I wanted to ask, if anybody have had a permit B issued in Zurich recently.
How long did the process take?
and do you know, whether the increased number of asylum seekers affects the time of issuing the B permit.
Thank you in advance!
Ana
Hello,
I am in the same boat as yours (waiting for my permit approval). Did you get your permit in the meantime? if so, how long did it take? Many thanks
Registered my residence (Zurich) on 05.05 and was told that the wait was at least until mid-June for my biometric appointment due to the Ukraine situation. Now I have my appointment on 17 June.
Thanks for sharing your experience. I'm in the process of applying for a renewal/transfer of my permit B - from Geneva to Schwyz (Family reunification - so should not be a big deal). We submitted the registration along with all the permit paperwork in the local gemeinde - on May 1st, but found out that the Migration office officially received the paperwork only on May 23rd. What used to take 2- 3 weeks is now taking 2-3 months. But in the meantime, my permit will expire. So I asked what I can do if i need to travel, the response was:
I need to obtain "Rückreisevisum" -
2 questions:
1. what is Rückreisevisum? and has anyone had to do this whilst they wait for their permit to be renewed?
2. what happens if they can't renew by 6/23 when it expires. Don't i need it for my job?
I don't know the answer for your 1st questions. For your second, in my case when my permit expired my employee asked me to submit the copy of the renewed permit, and I told them that I applied for renewal but haven't got it yet. My employee said that's alright just send us when you got you new permit. A bit of context: I am a non-EU, summitted my docs for renewal exactly a month ago (in Zurich). Still haven't received the new permit and my current permit has expired 2 weeks ago. The migration office also not responding my email, they must be quite busy I guess...
Regarding question 1, its a return visa. Basically, you hand in your passport about a week before you travel to the Gemeinde and tell them about your travel plans and they'll give you this visa that allows you to travel in and out of Switzerland/EU as if you still have your residence card. So at the border you'd show your visa and be good to go/enter. This way the border authorities know that you are a legal resident of Switzerland. It'll cost about 70 - 140 francs.
This is very helpful regarding the "return visa".
Thank you kngavl!
Thank you also @Atay for sharing your experience as I am non-EU (am married to a Swiss) as well.
I also asked around offline to an immigration specialist and I learned 2 things:
1) even though the processing time is taking a lot longer these days, it does not mean that I cannot work past the expiry date of your current B permit, as we did notify your change of canton you are compliant with the immigration authorities. So as long as you have submitted your paperwork, you should be able to continue working - that's probably why your employer is relaxed about it. I guess everyone is aware that it's taking a long time these days
2)while my citizenship does not normally require a visa to enter Switzerland under a visitor status and can enter the country on the basis of a valid passport, each canton can apply its own requirements as they would deem necessary.
My wife and I requested ours in April (1st or 2nd week. We just got the letter that we can pick up our new permit today.
Thanks for the info @gwsorrells. That means, I might have to wait another month or so :/. That's at least a relieve somehow. I was a bit worried because I got a permanent offer from another company in ZH and they have applied for a work-permit for me. Since that is not guaranteed I also submitted to extend my current permit (based on my current temporary job) for renewal. Although I informed about this the migration employee during my doc submission I was still a bit worried these two processes may somehow cause confusion and delay the process... Seems this might be the case...
Oops I meant, Seems this might NOT be the case . BTW is there edit button on EF? New to here. thanks
Just to update, I got my new permit today. So it took 40 days in total (B-permit renewal, ZH).
Update on how long it took for my B Permit (it was a renewal/transfer cantons from GVA to Schwyz)
It took a long time (approx 75 days until I could pick it up at the local Gemeinde.) Every notification is done via Post from Schwyz (where the canton's Immigration Office is) to the local Gemeinde so it easily added 3-4 weeks to the entire waiting time.
May 1, 2022 : Application submitted to the local Gemeinde (which then sends things to Schwyz).
July 13 2022: The local Gemeinde issued a confirmation letter on July 13th that they received the B Permit from Schwyz so that I can pick it up. In reality I receive this in the mail on July 16(Saturday!)
July 18, 2022: Was the earliest date Gemeinde was able to hand me the permit
Hope that's helpful reference.
Sorry, I forgot to mention - the Schwyz Migration officer did give me heads up that the increased volume of Ukraine immigration/asylum situation were slowing them down and that it would take 2-3 months for the permit. and she was right!
Hello everyone I have a issue aswell with my B permit to arrived and I apply 1 March and each time when I call to immigration to ask about it all the time is processing still.My actually issue is that on 20 June my L permit expire and what can happen next? Someone have this situation ? I mention that I apply on canton Zurich. thank you 😊
As long as your permit is being processed, there should be no issue, you can work. If you are non-EU you may have to check what you need if you want to go abroad (re-entry visa?).
A friend had this recently. He was afraid that he might be checked within Switzerland, while not having a valid permit. The immigration office issued him with a letter confirming that his application was being processed, and advised him to carry it with him at all times. And then... he actually was stopped by the police. They read the letter and accepted it in lieu of a permit.
Later, when he wanted to go on holiday outside of the country while they were still processing his permit application, the immigration office issued him with a letter/re-entry permit with which he was later able to return to Switzerland without a permit.