Hi all,

My L permit and work contract expires in August. This page and this page say that "Australian citizens can enter the Schengen area as a tourist or on business without any visa for a maximum stay of 90 days or less within a 6 months period."

Can I stay in September as a tourist (not working)? What about if I exited the Schengen area in August and returned as a tourist?

There are some other threads in this forum asking the same question, but there has been no definitive answer. I've tried asking the authorities but so far can't even get a definitive answer from them!

What I'm really looking for is anyone who has 1) done this with no problems or 2) done this and been fined/detained. (see the poll)

Thanks,
Roy

I'm from Hong Kong and I think you have to check carefully because I also can stay in Schengen area as a tourist without any via for 90 days, but after the 90 days I will have to leave Schengen area for another at least 90 days before re-entering.

without any visa*

My L permit expires at the end of June, but I plan on staying here until mid August as a tourist (exchange year at uni will be over and I won't be working). As a British citizen, I imagine it shouldn't be a problem.

If anyone knows for sure, please let me know!

Anyone have an answer to the OP's original question? Curious...

Hi! I'm back We have since received an official answer. We specifically asked if my Australian wife could stay for a week after her L permit expiry date. Here is the response:

L'épouse peut rester maximum 3 mois en séjour touristique en Suisse. Dès lors, elle garde son permis échu afin de prouver à l'aéroport qu'elle était en séjour légal en Suisse. Toutefois, elle devra quitter l'espace Schengen au maximum 3 mois après l'échéance de son autorisation.

Google translated:

The wife can stay for up to 3 months as a tourist in Switzerland. Therefore, she should keep her expired permit in order to prove to the airport that she was a legal resident in Switzerland. But she must leave the Schengen Area a maximum of 3 months after the expiry of her authorization.

This response came from the Valais authorities:
Gaëlle Germanier (Gaelle.GERMANIER@admin.vs.ch)
Service de la population et des migrations
Av. de la Gare 39
1950 Sion
Tél: 027/606.55.77

What I was once told is that since I was already here for 90 days.. you can not extend it by saying your a tourist now. You have to physically leave for a few months then come back as a tourist. So could not stay here as a tourist extending the period.

Once upon a time (long long time) ago, I had an L-permit in ZH.
I was then offered a job (longer term B-Permit) in Kanton AG.

I had to depart CH for at least 90days before I can re-enter (apply) for the B-Permit.

However, the HR was confident (and it was so) that ZH and AG authorities do not exchange details about permit-holders. I returned after only 3 weeks.

So, you can take a risk and return earlier, if you are not in the same Kanton.
If you are, then you should stick to the rules. Being banned from a forum is one thing, being banned from Switzerland is not funny.

For the benefit of others, perhaps you could please tell us

1. what canton
2. what date
3. what source

that information relates to? It contradicts what I was told for a) Valais in b) April 2012 by c) "Service de la population et des migrations" in Sion.

My L permit expired last year, and (after officially telling the einwohnerkontrolle that I would not be renewing it) I stayed in Switzerland and traveled within the Schengen area for almost 3 months afterwards with no problems. I'm an Aussie too, so you should both be fine!

As with most things, it all goes well when it goes well.

If something goes wrong, like you are stopped by the police during a spot-check, it could quickly become ugly.

Take care.

True, I guess. Though I did carry a copy of my exit papers with my passport, and had no problems when I was checked on the train coming back into Switzerland from France. Maybe I was just lucky!

can we update our L permit after its expiration?