Research study on Visas and Residence permits

Research Study on Visas and Residence Permits Emanuel Alfranseder (ed.), Agnieszka Czarnojan Erasmus Student Network AISBL, Brussels 2013

Research Study on Visas and Residence Permits Emanuel Alfranseder (ed.), Agnieszka Czarnojan Erasmus Student Network, Brussels 2013

Copyright Š 2013 by the Erasmus Student Network AISBL. All rights reserved.

Research Study on Visas and Residence Permits Author: Emanuel Alfranseder (ed.), Agnieszka Czarnojan Published by Erasmus Student Network AISBL Design: Petr Kozlik & Robert Klimacki Photo: Christopher Cotrell Editing: Stefan Sennekamp, Emanuel Alfranseder This information can be freely used and copied for non-commercial purposes, provided that the source is acknowledged (Š Erasmus Student Network) For ordering additional copies of the publication, please contact secretariat@esn.org Erasmus Student Network AISBL Rue Hydraulique 15 1210 Brussels, Belgium Tel: +32 2 256 74 27 Digital version of this report is available through www.esn.org

Index

Introduction 7 Key Results 8 Visas 8

Residence Permits 8 Recommendations 9 Background 10 Visas 11 Data 11

Obtaining a Visa 13

Visa Costs and Time Investment 18

Information and Satisfaction with the Visa Process 23 Residence Permits 25 Data 25

Obtaining a Residence Permit 27

Residence Permit Costs and Time Investment 31

Information and Satisfaction with the Residence

Permit Process

36 Methodology 38 Acknowledgements 39 Figures 40 List of Abbreviations 42 Sources 43 Annex 1: About ESN 44 Annex 2: Questionnaire 47

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Introduction

The Erasmus Student Network (ESN) works towards a more mobile and flexible education environment in Europe. Thanks to the large scale Erasmus programme, the European Union has come quite some way and student mobility has increased substantially over the past years.

Intra-European mobility has many benefits on personal development, European identity and skills development. Along with the new European programme for Education, Training, Youth and Sport (most likely Erasmus+) an increased focus is put on sending and receiving students from outside of Europe. This is only a logical step in a world that becomes more global every day.

Traveling and residing within the European Union´s borders is relatively easy and in theory the free movement of persons is a fundamental right guaranteed to EU citizens. The story changes substantially when one would like to enter from countries outside of the EU. Citizens from privileged and prosperous countries can often enter the EU rather easily. Citizens from less affluent countries often face much greater hurdles and many that do not come from a rich parental background might be deterred from the beginning and not even start the process of entering into the European Union.

In the context of the revision of the European Union’s directive regulating the entry and residence of third country nationals, ESN has conducted a survey that gives some valuable insight into the current situation of young people that want to travel and live abroad. We are convinced that the financial means, time and energy spent on the formalities necessary to travel and live abroad should be minimal, in particular for young people. Europe and the world can only grow together when individuals meet, get to know and understand each other. The consequences of not facilitating this intercultural exchange were painfully experienced in the past century.

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Key Results Visas

• EU/Schengen citizens perceive the visa process as more difficult than citizens from non-EU/Schengen countries.

• On average, the requirements in terms of financial means and documentation are much stricter for non-EU Schengen citizens. While 87% of all non-EU/Schen gen applicants from relatively poorer countries have to prove sufficient financial

means, only 41 % of EU/Schengen applicants have to do so.

• The descriptive analysis shows that the average price of a visa is lower for EU/ Schengen respondents (EUR 77.4) compared to the average costs for applicants

from outside the EU/Schengen area (around EUR 100).

• On average, a person from a relatively poorer non-EU Schengen country has to pay around EUR 270 to obtain a visa (including all costs pertaining to the

obtainment of a visa). For the richer non-EU Schengen states

it is around EUR 220, while EU/Schengen citizens only have to spend a bit more than EUR 152 to get their visa.

• All in all, it takes EU/Schengen citizens substantially less time to obtain a visa.

For more than 40 % of non-EU/Schengen citizens it takes in total more than four

weeks to obtain a visa. More than 20% of non-EU/Schengen citizens have to wait

more than four weeks for their visa after submitting all documents

Residence Permits

• Respondents from the EU and Schengen area evaluate the residence permit procedures as less difficult than citizens without EU or Schengen citizenship.

• Obstacles most often mentioned are time-consuming, expensive and unclear rules and procedures.

• While 50% of all EU and Schengen citizens need to prove their financial means, 73% of all citizens from outside the EU and Schengen area need to provide such documentation. In general, respondents from the EU and Schengen area need less documentation to obtain a residence permit.

• The average price (fee only) of a residence permit is more than three times higher for citizens from outside the EU and Schengen area (EUR 167.2

for relatively poorer countries) compared to EU and Schengen area respondents

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(EUR 54.9).

• On average, a person from a relatively poorer non-EU Schengen country has to pay EUR 388.3 to obtain a residence permit. EU and Schengen citizens have to spend around EUR 104.3, whereas richer non-EU Schengen states need, on average, EUR 287.8 for a residence permit.

