Suppose I am a citizen of country X (passport issued by X) and I am currently in country Y for some internship and I want to apply for a student visa for country Z while in Y. Is this situation possible?
More details: I am an Indian citizen who will be interning in Canada this summer and I will be starting my masters degree in Switzerland coming fall, can I apply for a Swiss visa at the Swiss consulate (or some other office of the Swiss delegation) in Canada?
Generally, the Schengen regulations say that the responsible consulate or embassy depends on your place of residence. As an intern, you would presumably be a legal resident in Canada rather than a tourist.
I am Turkish citizen who studies in the USA. I am currently doing study abroad in Germany, so your situation is similar to mine.
Basically, you get an appointment from the nearest Swiss Consulate (the consulate that takes care of the city you are in) and apply for a visa by providing them the documents. It took me 3 months to get a student visa, so beware of the long times. It all depends on the factors present. As long as you are not a Tourist in country Y, you are able to apply for such visa.
Work, Student and Family reunion:
Visa applications for stays longer than 90 days do not require fingerprinting and, therefore, may be submitted by mail. Please note that you might still be invited for an interview. Please read the requirements: ◾AVisa requirements (long stay > 90 days)
Where to apply? Swiss visa desks in Canada Applications have to be submitted to the Swiss representation competent for your state of residence. Please consult the links below for specific information regarding the application process. ◾Ottawa, Email: [email protected] only for diplomatic visas ◾Montreal, Email: [email protected] Provinces of Quebec, Ontario, Manitoba, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island, Newfoundland and Labrador, Territory of Nunavut as well as the Bahama ◾Vancouver, Email: [email protected]
Provinces of British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, the Yukon and Northwest Territories
If you have some sort of resident status (a one-year visa is typically enough for example), then you are in fact supposed to apply in Canada and nowhere else.
If you are not a resident, you should generally apply in the consulate serving your place of usual residence. But the visa code gives consulate a bit of leeway and they can always accept to process your application if you provide a good reason.
See also Can we apply for a Schengen tourist visa while visiting another country on a short-stay visa? and Can I get an appointment at a French consulate different than the one assigned to my state? for details on the regulation and some related situations.
