Hi, I am currently doing my internship in Zurich for 7 more months. However, i have trouble looking for a flat so I stayed in a hostel for entire January and I am staying at a temporary place which the landlord told me not to register my address with that. I am planning to go to the migration office to explain my situation soon. I am wondering what are the consequences of not registering a valid address for 2 months and what are some alternatives (I like my current place so if there's a way out of this, I would live here until the end of my internship). Thanks for all your help!
Your landlord might not want that you register on his address, because then it is obvious, that he has an additional income. Is that the reason ? _____
Could be that, could also be that he has "sold" the address to someone not living in Zurich but who saves money by being registered to live there for tax purposes.
If your landlord is being obstructive now, I'd move on. There are currently 18 places for short term rent in Zurich under CHF1500p.m., with the lowest being CHF 870p.m. Just search by the term 'befristet' on Comparis.
Yeah, that may well end badly for OP. He probably can enter on tourist conditions but working without the proper permits, or at least having had applied for them, certainly won't be seen in a positive light. It would do him well to literally drop everything else and act immediately.
I used a hotel address for registration in November 2015, but I had to call the hotel in the presence of the officer to confirm that they would accept post addressed to me.
We're going back a few years, but I registered in Basel Stadt whilst staying at a hotel when I first arrived. The hotel does need to confirm (to just me, the authorities took my word for it) that they'll accept mail addressed c/o you at their address.
Oh this reminds me of a fun story. I'd only been in Switzerland for a month or so, and this was my first real introduction to Swiss thinking.
When I got an apartment and went to change my address I was asked, obviously, for my address. Well, everywhere else I've lived number the apartments. This is because we don't like the perceived security risk of having our full names plastered by the front door and on post boxes. So I'd be Flat 5, 14 Streety Street or maybe Flat 5, Poshview Apartments, Streety Street. But here, the flats aren't numbered. So I didn't know how to give my actual address, or why it mattered (as it's not needed to post me stuff).
Anyway, the conversation went like this: Mr London, what's your address? Streetystrasse 14. Yes, and which flat? Umm, it has no number but has my name on the door. OK, which floor? First. Left or right?
This is where the fun started. I said it isn't left or right, but there are two flats per floor, one at the front overlooking the street, and one the back overlooking a courtyard. I'm first floor front. She stares at her computer and says no, there are no front and back, it's left or right. A discussion ensued as I said that if I walked up the stairs it's on the left, but if I took the lift it's on the right. Do you Basel Stadt people assume we're fit and active, or lazy? She then just gave me the name of the person living opposite me (an old Swiss/Polish lady) and I said that no, that's not me! We all laughed, and she said "it seems we take the lazy option, your flat is on the right. We must take the lift!" and we laughed again.
yep, I confronted the New York airport customs with 'Swiss thinking' when I was very young. This huge black guy, friendly yet stubborn, kept asking me where I would stay in New York. I was visiting a friend, my address-book was in the suit-case which I could not access before getting past this guy. And - also stubbern - I kept repeating that. After a while, he wrote the Hilton on my card and said "this is where you're staying" with a huge smile. All customs people near us were chuckling - I didn't know I was welcome to lie.
Guess it wouldn't be like that anymore these days.