• It again takes substantially less time for EU/Schengen citizens to obtain a resi

dence permit taking into account the whole process. More than 50% of appli cants from relatively poorer countries outside of the EU and Schengen area need

more than four weeks for the whole process.

Recommendations The results have shown that obtaining both visas and residence permits is very often costly and time-consuming. Ideally, visa requirements should be waived entirely, in particular for young people, students and volunteers. Acknowledging that this is not always politically feasible and building upon the results of the analysis, we recommend realising the following measures to ease the burden on visa and residence permit applicants:

1. The costs of visas and residence permits are too high and lead to often insur mountably high obstacles for young people, in particular from lower socio-eco nomic backgrounds. Thus, for young people, students and volunteers, these fees should be waived or set to a minimal level.

2. The provision of information on the visa and residence permit process is not sufficient. The required documents and timeframe must be clearly communicated and additional requirements should not be set during the process.

3. The process of obtaining visas and residence permits is often overly compli cated and the documents required are too extensive. This should be simplified.

4. The process of applying for visas and residence permits is often too long and should be shortened. Processing times after applying should not be longer than two weeks.

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Background

A European Union directive is a legislative act that is binding for all member states and needs to be implemented into the national legal system in all EU member states. Depending on the exact formulation of the directive it gives member states some flexibility on how to implement the directive. The conditions of entry and residence of third-country nationals for the purposes of research, studies, pupil exchange, remunerated and unremunerated training, voluntary service and au pairing are currently regulated in the Directives 2004/114/EC and 2005/71/EC. In March 2013, the European Commission has proposed a new directive on the conditions of entry and residence of third-country nationals for the purposes of research, studies, pupil exchange, remunerated and unremunerated training, voluntary service and au pairing (European Commission, 2013). The proposal combines the two previous directives and also aims to contribute to achieving the goals outlined in the EU 2020 Strategy.

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Visas Data

A visa is a document that enables individuals to enter a foreign country. Even individuals holding a valid visa may be refused at the border. Visas are not always needed and many countries have agreements that waive visa requirements. EU citizens do not need a visa to travel within the EU and many other bilateral agreements exist between sovereign states. As the following analysis shows, the difficulties and costs for obtaining a visa vary greatly.

In total, the survey produced 1,171 valid answers on a visa experience (this includes individuals that report about two distinct experiences and the results are pooled). To investigate whether individuals face different challenges in the process of obtaining a visa, we create three groups:

• EU member states and additional Schengen zone states (EU+Schengen) • Rich countries outside of the EU and Schengen zone: United States, Australia, Japan and Canada (Outside+Rich) • All other countries outside of the EU and Schengen zone (Outside)

All criteria refer to the indicated citizenship. As double citizenship is possible, the first group (EU+Schengen) includes everyone with citizenship from one of the EU and Schengen countries. Likewise, if an individual has two citizenships from outside the EU and Schengen area and one of those falls into the “Outside+Rich” group, the individual is included into the second group (“Outside+Rich”).

The overview of reported experiences depicted in figure 1 shows that we have most data on individuals needing to obtain a visa coming from third countries into the EU and Schengen area (833), followed by experiences from individuals from EU and Schengen countries (295) and a relatively small sample of individuals from rich third countries (43).

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Figure 1 Overview of the experiences of the three main groups of respondents (n=1,171).

Further looking into the composition of the group from outside of the EU and Schengen area (Figure 2) shows that almost half of those experiences come from Turkey (400), followed by Russia (45) and India (41).

Figure 2 Decomposition of the experiences of respondents from outside of the EU and Schengen (n=833).

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Obtaining a Visa As displayed in figure 3, most visas are student visas followed by tourist/visitor visas. Work visas also feature prominently in the sample. Some frequently mentioned additional types of visas are humanitarian, cultural and business visas.

Figure 3 Types of visas (n=43-833).

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Figure 4 shows that, for both student and tourist visas, more than 80% have to take care of settling the visa process themselves. If a visa is required for working purposes, almost 30% do not have to take care of the formalities to obtain a visa themselves.

Figure 4 Settling of visa formalities (n=43-833).

Figure 5 shows that citizens from the EU and Schengen area evaluate the visa process, on average, as much more difficult than those respondents who do not have EU or Schengen citizenship. Considering subsequent results such as comparing costs, time and energy needed to obtain a visa, this result is somewhat counterintuitive. As this is a subjective evaluation, one plausible explanation is that EU and Schengen citizens need to apply for visas much less frequently and are thus less used to it. This may result in the perceived difficulties being evaluated as much greater than for others who consider applying for visas when traveling abroad the normal case, not an exception.

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Figure 5 Perceived difficulty of the visa process on a scale from 1 (very difficult) to 5 (very easy), weighted average (n=43-833).

When asking for reasons why the process of obtaining a visa was perceived difficult, citizens from outside the EU and Schengen, can, on average, name the proposed issues with greater frequency. Figure 6 demonstrates that in particular time consuming and lengthy procedures are considered an obstacle. Additional documents, expensive procedures to get the visa, high application fees and complex and unclear rules are also frequently singled out as obstacles.

