I have a question. I am working in Switzerland with a permit B (EU citizen), and my girlfriend who is non EU is planning to come here, and we are planning to get married in Switzerland. But I am not sure if you can get married with a tourist visa. I read both yes and no so far in the internet, so I cannot be sure. Is it possible? Do I need to prepare something even more specific for this case?
Thanks,
G
You/she need to apply for a fiancée visa so she can be here to help with the wedding preparations.
The important thing to understand is that the act of marriage doesn't confer any extension of stay or conversion of a visitor status to resident. The resident spouse can apply for family reunification immediately after marriage but if the decision on that isn't reached until the allowed tourist period of stay ends, the other spouse will have to leave Switzerland and await the decision in their home country (and then go apply for a D visa to reenter CH under family reunification).
Switzerland distinguishes between a visa (which allows the person to enter Switzerland) and a permit (which allows one to live here). Your partner might be allowed to marry you while on a tourist visa, but as posted above that would not automatically entitle her to a permit.
Whether or not marriage will be allowed on her tourist visa will depend on the marriage authorities in the municipality where you are now registered. Whether or not she will be granted a permit will depend on your cantonal immigration authorities.
If it is not permitted where you live, she would have to leave Switzerland and apply for a so-called D-visa from outside, which is the right visa specifically for people entering Switzerland as “family reunification”. Surprisingly, even engaged couples are regarded as “family” when their purpose of the reunification is to get married.
To be allowed to have a family reunification permit for your new wife to stay here with you, you will be required to prove that you earn/own enough to support both of you. The reason for this requirement is that the authorities want to try to prevent letting people stay in Switzerland who will likely end up needing financial support from Social Security. you already own/rent accommodation which is considered suitable for both of you (and for any children already born). In Switzerland, this is considered at least 2 rooms (one bedroom plus one general/livingroom). The reason for this requirement is that the authorities want to try to prevent overpopulation in buildings, both for hygiene and for fair social cohesion, and also this is one measure of trying to prevent human trafficking. your relationship is a genuine, ongoing partnership and not a pseudo-connection. The reason for this requirement is that fake marriages (e.g. for the purposes of getting a permit) are illegal. This check, too, can be a way to prevent human trafficking and forced marriages.
She will also be required to submit many documents. Which ones, exactly, will be specified by the Swiss Consulate responsible for her country of domicile.
See the official info site here, for family reunification: https://www.ch.ch/en/family-and-part…reunification/
I am living in Geneva.
Then if I understand correctly, the best course of actions is, for her to apply for a fiancée visa, which is available if we plan to get married, then we can get married once she gets here, and then she could stay here with this visa, or she could get a permit without leaving the country?
Thank you everyone!
She would get a family reunification permit once you’re married.