However, please note that you are fully responsible for researching the details of the different insurers and policies yourself.
Other Insurances
Besides health insurance, we also recommend that you have a casualty insurance and eventually, a vehicle insurance if you intend to drive a car during your guest stay. You can find detailed information in the "Arrival Guide" to download.
Health & Safety
Health
Illness, sickness or actual emergencies can cause disturbance and trouble. We still want you to feel save and advise you, in case of emergency, to see a doctor or a hospital. In St.Gallen we have a modern medical centre with multilingual doctors of various fields of medicine and the hospital located at Rorschacher Strasse 95 (for urgent emergencies). A general overview of the advisory services at HSG is available on StudentWeb under Services - Advisory services.
You find an overview of all Swiss emergency numbers here and on the Emergency Card of the University of St.Gallen.
Safety
Switzerland is one of the safest countries worldwide. Yet we want to emphasize that the University Campus is open to the public. We therefore advise you not to leave your belongings unattended and keep your valuables with you.