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D

e

Figure 6 What made the visa procedures difficult for you?, in per cent, (n=43-833).

The list of required documents, depicted in figure 7, shows again that EU citizens need on average fewer documents to obtain a visa. In particular, the proof of sufficient financial means, needed for 87% of all non-EU/Schengen citizens, is a major obstacle for young people and people from less favourable socio-economics backgrounds.

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Figure 7 Required documents for the application, in per cent, (n=43-833).

Figure 8 shows that English language is very often sufficient to fill in the visa application. Others have the possibility to fill in the application in their mother tongue, while less than 20% use the language of the country they want to travel to.

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Figure 8 Language the application needed to be filled, in per cent, (n=43-833).

Visa Costs and Time Investment

1

To analyse the costs of obtaining a visa we first investigate the fees for the visa itself. The descriptive analysis shows that the average price of a visa is lower for EU and Schengen respondents (EUR 77.4) compared to the average costs for applicants from outside the EU and Schengen area.

Figure 9 Average Price of the visa in EUR (n=43-830).

1 We delete extreme values (costs above 1500 Euros) to avoid that outliers drive the results.

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Generally, average salaries are lower in most countries outside of the EU/Schengen when excluding the richer countries. Thus it is logical that the price of the visa, already higher in absolute terms, is on average perceived as higher in the countries outside of the EU/Schengen (3.52). Consequently, there is also a significant correlation between the two items depicted in figures 9 and 10. On average, a higher visa fee leads to a higher evaluation when respond2 ents answer how they feel about the price of their visa (the simple correlation is 0.42).

Figure 10 How did you feel about the price of the visa fee (From 1-very low to 5-very high), (n=43830).

Figure 11 again exemplifies that individuals from outside the EU/Schengen area have to bear higher costs and make greater efforts than EU/Schengen citizens. Almost one third of EU/ Schengen visa applicants don’t have to pay any additional expenses while this number is much lower for citizens from poorer Non-EU/Schengen countries.

2 The exact analyses on this part are available upon request

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Figure 11 Other occurred costs for obtaining the visa, in per cent, (n=43-833).

In figure 12 the average total costs of obtaining a visa are depicted.3 On average, a person from a relatively poorer non-EU Schengen country has to pay around EUR 270 to obtain a visa.

For the richer non-EU Schengen states it is around EUR 220, while EU/Schengen citizens only have to spend a bit more than EUR 152 to get their visa.

3 To remove outliers, total costs of more than EUR 4,000 were considered unreasonable and removed from the sample for this question.

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Figure 12 Average total costs to obtain the visa in EUR, (n=43-823).

Figure 13 shows that it takes substantially less time for EU/Schengen citizens to obtain a visa when counting the whole process. For more than 40% of non-EU/Schengen citizens it takes more than four weeks to obtain a visa.

Figure 13 Total duration to obtain the visa, (n=43-833).

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When only considering the time it takes after the application is submitted (Figure 14), the differences appear less pronounced. Notwithstanding, more than 20% of non-EU/Schengen citizens have to wait more than four weeks for their visa after submitting all documents.

Figure 14 Duration to obtain the visa after the submission of the application, (n=43-833).

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Information and Satisfaction with the Visa Process Figure 15 shows that embassies and consular services are the main providers of information for visa applicants. Universities also help with the obtaining of the necessary information, which is in particular, important for applicants from relatively rich Non-EU/Schengen countries.

Figure 15 Institutions providing information on the visa process, (n=43-833).

On average, applicants from EU/Schengen countries are more satisfied with the information they were provided. Figure 16 shows that for non-EU/Schengen applicants the average satisfaction is just above 3.0, which indicates that there are almost as many dissatisfied as satisfied. The results show that a lack of information is quite prevalent.

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Figure 16 Satisfaction with the provision of information on the visa (From 1-very dissatisfied – 5 very satisfied), (n=43-833).

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Residence Permits Data

A residence permit allows individuals to live in a country they are not citizens of. Residence permits may be permanent or temporary. A great variety of rules exist in different countries that regulate residence permits. In most countries, foreign citizens that have legal and permanent residency may apply for citizenship after a certain amount of time. Residence permits are not only required for more permanent immigration, but also for shorter stays with the purpose of education, volunteering or short time employment.

In total, the survey produced 713 valid answers on a residence permit experience (this includes individuals that report about two distinct experiences and the results are pooled). We create the same three relevant groups as in the first part:4 • EU member states and additional Schengen zone states (EU+Schengen) • Rich countries outside of the EU and Schengen zone: United States, Australia, Japan and Canada (Outside+Rich) • All other countries outside of the EU and Schengen zone (Outside) The overview of residence permit experiences displayed in figure 17 shows that most respondents that needed to obtain a residence permit come from third countries into the EU and Schengen area (454), followed by experiences from individuals from EU and Schengen countries (212) and a smaller number of individuals from rich third countries (47).

4 The groups are constructed the same way as for the visa analysis.

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Figure 17 Overview of the experiences of the three main groups of respondents, (n=713).

