Boarding school abroad - status

My daughter will most likely be going abroad to a boarding school from September. She is still a minor (nearly 16), but I wonder with regards to health insurance and other stuff, etc, is she still considered "resident" here as she will be spending most of her time abroad, and coming back for holidays etc.

An interesting question, and hope someone will know.

Will that be in the UK, the EU, or outside?

You should ask Lamal in Olten directly, or your insurance. Do report back, please.

This is from the official Swiss Gvt site

Health insurance: Students abroad

Barring exceptional circumstances, students who go abroad to study retain their domicile in Switzerland and thus remain subject to compulsory health insurance (KVG).

Studying in an EU/EFTA member state

Students who retain their domicile in Switzerland during their stay in the EU/EFTA remain subject to compulsory health insurance (KVG) provided that they do not exercise a remunerated activity alongside their studies (in this case, please consult “Workers in the EU or EFTA).

Under the European Regulations on the coordination of social security systems, in order to avoid double insurance, students who remain insured under their home country’s health insurance scheme are not obliged to obtain health insurance in the country where they are studying.

Being insured under the Health Insurance Act (KVG), upon presentation of the European Health Insurance Card, students are entitled to receive the same medical care as persons insured in the European country in question (for reimbursement of treatment costs in EU/EFTA countries, please consult “Tourists abroad and globetrotters”).

Studying outside the EU/EFTA

Students who retain their domicile in Switzerland while studying in a country outside the EU/EFTA remain subject to compulsory health insurance in Switzerland (for reimbursement of treatment costs in non-EU/EFTA countries, please consult “Tourists abroad and globetrotters”).

https://www.bag.admin.ch/bag/en/home...e-ausland.html

Especially if your daughter is not a Swiss citizen, it is advisable to keep her fully registered in Switzerland, with you - and therefore also to pay her obligatory Swiss health insurance premiums - so that she remains free to come home to you at any time.

You might find some of the discussion on this thread helpful:

https://www.englishforum.ch/permits-...nts-minor.html

I would also suggest checking with your current health insurance provider, whether your daughter needs or would profit from additional insurance coverage (in particular with respect to coverage beyond compulsory health insurance).

If your daughter is coming home for holidays or would want to come home if sick, you should continue to keep her registered and pay health insurance here. If she is British or other Non-EU and may want to live here after uni then definitely keep her registered here.

Lots of helpful information above about health insurance, but I suggest that may not be your biggest issue.

A few years back (2016-17), our children were in boarding school in the UK. When we went for our B permit renewal we were asked how many days the children were spending in Switzerland and it was pointed out that if they were not in CH for 180 days per year they could technically be denied renewal of their B permit, and they would note the file for our next renewal.

At the next renewal date, we were indeed asked for documentation of how many days each child had spent in Switzerland during the prior year. At that point, however, we were due to leave shortly thereafter and the issue died. The idea that the children could potentially have been denied residence permits because they attend boarding school was an important part of our decision to leave, but not the only reason -- so we didn't really pursue whether there were potential workarounds.

This was in Kanton Zurich.

It all seemed somewhat irrelevant at the time, but I don't know what we would have done at the start of Covid if we (the parents) were resident in CH with no right of entry to the UK and the kids were at boarding school in the UK with no right of entry into CH.

I'd suggest talking to your local authorities before having the issue emerge at permit renewal...