New C permit more restrictive than my old B permit

Visas, Permits, Passports and Naturalization
1
I recently got my C permit (lived here 5 years, C permit papers automatically sent to me when my 5-year B permit expired) and was surprised that it came with a note saying that the permit is only valid in Canton Bern. If I wish to move cantons I have to apply for a permit from the new canton.

I have no plans to move, but noted this as my old (paper) B-permit was marked "gultig fur die ganze Schweiz". This seems like the C permit is less useful than the B in this case. Curious to know if this is always the case or perhaps a quirk of going from a paper permit to a photo card? Or something else?

As I said, no plans to move so this is really just curiosity!

2
Despite the differing language used it is the same thing.

If you move Canton with either permit you must register in the new Canton. They will issue you a new permit of the same type.

3
Ah, I see. Good to know, thanks!

4
I assume you're an EU citizen since only they can get L and B permits valid for the entire CH. That's because that is so stipulated by the EU-CH FMOP agreement.

C permits aren't covered by that agreement however, so they're only valid for the issuing canton (like all CH permits for us non-EU folks). But a C permit comes with a legal right to change cantons, the new canton cannot refuse you (unless you satisfy the conditions for a C permit to be revoked, so the new canton will probably ask you to provide a Betreibungsauszug and a confirmation of not being/having been on Sozialhilfe).

5
I had to check, my C permit says "gültig für die ganze Schweiz" (valid for all of Switzerland). Issued in 2019.

6
Mine - EU in the old paper format, issued 2020 - is also valid for the whole of Switzerland. Did they recently change the wording on the EU permits?

7
Not exactly, what isn’t covered by FMOP agreement are the conditions of issuance of the C permit.

Once EU/EFTA people are issued with a C permit according to AIG or respective agreements with countries, it becomes an EU/EFTA C permit which is technically different to the non-EU/EFTA C permit as EU/EFTA C permits continue to enjoy the same full geographic mobility they had with B or L EU/EFTA permits.

Reason being is the FMOP agreement stipulates EU/EFTA citizens enjoy full geographic mobility (without specifying type of permit), so this distinction in C permits needed to be made to not make EU/EFTA C permit holders disadvantaged with respect to EU/EFTA B and L permit holders, which would be against FMOP.

If I were OP I would inquire about this and ask to re-issue with the ‘valid in all of Switzerland’ wording.

8
The card itself doesn't have any wording about geographic validity on it, unlike my old paper B permit, which clearly stated "valid in the whole of Switzerland" on it. It was the letter that came with the card that mentioned "only valid in the canton where issued".

I may take your advice and ask at the Gemeinde, just to be sure.

9
Oh, I stand corrected, thanks LimegrassZwei!

10
Mine, (EU-EFTA, issued in Oct 2021) also states "gültig für die ganze Schweiz" below the description