Looking further into the composition of the group from outside of the EU and Schengen area we can see that the great majority of the respondents’ experiences come from Turkey (177), followed by Russia (32) and India (27).

Figure 18 Decomposition of the experiences of respondents from outside of the EU and Schengen (n=454).

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Obtaining a Residence Permit Figure 19 gives an overview of the reasons why respondents have applied for a residence permit and shows that education is the most frequently named reason to go abroad for all three groups: EU and Schengen area (83%), the countries outside from EU and Schengen area (90%) and the rich countries from outside the EU (85%).

Figure 19 Overview of the purpose of applying for a residence permit, in per cent, (n=47-454).

Figure 20 shows that more than 70% of all respondents have to take care of settling the residence permit individually. There are no substantial differences between the different groups.

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Figure 20 Settled residence permit individually vs. taken care by an institution, (n=713).

Figure 21 shows that respondents from the EU and Schengen area evaluate the residence permit procedure as much less difficult as those without EU or Schengen citizenship. Note that this is a subjective evaluation similar as to the one in figure 5 about the difficulty of the visa process. Expectations prior to the process might be substantially different and lead to very different evaluations.

Figure 21 Perceived difficulty of the residence permit process on a scale from 1 (very difficult) to 5 (very easy), weighted average (n=47-454).

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Figure 22 displays the different obstacles respondents face during the resident permit process. The most often mentioned obstacles are time-consuming, expensive and unclear rules and procedures. Moreover, required additional documentation is a limitation in the bureaucratic part of the process. Another obstacle pointed out by all groups is the language barrier that makes the process of obtaining a residence permit more cumbersome for the respondents.

Figure 22 Difficulties faced by respondents in the residence permit procedures in per cent (multiple selection possible), (n=47-454).

Figure 23 shows the list of required documents for a residence permit application. Comparing the different documents we conclude that respondents from EU and Schengen area need less documentation in obtaining a residence permit than citizens from outside EU. While 50% of all EU and Schengen citizens need to prove their financial means, 73% of all citizens from outside the EU and Schengen area need to provide such documentation. Nonetheless, basic documents for all the groups are valid passport (or ID card) with its copy, completed application and proof of accommodation.

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Figure 23 Required documents for the residence permit application in per cent (n=47-454).

Figure 24 shows that language might be a challenge in the residence permit process as the respondents mainly have to fill in the application using the language spoken in the country where they applied for a residence permit. Nevertheless, English is sufficient in around 4050% of all cases.

Figure 24 Language the residence permit application needed to be filled in per cent (n=47-454).

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Residence Permit Costs and Time Investment The average price of a residence permit is much higher for citizens from outside the EU and Schengen area (EUR 167.2 for relatively poorer countries) and this result also holds for relatively richer countries (EUR 183.3). Compared to EU and Schengen citizens (EUR 54.9), they pay more than three times as much for their residence permit.

Figure 25 Average Price of the residence permit in EUR (n=47-454).

Figure 26 shows that the higher real costs are also perceived as high by respondents from respondents from outside of the EU and Schengen area. EU and Schengen citizens perceive the costs of as substantially lower than respondents from outside of the area.

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Figure 26 General feeling about the price of the residence permit fee, (From 1-very low to 5-very high) (n=47-454).

Figure 27 further affirms that individuals from outside the EU and Schengen area have to bear higher costs in a residence permit process than EU and Schengen citizens. More than 50% of EU Schengen residence permit applicants don´t have to pay any additional expenses unlike most of non-EU and Schengen area’s citizens that have to invest additional financial resources to obtain a residence permit.

Figure 27 Additional expenses incurred by respondents in a residence permit process (n=47-454).

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The resulting average total costs of obtaining a residence permit are depicted in figure 28. On average, a person from a relatively poorer non-EU Schengen country has to pay EUR 388.3 to obtain a residence permit. EU and Schengen citizens have to spend around EUR 104.3, whereas richer non-EU Schengen states need, on average, EUR 287.8 for a residence permit.

Figure 28 Average amount of all incurred expenses for a residence permit in EUR (n=47-454).

The majority of respondents do not get financial support for the residence permit or a reimbursement from university, employer or any other institution. Almost one fourth of citizens from relatively poorer non-EU and Schengen countries receive financial assistance.

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Figure 29 Did you get financial support for the residence permit or a reimbursement from your university, employer or any other institution? (n=713).

After the submission of a residence permit request, respondents from outside the EU and Schengen area have to wait consistently longer than applicants from inside the area. EU and Schengen citizens usually get a residence permit around 2 weeks after applying.

Figure 30 Duration to obtain a residence permit after the submission of the application, (n=47-454).

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Considering the total duration of the process (depicted in figure 31) shows much the same pattern as only looking at the waiting time after the submission of the documents. More than 50% of all applicants from relatively poorer countries outside of the EU and Schengen area need more than four weeks for the whole process.

Figure 31 Total duration to obtain a residence permit (n=47-454).

