I'm a Ph.D. student at the University of Bern, male, Chinese. I formerly lived in Bern and recently moved to Flamatt. I tried to get a Resident Permit from the Immigration Office of Fribourg but was rejected. They said I'm "studying" in Bern thus I can't register in Fribourg (but actually like any Ph.D. student here, I have a contract and salary, so it's "working" rather than "studying")
There was a former member of my research group who also lived in Flamatt, and he managed to get a Resident Permit. I have tried to get some help from my University but ends in vain. I tried calling the immigration office to make it clear but the line is always busy or hung up with no response. And the following Monday is the last day for my registration. Plus, I can't find an apartment in Bern immediately and move back. I'm afraid if they will kick me out of Switzerland....
Does anyone know if it's forbidden for a Chinese to work in Bern and live in Flamatt? Your help is much appreciated!
I have searched around but the answers are just opposite to my situation.
I am a non-EU Ph.D. working at the University of Bern. I do have a salary to apply for a Resident Permit. Formerly, I live in Bern and have a Permit B there. Recently I just moved to Flamatt, Canton of Fribourg.
I have visited the immigration office in Bern for the "Deregistration of Residence". They gave me a letter as proof and gave me the address of the immigration office in Flamatt and ask me to go there.
I went there but they said I should go to the immigration office of Friburg. So I went there. Then the staff rejected me saying I work in Bern and can not be granted a permit in Friburg.
I am confused because I have seen Non-EU people with permit B working and living in separate cantons. There even was a former student in my research group who also lived in Flamatt.
I tried really hard to get some help from my University but ends in vain. Since next Monday is the last day for the "14 days registration", I'm currently very worried.
Does anyone have this problem before? Is it forbidden to work and live in separate cantons(Bern and Friburg) for Non-EU?
The problem is that you moved without permission and thought it would be fine. Normally a non-EU must live and work in the same canton. If you want to move to another canton, it has to be approved by both.
in Fribourg they will tell all type of BS, they easily pretend certain type of permits do not exist. I am not joking. Did you actually apply and got official rejection or they just did not take your application?
As a Ph.D student, even if paid, you are still considered to be here for study purposes.
Further, regardless of that, as a third country national you must get permission BEFORE you move to an other canton.
Art. 37 FNIA says:
[quoite]
2 Persons with a residence permit (permit B) are entitled to move to another canton provided they are not unemployed and there are no grounds for revocation in terms of Article 62 paragraph 1.
[/quote]
You did provide them with all necessary and requested documents, such as? A well-substantiated application letter Criminal record extract Debt register extract Last three monthly salary statements Copy of your employment contract https://www.fr.ch/de/alltag/vorgehen…kantonswechsel
If any of the above is missing they can deny your application.
Thank you so so much for your reply and sorry for the duplicated post. I thought the first posting failed.
Before I moved, I tried all I can regarding what I should do about moving. I contact the secretary in my research team, asked all my colleagues, and contacted the HR of the University. The best answer I got is I have to deregister and re-register again. Even the staff at the immigration office of Bern told me the same thing, and nothing about asking permission from Fribourg.
And yes, I have deregistered from the immigration office of Bern and got a letter as proof. I'm currently living in Flamatt.
I'm really frustrated. I really can't immediately find an apartment in Bern and move back. Even if I want to, it may take quite a while.
As a student, I tried my best to obey every rule here. But still ends up like this. I don't know if I will be asked to leave Switzerland.
But thanks again for you reply. I really appreciated it!
Very familiar trick i lived there, unveryfortunatelly. You need to have their rejection in written with clear justification. Otherwise this is not a rejection, it’s non acceptance of application.
Thank you so much for your reply. I didn't know I need to bring all of these files. I brought my salary slip and employment contract. But I think they didn't take a look at it at all. They found I'm working in Bern and returned my files. It didn't even take 5 minutes.
Canton Bern does not care if you follow the proper procedure in the other canton. It is your own duty to know the rules and act accordingly. In the eye of the authorities the procedure is "well known".
In the best you can stay in Fribourg as a visitor for up to three month and your formal application for change of canton is accepted shortly after you submit all the needed papers and documents. Better if you can move back to canton Bern and re-register your residency.
As said, gather the needed documents and make a formal application. After that you will also get a formal decision against which you could object. Begore that they can simply say: We cannot decide, as you have not submitted al documents.
Thanks again. Are you saying that it's still possible for me to register in Fribourg? Could you please give me any suggestions regarding what I should do now?
The only solution I can think of now is to ask the HR from my University to call them and see if it is still possible.
What worked in my case at all times was ‘can you put that in written? No? Then i still leave my application right here with you’ and also ‘wow that’s interesting, could you call your boss so i can talk to him?’ The boss was able to listen at least. None of my official applications were ever rejected but they still made my life miserable. So if you want my advice: do not live in Fribourg, save yourself A LOT of time, money, nerves.
You are non-EU - you have no right to live in a different canton to which you work. You can sometimes be given permission, but Fribourg said no, so you’ll have to live in Bern.
Thanks for your reply. So there's no chance I can stay in Flamatt? Even if I want to, it will take a while for me to go back to Bern. I'm frustrated...
You needed an approval from another canton that you can live there before moving.
Now, your deadline for registration is on Monday. What I would do: on weekends search for any serviced apartments, airbnb, or any temporary room/apartment that you can book online right away. Such as Vision Apartments, but I see that they don't have apartments in Bern, find an alternative. Try to get the contract from Monday. At the same time, if there are student accommodations in Bern contact them, they will probably reply you on Monday, but they might have something for urgent cases.
Besides that, I would prepare all the documents required for registration, and in the morning on Monday, would go to the municipality in Fribourg to check if they can register you there, at least for few weeks, because it is your last day of registration. At the same time your alternative is to find a place to live in Bern.
In any case, if you can find something in Bern, register there. If can't try to talk to the municipality of Fribourg and explain your situation. Hope this helps. Good luck
I’m guessing that part of the reason for moving to Flamatt is budget? Housing is cheaper there than in most of Bern.
It might be worth your time to cross the border to Neuenegg on Monday? That municipality is right next to Flamatt, but it’s still in Canton Bern. The municipality there might be able to help you sort out re-registering in Bern before your time runs out.
I doubt you’d be kicked out of Switzerland on short notice. This is an administrative headache that can be sorted. I suspect it will be easier and faster to solve if you go back to Bern. One re-settled there, do your homework and get permission in advance if you want to move to Fribourg.
Not to pick on OP, but it may be helpful to use this as an example case that moving to a different canton can be very tricky for nonEU/EFTA, and outright problematic in certain cases.
For instance link from here to demonstrate that things can go haywire , and that people can do themselves a massive disservice.