I rent a private room (subletting) and often get guests relocating to Switzerland or fullfilling a temporary work contract for 3-6 months. When they try to register they often face problems because of confusing or incomplete information given by their job agents or HR departments on what papers they have to present to the registration offices when they apply for the first for the Swiss Ausländerausweis (L- or B- permit)
I often feel sorry for the stress that causes while the newcomers are busy to cope with the new job environment and apartment hunting while the clock is ticking. (Because usually they are supposed to complete the registration process within 14 days after their arrival when they WORK here.) And it does not help that Switzerland is highly federalistic and each city and each borrough/community has a slightly different approach to that.
So I would like to contribute some information to the process I experienced in Zürich City and my borough.
To get your Swiss Permit (“Ausländerausweis”) you might already know that
•You have to register at the competent local office where you want to take housing. That might be different from the place/area/region where you work). If you find housing in Zürich City these offices are called “Kreisbüro”. In the surrounding boroughs/communities these are called “Gemeindeverwaltung”.
The department which responsible for registration and issue of the permit is called “Einwohnerkontrolle”.
•There you go and have to present
a) your work contract/employment statement
b) your passport
c) passport photo, cash AND
d) your proof of residence. [/B]
A simple indication of the address where you live/crash/couchsurf and can receive mail (like e.g. a hotel or house of friends) until you have secured your own final place of living is NOT enough as proof of residence.
• Proof of residence : You need to present a lease contract. Either as main tenant or as holder of a sublease contract. BUT: a sublease contract signed only by you and the person subletting (main tenant of the apartment) is STILL not enough.
As final proof that you are a legal and registered resident the “Einwohnerkontrolle” needs to receive a confirmation paper called “Einzugsanzeige” (or sometimes “Wohnungsschein”). Only the property owner (or his official property management company) can issue this paper. If you have a contract as a main tenant you will receive this paper automatically (or they send it directly to the local department “Einwohnerkontrolle”). In case you sublet a place/room the main tenant has to ask for permission and sent the poperty owner the sublease contract. The property owner will usually send back a cover letter with regards to the signed sublease contract between you and the main tenant. Both of you have to sign this and send it back to to the porpterty owner to ensure that everything is okay. Then finally (!!!) the property owner will issue this “Einzugsanzeige” and with this your application of the Swiss permit (“Ausländerausweis”) will be processed.
As you can see there is quite an effort to make by the involved parties and it takes.
(Other) Reasons why main tenants would rent but don’t want to do “paper work” or make it official that they sublet.
•The max. number of people permitted to live/registered in the flat is already reached. Owners are not interested in converting their property into “dorms”. Or security reasons /fire regulations would forbid more people than already registered in a flat. The max. number of tenants is often reached when the flat is already shared by 2-3 people/roommates and the room is only temporary available for rent because one of them is travelling or absent for a trial period with a new partner or a work assignment but still wants to keep the place but sublet to save money.
•The relationship of the main tenant with the property owner is strained for some reason and he tries to avoid further inconveniences, attentions, problems by bothering him with subletting.
•There had been a lot of changes of renters in the past and the landlord is starting to be picky regarding new tenants and does not want constant changes anymore and all the administration involved with the paper work (see above).
What could you do if you have place to stay but can’t get registered there :
•Ask your employer if they have staff accommodation where you could at least register (if they are fully booked or you don’t want to stay there) and receive official documents/mail while you try to find your final place to live.
•I have experienced that contractors could register with their job agents to get the permit but lived in short-term rental spaces (airbn e.g.) until they found their final housing.
•Ask work mates (! seems to work very often!) if they would issue an official rental contract (maybe they are the owner of a flat which would make it easy for them if they trust you) or a temporary sublet contract if they live in a rented apartment that would allow you to register to get the permit.
Important!!!!
•Procedures and handling of the permit process are subject to changes and vary from jurisdiction to jurisdiction. What I have stated above results from my personal experience and knowledge in 2014 & 2015 in Zürich City and neighborhood helping people to settle down here.
•Check with your local “Einwanderkontrolle” what you need to present especially regarding housing. If you face problems finding housing including the residence proof, explain your situation /status of accommodation (“I have a place to live with friend/ work mate e.g. at the moment but housing situation does not allow to get registered there and I have not been able to secure my own flat yet”) and see what they would accept or tolerate for a limited period of time. No guarantee but it has worked in the past because authorities are aware of the fact that it can be extremely difficult to find housing in due time.
•Bear in mind that to my best knowledge you cannot get the Swiss medical insurance or open a bank account without presenting your L-, B- or C-Permit/Ausländerausweis. You will be asked to submit a copy of it. It used to be possible to open a bank account at the Swiss Post Office (Postbank) without but that is not possible anymore.
I hope that these little details might be helpful and help to understand certain obstacles while trying to settle down here.