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Information and Satisfaction with the Residence Permit Process The main institution that provides information on residence permits for all groups is the university. It is an important source of information for students that want to go abroad to study, as a majority of our respondents applied for a residence permit for educational purposes. More than 20% of the respondents get essential information from friends or they find it by themselves on the internet which accounts for the majority of answers in the category “Other�.

Figure 32 Institutions providing information on the residence permit process, (n=47-454).

Figure 33 shows that applicants from EU and Schengen countries are, on average, substantially more satisfied with the provision of information concerning the process. For all groups the general level of satisfaction with the provision of information shows quite some potential for improvement.

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Figure 33 Satisfaction with the provision of information on the residence permit (From 1-very dissatisfied – 5 very satisfied), (n=47-454).

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Methodology

The research was conducted via an online survey by Emanuel Alfranseder and Agnieszka Czarnojan. The study was addressed to all individuals who have previously applied either for a visa or a residence permit, in particular to citizens from outside the EU that have entered the EU and vice versa.

The questionnaire was accessible online from June 13 until the end of July 2013 via the link: https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/9Y7LVMJ and promoted via all ESN channels such as www.esn.org, Facebook and Twitter. Moreover, information about the study was disseminated through local branches of the Erasmus Student Network and other associations concerned with educational issues. As a result of the extensive promotion we collected over 2.100 experiences on both visas and residence permits.

The statistics are mainly descriptive and should be self-explanatory. Where more advanced methodology is applied, it is explained. Data is cleaned and some unreasonable observations are kept out of the analysis. This is usually indicated where it applies.

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Acknowledgements

We thank the European Youth Forum for their kind financial and practical support of the project. We also owe our gratitude to all those who helped us disseminate the questionnaire, mainly the numerous members of our wonderful Erasmus Student Network.

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Figures

Figure 1 Overview of the experiences of the three main groups of respondents (n=1,171).

Figure 2 Decomposition of the experiences of respondents from outside of the EU and Schengen (n=833).

Figure 3 Types of Visas (n=43-833).

Figure 4 Settling of visa formalities (n=43-833).

Figure 5 Perceived difficulty of the visa process on a scale from 1 (very difficult) to 5 (very easy), weighted average (n=43-833).

Figure 6 What made the visa procedures difficult for you?, in per cent, (n=43-833).

Figure 7 Required documents for the application, in per cent, (n=43-833).

Figure 8 Language the application needed to be filled, in per cent, (n=43-833).

Figure 9 Average Price of the visa in EUR (n=43-830).

Figure 10 How did you feel about the price of the visa fee (From 1-very low to 5-very high),

(n=43-830).

Figure 11 Other occurred costs for obtaining the visa, in per cent, (n=43-833).

Figure 12 Average total costs to obtain the visa in EUR (n=43-823).

Figure 13 Total duration to obtain the visa, (n=43-833).

Figure 14 Duration to obtain the visa after the submission of the application, (n=43-833).

Figure 15 Institutions providing information on the visa process, (n=43-833).

Figure 16 Satisfaction with the provision of information on the visa (From 1-very dissatisfied

– 5 very satisfied), (n=43-833).

Figure 17 Overview of the experiences of the three main groups of respondents (n=713).

Figure 18 Decomposition of the experiences of respondents from outside of the EU and

Schengen (n=454).

Figure 19 Overview of the purpose of applying for a residence permit, in per cent (n=47- 454) Figure 20 Settled residence permit individually vs. taken care by an institution (employer,

university or any other), (n=713) Figure 21 Perceived difficulty of the residence permit process on a scale from 1 (very dif

ficult) to 5 (very easy), weighted average (n=47-454).

Figure 22 Difficulties faced by respondents in the residence permit procedures in per cent

(multiple selection possible), (n=47-454).

Figure 23 Required documents for the residence permit application in per cent (n=47-454).

Figure 24 Language the residence permit application needed to be filled in per cent (n=47- 454).

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Figure 25 Average Price of the Residence Permit in EUR (n=47-454).

Figure 26 General feeling about the price of the residence permit fee, (From 1-very low

to 5-very high) (n=47-454).

Figure 27 Additional expenses incurred by respondents in a residence permit process

(n=47-454).

Figure 28 Average amount of all incurred expenses for a residence permit in EUR (n=47- 454).

Figure 29 Did you get financial support for the residence permit or a reimbursement

from your university, employer or any other institution? (n=713).

Figure 30 Duration to obtain a residence permit after the submission of the application,

(n=47-454).

Figure 31 Total duration to obtain a residence permit (n=47-454).

Figure 32 Institutions providing information on the residence permit process, (n=47- 454).

Figure 33 Satisfaction with the provision of information on the residence permit (From

1-very dissatisfied – 5 very satisfied), (n=47-454).

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List of Abbreviations ESN HEI n EU

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Erasmus Student Network AISBL Higher Education Institution Number of valid responses European Union

Sources

European Commission (2013). Proposal for a DIRECTIVE OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND OF THE COUNCIL on the conditions of entry and residence of third-country nationals for the purposes of research, studies, pupil exchange, remunerated and unremunerated training, voluntary service and au pairing, Brussels.

