Hi Everyone,
I got a funded PhD offer in a research institute in Switzerland which is supposed to last 3.5 years. I got the offer in march 2019 and I am supposed to resume in October 2019. During the same period, I was granted political asylum in France. I have since learned that I need to submit my country's passport to French authorities in exchange for a refugee passport and a French residence permit. I contacted the Swiss Embassy and they told me they would need my French residence permit along with my refugee passport/country passport to issue me a visa for Switzerland. The problem is, the French administration is slow and I was informed that it might take 9 months to get everything sorted out to have the French residence permit.
My supervisor in Switzerland expects me to resume in October but I am no longer sure I can meet this deadline. Please what can I do? I really don't want to lose this PhD opportunity because it's what I've always wanted to do. I have considered asking for a deferral to the next academic session but I don't know how that will play out seeing that I have two funders- EU and my supervisor's university in Switzerland. I will really appreciate any advice as I am in a state of confusion. Thank you.