Hello all -

I need help in interpreting the documentation that I need/will receive for a stay in Switzerland.

I will visit EPFL for 6 months as an Invited Professor from September 1 - February 28 (they will pay me; this is all in the invitation letter I have from them). I am a US citizen.

I applied for a multiple-entry visa allowing work, to the appropriate Swiss consulate in the US. They gave me a single-entry visa valid for 3 months (which expires in August before I will arrive. In addition, I will be in Switzerland in June, thereby using up the single entry. More on this later.)

The consulate told me I have 8 days to register when I arrive for my visit (never mind the fact that the visa expires before Sept. 1), at which point I will obtain something which will allow me to work.

My question is the following: in addition to the residence/work permit - do I still need a valid multiple-entry visa? I need to travel outside of Switzerland during my 6-month stay. Or does the permit itself function as a visa?

[The consulate told me to try to do the exchange when I'm in Switzerland in June. EPFL thinks that this won't work. Does anyone have any experience with this as well?]

Thanks very much for any insight that anyone can provide.

They probably expect you to show up a few days before actually starting work. Most people do that, so it's not so off the wall.


No, you do not.