Hello,

I appreciate very much in advance for any helpful information.
Here s my situation:

I am Non Eu, nor American. I entered Switzerland in Feb 2007 to study when I was 19 years old. end of 2010 I finished study and got married to a Swiss. So if 19 counted as 2 years, then till Feb 2012 I stay 5 years in Switzerland. Then am I able to apply C permit as still being married? I am in canton de Geneva.

Thank you so much!

Usually when people get married their type of B permit changes and the counter starts over. I understand you need to be married five years to apply for the C if you get one through marriage. If your permit is still standalone and you aren't from the US, Canada or EU then it is 10 years. These don't seem to be hard and fast rules tho, stranger things have happened on English Forum...
Have a look in the search threads and around on http://www.ejpd.admin.ch/content/ejp...ufenthalt.html.

None EU get married with a Swiss citizen will get a C automaticly after 5 year.

It will be better for you to apply for the passport, there is no need to apply for the C permit, you do not need to.

For passport, you have to be in Switzerland for 5 years and be married for 3 years.

It might be that your one year between 18 and 19 counts as 2, and you are able to apply for a passport after 4 year stay in the Switzerland, but since you married in end 2010, so by end 2013 you should be eligible for passport already. I doubt if C permit route will be faster than that since in both situations you have to be married for atleast 3 years.

If you are non-EU then the non-EU rules for C permit will apply to you regardless of the fact that you are married to a Swiss.

Obtaining Swiss citizenship via marriage falls under the heading of facilitated naturalization. Years between the 10th and 20th are counted as double when applying for regular naturalization.

See the following links for more info:

Facilitated Naturalization: http://www.bfm.admin.ch/content/bfm/...uergerung.html

Regular Naturalization: http://www.bfm.admin.ch/content/bfm/...uergerung.html

FAQ: http://www.bfm.admin.ch/content/bfm/...06.html#a_0006

Hi, we are almost in the same situation. I went here on January 2007, was a student till 2009 then I get married. Last year I asked the immigration in Kanton Bern whether I get a C next year, they said that C permit is counted from the marriage, student time wasn't counted. So, let's say if I were a student here for 5 years, it doesnt mean I will get a C. It's in Kanton Bern, maybe it is different with Geneva.

I have been living here nearly 5 years till now, with 2.5 years marrige. I think I will apply for a Pass next year.

The best is you wait after 3 years of your marriage then apply direct for a swiss pass as Newbie mentioned above, u dont need a C.

Good luck!

Go for the passport...

One thing to mention as a friend of mine got away with it.
The whole process takes about a year after filing for a passport.
So instead, waiting 5 years, he filed after 4 years, told them that the federal government will use the missing 1 year for process the application.
And they accepted it. So the day the 5 years where fullfiled, she got her Swiss passport.

Hi Caribean, I have a question. How good is your friend's German, did she need to prove language certificate together with her documents?

Thank you.

Proof of language. Not introduced in Switzerland yet. (SVP wants it)
Austria and Germany do, but not CH.

To answer your question: NOT ONE WORD GERMAN, husband does as he is Swiss.

I think its a critical one and it would be, if you claim, against the Schengen right of marriage. However, there is no Schengen right towards nationality.
Something for lawyers, not for my little brain...

Thank you very much for the tips!

Thank you. But right now I feel like everything has to depend on my husband, not feeling good about it.

Take it easy. Time goes, everything may be changed. Anyway you've just started, after 3 years you will know what you shoud do.