Students receive a permit marked “EU/EFTA”. It does not contain any biometric information about the holder.
Legal basis: Art 4 para. 1 FMIO; Art 71b para. 1 let.a ASEO
There are two types of authorisation that correspond to the two different permits that are issued to students.
L Permit EU/EFTA for short-term residence permits (less than one year). Such a permit will generally only be issued if the course of study lasts less than one year.
However, following the adoption of the popular initiative “against mass immigration” on 9 February 2014, the authorities seem to have started granting L permits with ever greater frequency. This practice is not in conformity with the law and should be a thing of the past. If in doubt, consult a legal advice centre.
B Permit EU/EFTA for long-term residence permits. Long-term residence permits for educational purposes are issued for one year with the possibility of renewal.
Legal basis: Art. 24 para. 4 Annex I AFMP, Art. 4, 5 and 6 FMIO