The Council of the European Union (2004). COUNCIL DIRECTIVE 2004/114/EC of 13 December 2004 on the conditions of admission of third-country nationals for the purposes of studies, pupil exchange, unremunerated training or voluntary service The Council of the European Union (2005). COUNCIL DIRECTIVE 2005/71/EC of 12 October 2005 on a specific procedure for admitting third-country nationals for the purposes of scientific research.

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Annex 1: About ESN

Erasmus Student Network (ESN) is the biggest inter-disciplinary European student organisation in the field of mobility. ESN is a non-political, non-profit and non-religious organisation with over 12,000 volunteer members from local student groups (so called sections) in more than 430 Higher Education Institutions in 36 countries. ESN supports educational, social and cultural integration of international students and provides practical information for incoming and outgoing students about various exchange programmes. Furthermore, ESN provides intercultural experiences to students who cannot access a period abroad (internationalization at home). The vision of ESN is the enrichment of society through international students – thus, ESN works to foster the mobility of students under the principle of SHS – students helping students. ESN provides its services annually to about 160,000 international students in Europe and beyond. ESN’s activities comprise hundreds of projects developed at all levels.

The main international projects of Erasmus Student Network are: 1. ESNSurvey (http://esn.org/content/esnsurvey) is a European-wide research project covering different topics concerning mobility and education. It is conducted annually and surveys students at higher education institutions, with an average response rate of 10,000 answers. Starting in 2005, the ESNSurvey is the biggest regular European research project planned and carried out entirely by students for students. So far, the ESNSurvey has investigated upon the following topics – Experience of Studying Abroad (2005), Exchange Students’ Rights (2006), Generation Mobility (2007), Exchanging Cultures (2008), Information for Exchange (2009), E-Value-ate Your Exchange (2010) and Exchange, Employment and Added Value (2011), Creating Ideas, Opportunities and Identity (2013).

2. PRIME (Problems of Recognition in Making Erasmus, http://www.prime.esn.org/) is a research project addressing the continuing challenges concerning recognition procedures for outgoing exchange students. PRIME has been carried out in 2009 and 2010 following up on the results of the ESNSurveys 2006 and 2007, showing that full recognition is not yet a reality.

The aim of PRIME is to collect best practices among participating higher education institutions and through their dissemination contribute to the improvement of the situation. A new study will be conducted in the course of 2013.

3. SocialErasmus (http://socialerasmus.esn.org/) gives international students the opportunity to help local communities in several ways through the interaction between students and local communities. It was the flagship project of ESN in 2011/2012. Projects are mainly

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carried out in three areas: Charity, Environment and Education. At the same time, international students gain experience, knowledge, openness and discover their love for Europe!

4. ExchangeAbility (http://exchangeability.esn.org/) aims at allowing students with disabilities to be fully involved in the activities of the local sections of ESN. Sections are encouraged to engage disabled students at their universities in the work for international students.

Through participation and involvement in different activities, students with disabilities will be given an opportunity to experience the international and intercultural atmosphere associated with the exchange programmes. The long term goal of the project is to encourage an increasing number of disabled students to go for an exchange.

5. ESNcard (http://esncard.org/) is the membership and discount card of ESN and ESN sections distribute the card to their volunteers and international students. The card offers a number of discounts at the local, national and international level. Annually, ESN issues about 80.000 cards.

6. ESN Galaxy (https://galaxy.esn.org/) is a web platform based on the Web 2.0 technology.

It brings all ESN sections together, allows them to communicate and share information in real time. This unique system allows international students and ESN members to look for accommodation or to get information about their host country. ESN Galaxy also supports local sections via the provision of web-based services.

7. eXpress, the ESN Magazine (http://esn.org/magazine) is published three times a year. It is an informative, high-quality magazine about issues concerning ESN, Europe and the European Union in particular, exchange and mobility. The articles are written by ESN volunteers and students from all around Europe.

8. ESN Newsletter (http://esn.org/newsletters) is an ESN online communication tool, sent twice per month (at the beginning and in the middle of each month) to over 7.200 subscribers informing them about the network, ESN events and other interesting initiatives happening in Europe and beyond.

9. ESN Events – the International Board of ESN conducts open calls for various international events, taking place every year. These events include Regional Platforms (Central European Platform, Northern European Platform, South Eastern European Platform, South Western European Platform and Western European Platform), Committee Meetings, National Board Meetings, Cultural Medley, Councils of National Representatives, Council of National

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Representatives, Council of National Delegates and the Annual General Meeting of ESN. Erasmus Student Network is a full member of the European Youth Forum since April 2010 and was awarded participatory status with the Council of Europe at the end of December 2008. ESN is a courtesy member of the European Association for International Education and a full member of the European Civil Society Platform on Lifelong Learning (EUCIS-LLL).

Contact: If you have any questions or would like to know more about ESN, please contact us directly at secretariat@esn.org.

