Hello guys,
I hope you are doing well. I am a student from Pakistan(non-EU). I have been accepted as exchange student at the University of Zurich. But for some reasons, I want to live in canton of Zug. Is there any way that I can submit my visa application to Zug canton for processing?
This guy in the following site says that embassy decides the canton according to the probable address written on visa application. Is it true? if not then is there any other way?
https://www.swissinfo.ch/eng/indian-...-visa/44764828

Khalid, I am not certain it is even possible? Do you have a good reason why Zug should issue a permit? For example family?

There is a profound shortage of third country permits in Switzerland and Zug might not want to issue one from their quota when there is little benefit to them.

When I came 30+ years ago I had to live in the canton where I worked.

It's not easily done and I also suspect from reading that article that the reason he might have been able to apply to Zug is the course/campus he was attending.

The expectation is that people live in the same canton that their work/study place is located. That's not to say you can't apply for a new permit in another canton, but you have to ask permission to make the move.

"Art. 36 Place of residence
Persons with a short stay permit, a residence or a permanent residence permit are free to choose their place of residence within the canton that granted the permit.

Art. 37 Change of the place of residence to another canton
1 Persons with a short stay permit or a residence permit who would like to relocate their place of residence to another canton must apply for the appropriate permit from the new canton beforehand.
2 Persons with a residence permit are entitled to move to another canton provided they are not unemployed and there are no grounds for revocation in terms of Article 62 paragraph 1.
3 Persons with a permanent residence permit are entitled to move to another canton, provided there are no grounds for revocation in terms of Article 63.
4 No permit is required for a temporary stay in another canton."

https://www.admin.ch/opc/en/classifi...232/index.html

It may also depend on how long you're going to be here as an exchange student as well. If it's only for a few months/a year then I suspect it might not be allowed, but I don't really know much about how the exchange student schemes work.

All I can suggest is that you try, but if you get rejected then you'll have to go through the whole application again to get a permit in Zurich canton. And that could scupper your chances of getting a permit at all.

As a student, you will need to live in the canton of your school.

Tom

I think this is possible. Yes, my girlfriend lives in Zug that is why.

Can you provide me any reference or proof for this statement?

His campus was in Zug but he applied for Canton Lucerne.

Probably not a good enough reason in the Swiss authorities eyes.

Yes, but I'm saying the reason why he might have been able to apply to Zug is because his campus is there. If that is the case, then it wouldn't apply to your situation unless your campus is also in Zug and not Zurich.

Ok.
Please clear my following confusion.
If I write Zug in the probable address section of visa application, will my visa be processed in Canton Zurich (where my university is) or Zug (where I will reside)?

You might want to be careful. If the authorities start to think that the real reason for you wanting to come to Switzerland is your girlfriend, rather than study, then they might not approve your visa at all. You might not want to mention Zug and your girlfriend at all, and suck up that you'll have to rent a room in Zürich. just a thought.

Why would Zug issue you a permit from their limited quota?

Your authorisation comes from Zurich, they are prepared to issue you a permit from their quota.

I am not asking if they will issue the permit or not.
I am simply asking which canton will process the student visa.

The canton that issue it will be the canton that process it. Would be bizarre for it to be any other way.

Ok, I think I got the answer. The canton where I reside will process my visa instead of the canton where I will study.

Think the other way around. The canton where you study will issue the visa and you will have to reside in that canton.

But this website says otherwise:
https://www.swissinfo.ch/eng/indian-...-visa/44764828

This might help. When in doubt, check with the authorities.
https://www.expatica.com/ch/moving/v...ermits-443219/

What's the plan here actually? Are you planning to live with your girlfriend in Zug? If so, is her place big enough for two people to live in and has she informed her landlord/agency that you might be coming to live there?

How long is this exchange supposed to be for? If it's less than a year I doubt you'll get a student B permit which means you do have to live in the same canton that your study place is in. You don't have the option to live elsewhere.

If your permit application isn't approved by Zug or Zurich you won't get a Type D visa allowing you to enter Switzerland for more than 90 days. The visa is dependent on being granted a Swiss student permit.

Thanks