Residence and formalities for students in Europe

EU/EEA and Swiss citizens enter with an ID card or passport. But if you move to Liechtenstein to study, you must get a short-term residence permit (L) – this is mandatory. You register with the relevant municipal office within 14 days of arrival. The university has a separate office that helps with residence permits. You can also choose to live in neighbouring Switzerland or Austria – then their rules apply, and the university cannot help with those procedures.

Students from outside the EU/EEA and Switzerland in most cases need a visa. Liechtenstein does not issue its own visas – you apply at a Swiss embassy or consulate. The application for the short-term residence permit for study (L) goes to the Migration and Passport Office (Ausländer- und Passamt) no later than 14 days before your studies start – if you need a visa, apply earlier. As well as the documents every student submits (enrolment confirmation, proof of health insurance and proof of funds), you need a criminal record extract (no older than one month, translated into German) and proof of language skills. Funds can be proved with a scholarship or with a guarantee from the university or from a person living in Liechtenstein. You also pay the university a deposit of CHF 3,000, which you get back after you graduate; in return the university gives you a bank guarantee to support your visa application.

Health insurance is compulsory if you live in Liechtenstein while you study. According to the European Commission's profile, EU students staying longer than 3 months can use their European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) – check this with the university before you leave. Students from outside the EU/EEA need their own health insurance, which is also a condition of the residence permit.