Hello everyone,

I was born in the US but grew up in Lausanne Switzerland between the age of 1 and 10 (my parents had a "C" permit at the time). I also spent another 2 years there in school between 16 - 18.

From what I've read online you need to have lived in Switzerland 12 years before being able to apply for residency, do those 12 years need to be consecutive ? If they do can my years spent there "count" towards any type of permit B/C etc?


Paul

12 years is the minimum for CH citizenship. Residency comes in the form of various permits, usually an L, B and thereon to a C before the red CH passport and Swiss ID ( min 12 years ).

http://www.bfm.admin.ch/bfm/en/home/...rgerrecht.html

http://www.bfm.admin.ch/content/bfm/...t_eu_efta.html

I don't suppose you actually mean 'residency'. People living here are residents whatever their nationality or permit status.
If you mean Swiss Nationality, then check this out.
The catch will not be the number of years you have lived here on a 'national level' but canton and parish have to accept you and there, the rulings are specific too. (it varies from canton to canton by the way)


B and C permit question I cannot help with.

Thanks for the quick replies!

Swiss Nationality is what I meant No where does it mention if those 12 years must be consecutive though; theoretically I've already lived 13 years in Lausanne in the canton de Vaud, which is where I would like to return.

It would be much more motivating knowing those 13 years counted for something instead of starting from scratch.

Paul

Well you can start practising your French by going through this Naturalisation info for Canton Vaud.

One loses the permit upon departure ( there are exceptions, such as obtaining prior permission to be "absent" ).

CH citizenship is at three levels:

Parish ( Commune / Gemeinde ) - they ask the Canton to provide you with a permit
Cantonal eg Zürich - they issue a Cantonal permit, B, C etc.
and finally at Federal level - they issue your Swiss ID / passport

Each Gemeinde and Canton have varying rules.

You might be keen in reading up several threads on CH citizenship, like this one:

how to become swiss citizen?

I got the following response from Swiss Immigration:

Translation: The 12 years don't have to be consecutive but 3 of those years must be within 5 years preceding the application.