Hi,
I wonder if anyone in here has experience of this and can offer any advice - by way of background, I am a UK citizen and have held a Swiss B Permit since December 2020 when my partner was transferred by her employer to Zurich. We both hold B permits, hers by way of her employment and myself as her long term partner.
Because of an illness in my close family in England I had to travel from Zurich to the UK a lot in 2024. As the illness has developed I have been in England all of 2025 to date, as I have been the main carer to the patient. Those days are numbered now and I shall fairly shortly want to, and be able to, continue my life in Switzerland with my partner in our apartment.
However I understand that if I am out of Switzerland for 6 months my B visa will automatically lapse. Further I understand there is no ability to freeze a B permit in the canton of Zurich.
I was last in Switzerland on 11th December 2024, so the end of that month period is approaching. I did not anticipate being away so long, but the family responsibility was paramount.
Meanwhile my clothes, belongings, papers etc are still in our apartment , and it is strongly my intention to come home to Switzerland and resume my life there with my partner. Effectively I am still living there, I have health insurance and pay my taxes, but am physically not in the country for this short period.
Does anyone have any experience of how I can navigate this potential problem? Or recommend an expert who can help? Even appropriate email contact at the Gemeinde in Stafa would help. During the next month I may be able to briefly fly into and out of Zurich, but would a brief overnight stay count to end the 6 month period?
Many thanks for bearing with this long enquiry!
Also it is not a Visa, but a residence / work permit. In Switzerland, a visa allow entry into the country, but not residency or work.
Ok thanks. Difference noted…….
Thanks, bluntside
Simply flying in and out of Switzerland briefly during a seven-month absence is unlikely to reset the six-month clock or satisfy the residency requirements. Swiss authorities typically assess residency based on the “center of your life”—including factors like employment, housing, and social ties—rather than short visits.
That said, you can apply for permission to be absent for more than six months without losing your permit. Approval is discretionary and depends on your circumstances and the policies of your canton.
For Zurich, email : [email protected] - that said, it’s usually better to do this BEFORE leaving, as it gives you a few more options…
Thanks Spinal. That’s helpful advice. My life effectively is in Switzerland - home, belongings, partner. I’m retired. If I’d known how long I was going to need to be away, I’d have discussed with them first, but can’t turn the clock back now……
There’s also an element of “do they know you’ve not been here?” If you’ve not informed anyone of your absence, and continued to pay things like your health insurance, then it’s unlikely that anyone will have noticed.
Yes, of course they could look at airport immigration logs, but that’s not something that would automatically raise any red flags, given that land border crossings are rarely controlled. (i.e. there could be many cases of people leaving by one route and returning by another, so they’re not going to automatically launch an investigation for everyone in that situation.)
I have to agree with Ace. Your centre of life is STILL here, you are just temporarily (and IMHO, unavoidably) absent for longer than expected. You are still paying the things the Swiss require you to pay as a resident.
In your shoes, I would make a flying visit back here if possible, just in case immigration logs are automatically reviewed. If you go over the 6 months you might face a question at the border. But I wouldn’t necessarily contact the geminde as that might poke the bear with a stick.
Kind regards
Ian
Yes, good point that a >6 month timelapse since departure might be noticed by the airport immigration people themselves and elicit a question, so yeah, a flying visit might be a good idea. Assuming you flew, from a Swiss airport, of course.
Word of caution do not contact any authorities how people here “advise”, essentially you will be digging your own grave, nobody cares to such detail if you are here or not, especially when paying everything, live your life and deal with incoming requests on what/where you were on demand, not vice versa. If border immigration asks something, whether gemeinde will ask something (just after 6 months unlikely), then start explaining your situation, not before.
I don’t know if helpful but am putting this link here in case: it lists organisations that can help with migration/immigration issues in Zürich: Information and advice centres | Kanton Zürich
The Zug equivalent is FMZ and they have helped a number of people I know to understand and navigate the system.
Good luck - I have had to deal with similar issues since moving here and it’s very tough emotionally.
Airport immigration can see the whole Schengen log. So they will know that the OP has not re-entered Schengen anywhere and therefore couldn’t have entered Switzerland via road.
Really? Including all UK ferry/tunnel crossings?
I guess it’s possible, I just wouldn’t have thought of it.
A quick check shows the new EES system is not yet in operation, scheduled for Oct this year, so I think OP should be safe from that. EES - European Union
For ferry and tunnel, since a few years now, you need to provide API (advanced passenger information) which is stored/shared I believe. I’m more curious of the “eastern” borders. e.g. if I drive to Croatia, Bosnia, or Serbia; what happens there? I know they check/stamp passports at the border, but I’ve never been asked for API.
Also, I always wondered if it’s citizenship tied… i.e. if I have two passports, leave on one - and return on the other, are the two linked?
I regularly do exactly that, although one is Swiss, and nobody has ever questioned it.
The Schengen borders are not yet perfect. Not too long ago leaving Schengen at GVA there was a huge queue and the officer just waived me through after looking at my picture.
OP is not in the Schengen area, so it’s very clear they are not in CH
I think the issue is less the border controls - Switzerland does not monitor electronically all the border movements, it would cause all kinds of problems every morning and evening. As regards the Gemeinde, I agree, let sleeping dogs lie. Unless one has local problems there should be no problems. My experience has been that there is still a lot of common sense around. On the other hand, one can get unlucky.
I don’t think it is automatic that after 6 months plus 1 day the permit is automatically void. The cantonal authorities have to make a decision.
The border control and the cantonal authorities are not automatically linked.
There are many exceptions, including the main question if he has ever left (since he keeps renting, paying insurance and the reason here was to be with his/her partner, who is still resident). And then issues about inability to return.
In the worst case, if they find out that somehow the permit has been cancelled, they will have to apply for family reunification again.
As other people say, you should do nothing… no need to contact any Gemeinde, as far as they are concerned you are resident at the address. It is the canton who issues permits, but unless you were told otherwise your permit is still valid.
I would definitely consult with the commune at least in small and medium sized communes where you may already know the people, met them at town events etc.