Study Permit

Disclaimer: The following information is based on our experiences, we cannot guarantee accuracy. Always check the official channels. 

Visa Process

The visa process is not complicated but takes time. First, for you to gather all the documents, and then for them to process them. Lastly, you'll have to travel out of the country for the biomentrics. More information on that can be found in the Biometrics section. The Canadian government is pretty easy going with the CH/EU citizens but might check students from other nationalities a little more thoroughly.

Here is a rough step by step guide for the Visa /Study Permit process:

• Get accepted into Carleton University

• Create an IRCC account

• Gather all the documents

• Fill out and submit the application

• Pay the processing and biometrics fees

• Give biometrics at a VAC (not possible in Switzerland!)

• Ideally, you'll receive your initially approved study permit. The final decision is made at Immigration once you arrive in Canada. Your visa/eTA will be issued automatically with the study permit.

• For Non-Swiss/EU students: You need to get your passport back to the VAC for the visa (mail it with the post or bring it by yourself). You then need to wait 3-5 days for it to be processed. Then you have your visa and you're ready to go.

Required Documents

Here is a list of important documents needed for the study permit application. The most important documents are the International Student Letter and Offer of Admission by Carleton University. Failure to add any of these documents to your visa will lead to an immediate denial. 

Documents list:

• Letter of Acceptance/International Student Letter/Offer of Admission by Carleton University

• National Identity Document (ID card)

• Valid passport/travel document (Photocopy of all pages that are not blank)

• proof of funds (more information below)

• Statement of purpose

• Note: you do not need a provincial attestation letter, master’s students are exempt

Other information needed: 

• Citizenship and resident information

• Contact information

• Education cost (you can find information on this on your international student letter)

• Information about education, work, and other activities (all employment details since the age of 18, including periods of unemployment)

Proof of Funds

If you won't be getting financial support from someone during your stay in Canada

Show that you can support yourself, and any dependents who will accompany you, while in Canada by providing one or more of the following pieces of evidence:

• bank statements for the past 4 months, showing an amount large enough to cover all reasonable expenses while in Canada

• a certified cheque, bank draft or money order, showing an amount large enough to cover all reasonable expenses while in Canada

• written statements that a processing officer will be able to confirm

• You will not pay tuition directly to Carleton, you will pay the semester to University of Lucerne as you would any other. You can request a letter to the Dual Degree program manager, Michael Widmer, that clarifies this fact. This reduces your expenses in Canada and increases the chances of getting accepted in case you are on a tight budget. 

If you will depend on someone financially during your stay in Canada

Provide a letter or statement from the person that you will depend on while in Canada. The letter or statement must include the amount of money this person will be providing, plus proof that this person has sufficient funds. This can be one or more of the following:

• bank statements for the past 4 months

• a bank draft in convertible currency

• proof of payment of tuition and accommodation fees

• a letter from the person or institution providing you with money. The person must also provide evidence of their relationship with you. Depending on the type of relationship, this could mean a copy of a marriage certificate, phone records, birth registration, family documents or photos.

Typically, this will be a letter of financial support from your parent(s).

Example of the letter:

I, Name of donor, hereby declare that I am willing and able to provide financial support for my /relationship, e.g. child/, Name of applicant, for the duration of his/her studies at Carleton University in Ottawa, Canada. The purpose of this letter is to assure the immigration authorities that the applicant, Name of applicant, will not become a financial burden on the state and will have adequate support during his/her stay.

I am employed as a X at Y and have been working in this role since XXXX. My annual income is approximately XXXX  CAD, which gives me the ability to financially support the applicant.

In accordance with the immigration requirements, I am committed to covering all the necessary expenses for Name of applicant during his/her stay, including but not limited to: Tuition, accommodation, food and daily expenses, health insurance, and emergency funds.

Attached, please find the following documents supporting this statement:

• • Bank statements

  • Evidence of relationship (e.g. birth certificate)

I understand the importance of the financial support statement for the immigration process, and I assure you that I will fulfill my obligations as stated in this letter. Please do not hesitate to contact me should you require any additional information or clarification.

Thank you for your attention to this matter.

Sincerely,

Name of donor

Signature

Fees

• Study permit application processing fee: 150 CAD

• Biometrics: 85 CAD

Information for Biometrics 

• After the approval of the online application you have to give your biometric data (fingerprints/picture). The biometric data cannot be done at the Canadian Embassy in Switzerland, but has to be done at a Visa Application Centre. This is a distinct office from the Canadian Embassy. There are no biometrics centres located in Switzerland. Plan your trip in advance or combine it with holidays. The closest application centres are in Lyon, Paris, Rome, Berlin, Düsseldorf or Vienna. More information can be found under: https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/corporate/contact-ircc/offices/find-visa-application-centre.html 

• Non-Europeans will have to either personally go to the Visa Application Center (VAC) or send their passport by Post in order to have their visa attached. Calculate your time accordingly, as you must be in Canada during the first week of the year, and you need your passport to do so. 

• 1. 1. 1. Take into consideration the VACs Christamas vacation period

        2. Clarify with the VAC if you are forced to return to the exact VAC your previous appointment was at

        3. Attaching the visa to the passport is not immediate. It can take up to 5 days. 

        4. Clarify all this information by sending an email to your VAC

Your biometric data stays in the system for 10 years and can be used for all following visas and permits in this time period. If you get rejected for the visa, you don't need to give biometrics again. 

Documents to take with you to the biometrics appointment:

• Appointment letter

• Passport

• Biometric Instruction Letter

• VFS Consent form (signed)

Documents to have with you for Immigration when arriving in Canada

• Passport

• Letter of acceptance/international student letter of Carleton University

• Letter of introduction (= initially approved study permit)

Helpful Links

Official site for Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC):

https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/study-canada/study-permit.html 

Carleton University International Student Services Office (ISSO):

https://carleton.ca/go-isso/immigration-support/how-to-apply-for-your-first-study-permit-from-outside-canada/