Posting a permit card to a family

Visas, Permits, Passports and Naturalization
1
Hi Folks

My wife and the kid are now in india for a vacation. However their permit will soon expire. Im in the process if renewing our permits. The question is, for the renewal of L permit do they need to be present here? I plan to post their new permit cards to india so that they can return after expiration of the prevous permit.

Do you think it would be ok to post permits internationally?

Thanks

2

I would suspect they need to be here, the kid at least might need a new photo ID for the permit.

They shouldn’t have travelled so near to the permits expiring. They need to return before that happens otherwise you’re probably going to be in a whole mess and they may need to apply again for family reunification and a Type D visa at least to get back into the country.

3
Thanks for the point you mentioned regarding the kids photo. What time window is considered close to permit expire? A week is fine?

4
Each Canton will vary. Best to ask that question to your local authorities.

In addition to the photos I believe that you have to return the expiring permit when you receive the new one.

5
Everyone is required to be present in person, at least in Stadt Zurich. Typically, you get an invitation letter and forms a few weeks before expiry telling you the formality, required documents, e.g. passport, money, etc, to bring along. I was never asked to return an expired permit.

6
Can I ask why they travelled abroad without their physical permits? They absolutely need them to re-enter the country.

7
For us (including kids) biometric data was valid for 5 years. AFAIR, our renewal letter asked us to come at least 2 weeks before the expiry, I guess to make sure that we have a new permit in our hand before the expiry, but I don't see any problem as long as you hand in application before the expiry. Just check with your local office.

8
Where did he say they travelled abroad without their physical permits? He is asking if he can apply for all and send the new ones to them.

9
You are right. I misunderstood the original post.

10
They do have their physical permit with them.

11
I agree with everyone else - you should ask the migration authorities in your canton.

My kid never needed new biometric data (had the same photo at 2 as at 12) on our non-EU biometric permits. We also did not need to pick the permits up in person, they were mailed to us; they also did not ask for the old permits back.

But, as for everything else here, your canton may vary.

12
When we (me, spouse, and kids) were on Non EU B permits, we typically received the renewal forms per Post around 3-4 weeks before expiry date. I fill up the forms and bring it to my Gemeinde for processing. I always tried to renew the permits by myself , and each time, the person at the counter tells me to come back with everybody present. It was always like this when we had paper permit (no biometric) up to credit-card permit (with biometric). If biometric data needs to be renewed, then we had to book a separate appointment at the Cantonal office.

13

We're in Canton Zurich - we have had years when we needed to do the biometrics and other years where the new cards just arrived in the post....

For sure, check with your Gemeinde.... they will have an idea of whether this is going to be a 'big problem' or not.

That said, we are non-EU and one year our permits were 'in progress' whilst we were out of the country. There was a mix up as at the same time we had moved towns. The old town thought the new town would put the forms in, the new town thought the old town had already done it - and we had to re-enter Swtizerland on expired permits with a letter that confirmed the renewal.... it was OK, but you could visibly see the passport control man thinking 'shall I stop them or not. I could delay them for hours, but I can see they have a permit, and they have small kids, and they haven't done anything particularly wrong, and clearly they live in Switzerland'.... and after a brief hesitation, we were let through....

However, I must also add, I entered (the mum) without my husband and kids two weeks earlier, and then he arrived two weeks later with the kids - so I wonder if it could have been more complex if we had tried to come in as a single family unit -whereas they were unlikely to stop a parent with three kids... or a mum who clearly needed to be back at work or else she would not have travelled without said kids...

14
I just posted my C permit renewal today. let's see how long it takes.

i had a paper one and so this will be replaced with biometric. i'll have to go to get photo/scan at some point.

if you have to do photo/biometric scan, i don't see how you can do this without being present.

15
Thanks all for their help.

I asked HR and they asked the migration office. They told me my wife needs to "personlich" apply for the permit prolongation at the local gemeinde.

Does anyone know how would be the process?

I thought she does not need to be present for prolonging the permit.

16
It ́s normal that you need to apply in person. Maybe it is different for kids but definitely not for adults.

17
Process I wrote above, filled forms, documents, money and personal appearance to submit the application. Wait for some weeks, permit arrives at home if application processed successfully.

18
In Stadt Zurich, permit came by registered post separately for everyone even for kids. If not at home, you will need to pickup from post office and they will not give to you the ones where family name is different and explicit authorization is not in place at post office.

19
Just to close the thread with my last update:

So HR asked the local Gemeinde and they said it is not required to have my wife present for the process. I can go to Gemeinde with my work contract + the Verfugung letter from migration office to apply for them as well.