ESN AISBL Rue Hydraulique / Waterkrachtstraat, 15 B-1210 Saint-Josse-Ten-Noode / Sint-Jost-ten-Node Brussels BELGIUM Tel.: +32 (0) 22 567 427 Mob.: +32 (0) 475 612 677 www.esn.org

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Annex 2: Questionnaire Dear participant,

We are pleased to invite you to participate in our study on Visas and Residence Permits.

Please read the questions carefully. The survey mainly consists of multiple-choice questions.

All answers will remain anonymous. The results will be used for internal and scientific purposes; no answer will ever be traced back to you personally. Answering the survey takes around 10 minutes.

The European Commission is currently revising its Visa directive. In this context the following survey will give meaningful insight into the needs and problems of mobile people. The project is supported financially by the European Youth Forum.

Your experience and contribution are of highest importance.

Thank you for your support!

1. Have you ever been abroad?

a. Yes

b. No [If 1 a] 2. Did you need any of the following documents?

a. I needed a Visa

b. I needed a Residence permit

c. I needed both a Visa and a Residence permit documents

d. I have never needed any of the documents [If 2 abc] 3. What citizenship do you have? (multiple choice possible) First citizenship Second citizenship (Choose NOT APPLICABLE, if none) Choose your nationality list of nationalities: list of nationalities If other, please specify.

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4. Where do you live? (country of permanent residence) Choose the country: list of countries If other, please specify.

5. When were you born?

Choose the year:

list of years

PART I: VISA [If 2ac] 6. Choose the country where you applied for a Visa. (If you have an experience with more than one country you will have a possibility to share it later) Choose the country: list of countries 7. When did you apply for the Visa?

Choose the year: list of years 8. What kind of Visa did you apply for? (multiple choice possible)

a.

Tourist/ Visitor Visa

b.

Student Visa

c.

Transit Visa

d.

Work Visa

e.

Family Visa f. Other If other, please specify.

9. Did you settle the Visa formalities individually or your university, employer or any other institution took care of that?

a.

Settled all individually

b.

Taken care by an institution 10. How difficult were the Visa procedures for you? (choose on the scale) 1 Very easy

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2 Rather easy

3 Neither easy nor difficult

4 Rather difficult

5 Very difficult

11. What made the Visa procedures difficult for you? (choose all that apply)

a.

I did not find it difficult

b.

High application fee

c.

Complex and unclear rules

d.

Expensive procedures (e.g. long- distance travels to reach the consulate)

e.

Time-consuming, lengthy procedures

f.

Short validity of Visa

g.

Unavailability of consular service

h.

Additional documentation was required

i.

Exhausting, unpleasant personal interview

j.

Language barrier k. Other If other, please specify.

12. Which of the following documents were necessary to submit for a Visa? (choose all that apply)

a.

Completed application

b.

Original copies of any attachments to the application

c.

Valid passport (or ID card) and its copy

d.

Proof of sufficient financial means available to cover the living expenses

during the stay (e.g. scholarship certificate, a financial statement, bank statement)

e.

Adequate medical insurance card valid in the country

f.

Proof of accommodation

g.

Invitation letter h. Other If other, please specify.

13. In what language did you have to fill in the documents?

a.

Mother tongue

b.

English (which is not your mother language)

c.

Language spoken in the country where you applied for a Visa d. Other If other, please specify.

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14. How did you feel about the price of the Visa fee?

1 Very low

2 Low

3 Neither low nor high

4 High

5 Very high

15. How much did the Visa application cost? (can be approximate) Price in EUR 16. What other costs did you have to bear to get the Visa? (choose all that apply)

a.

Travel expenses

b.

Certified translation cost (e.g a notary)

c.

Criminal record declaration cost

d.

Medical health confirmation cost (e.g a medical certificate or visit)

e.

Additional fee to agency taking care of Visa application

f.

Expenses which are not mentioned

g.

Not additional expenses If expenses which are not mentioned, please specify what kind of.

17. How much money did you pay in total to get a Visa? (approximately, including all expenses) Price in EUR 18. How long did it take you in total to get the Visa? (from the day you started the process until you got the Visa) Less than one week

1-2 weeks

More than 2 weeks up to 4 weeks

More than 4 weeks up to 12 weeks

More than 12 weeks

19. How long did it take you to get the Visa after your application?

Less than one week

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1-2 weeks

More than 2 weeks up to 4 weeks

More than 4 weeks up to 12 weeks

More than 12 weeks

20. Who provided you with the information about the Visa? (choose all that apply) a. Embassy

b.

Consular service

c.

University (e.g. International Relations Office) d. Employer e. Other If other, please specify.

21. How satisfied were you with the provision of information about the Visa?

Very dissatisfied

2 Dissatisfied

3 Neither satisfied nor dissatisfied

4 Satisfied

5 Very satisfied

22. Has your Visa application ever been rejected?

a.

Yes b. No If yes, what was the reason of the Visa refusal?

PART II: RESIDENCE PERMIT [If 2bc] 23. Choose the country where you applied for a Residence Permit. (If you have an experience with more than one country you will have a possibility to share it later) Choose the country:

list of countries

24. When did you apply for the Residence Permit?

Choose the year : list of years 25. Why did you apply for a Residence permit? (multiple choice possible)

a.

Educational purpose (e.g studies)

b.

Family reasons

c.

Work issues

d.

Living purpose

e.

Private reasons f. Other If other, please specify.

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26. Did you settle the Resident Permit formalities individually or your university, employer or any other institution took care of that?

a.

Settled all individually

b.

Taken care by an institution 27. How difficult were the Residence permit procedures for you? (choose on the scale) 1 Very easy

2 Rather easy

3 Neither easy nor difficult

4 Rather difficult

5 Very difficult

28. What made the Residence Permit procedures difficult for you? (choose all that apply)

a.

I did not find it difficult

b.

High application fee

c.

Complex and unclear rules

d.

Expensive procedures (e.g. long- distance travels to reach the consulate)

e.

Time-consuming, lengthy procedures

f.

Short validity of Residence Permit

g.

Unavailability of consular service

h.

Additional documentation was required

i.

Exhausting, unpleasant personal interview

j.

Language barrier

k.

Opening a bank account l. Other If other, please specify.

29. Which of the following documents were necessary to submit for a Residence permit? (choose all that apply)

a.

Completed application

b.

Original copies of any attachments to the application

c.

Valid passport (or ID card) and its copy

d.

Proof of sufficient financial means available to cover the living expenses

during the stay (e.g. scholarship certificate, a financial statement, bank statement)

e.

Adequate medical insurance card valid in the country

f.

Proof of accommodation g. Other If other, please specify.

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30. In what language did you have to fill in the documents?

a.

Mother tongue

b.

English (which is not your mother language)

c.

Language spoken in the country where you applied for a Visa d. Other If other, please specify.

31. How did you feel about the price of the Residence permit fee?

1 Very low

2 Low

3 Neither low nor high

4 High

5 Very high

32. How much did the Residence permit application cost? (can be approximate) Price in EUR 33. What other costs did you have to bear to get a Residence permit? (choose all that apply)

a.

Travel expenses

b.

Certified translation cost (e.g a notary)

c.

Criminal record declaration cost

d.

Medical health confirmation cost (e.g a medical certificate or visit)

e.

Additional fee to agency taking care of Residence Permit application

f.

Expenses which are not mentioned

g.

Not additional expenses If expenses which are not mentioned, please specify what kind of.

34. How much money did you pay in total to get the Residence permit? (approximately, including all expenses) Price in EUR 35. Did you get financial support for the Residence Permit or a reimbursement from your university, employer or any other institution?

a.

Yes b. No If yes, do you think the received money was enough to cover your basic expenses? How much money did you pay by yourself approximately?

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36. Have you been asked for a bank guarantee for your staying abroad? (financial statement, bank statement)

a.

Yes b. No If yes, how much money did you have to declare?

37. Were you able to travel during the process of getting a Residence permit?

a.

Yes b. No 38. How long did it take you in total to get the Residence Permit? (from the day you started the process until you got the Residence Permit) Less than one week

1-2 weeks

More than 2 weeks up to 4 weeks

More than 4 weeks up to 12 weeks

More than 12 weeks

39. How long did it take you to get the Residence Permit after your application?

Less than one week

1-2 weeks

More than 2 weeks up to 4 weeks

More than 4 weeks up to 12 weeks

More than 12 weeks

40. Who provided you with the information about a Residence permit? (choose all that apply) a. Embassy

b.

Consular service

c.

University (e.g. International Relations Office)

d.

Work environment e. Other If other, please specify.

41. How satisfied were you with the provision of information about the Residence Permit?

1 Very dissatisfied

2 Dissatisfied

3 Neither satisfied not dissatisfied

4 Satisfied

42. Has your Residence Permit application ever been rejected?

a.

Yes b. No If yes, what was the reason of the Residence permit refusal?

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5 Very satisfied

43. Did you also apply for a Visa or a Residence Permit in another country?

a.

Yes, I applied for a Visa

b.

Yes, I applied for a Residence Permit

c.

Yes, I applied for both documents

d.

Yes, but I don’t want to share the experience e. No 44. Additional comments about the Visa and Residence Permit topic.

Thank you for taking the time to fill out the survey. We really appreciate your contribution!

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ESN AISBL Rue Hydraulique / Waterkrachtstraat, 15 B-1210 Saint-Josse-Ten-Noode / Sint-Jost-ten-Node Brussels BELGIUM Tel.: +32 (0) 22 567 427 www.esn.org If you have any questions or would like to know more about ESN, please contact us directly at secretariat@esn.org.

For any information regarding the ESNSurvey, directly contact the ESNSurvey team at survey@esn.org.

A project of Erasmus Student Network (ESN) is a non-profit international student organisation. Our mission is to represent international students, thus provide opportunities for cultural understanding and self-development under the principle of Students Helping Students.

With the support of Supported by the European Youth Forum (YFJ) under the framework of the YFJ Micro Grant: Events/Projects on Visas Directive.

This project has been funded with support from the European Commission. This publication reflects the views only of the author, and the Commission cannot be held responsible for any use which may be made of the information contained therein.