Up until recently i always though i had no need for a Swiss passport, but i been reading a few threads here and i am starting to reconsider.

My background, I am Portuguese and therefore hold a EU passport. I been married to my Swiss husband for 7,5 years and we have 2 children together who are Swiss but have been (as required by Portuguese law) registered as born to a Portuguese mother, if they choose, they may have a Portuguese passport. We just bought our own house, husband works full time and I work 10% which will probably increase as the children get older.

I am perfectly happy with my document status, i hold the passport for the country i was born in, i hold a permit to live and work in the foreign country of my choice.

But i am starting to wonder, if i do not get the Swiss passport:

1) If my marriage was to collapse (which is not but you never know) would i be allowed to stay, if not would i be separated from my kids?
2) If i did separate and stayed, would i still be entitled to financial help from my X or the country?
2) IF Portugal left the EU or the EU collapses, would i lose my permit?
3) What about pensions, dividing assets etc.

As i understand it, obtaining a Swiss passport through marriage requires 5 years, so we are well above that and still going strong LOL. It should be an easy process for me.

Thanks in advance for any help
Martha

It is an easy process, if a bit long (about 2 years). Details have been posted here before.

It is important to establish first if applying for a Swiss passport will result in you losing your Portuguese nationality. I have both Swiss and British nationality and figured that it would cover every eventuality that life, politics and economics could throw at me...

If you have a C permit, you have no concerns. Of course you never know when and how things can or will change. But as of right now a C permit is a permanent residence permit.

You children are also Portuguese citizens with our without the "passport".

1. Yes, with a C permit
2. Yes, with a C permit
3. No. Not if you have C permit
4. You and your spouse are equally entitled as a Swiss spouses would be.

No. You will not lose Portuguese nationality.

Many thanks for the info, specially miniMia, good to know my permit is good enough.

PS how do you thank in these boards, i see people get ratings and thanks, but cannot seem to find the option.

You have to have a certain number of posts before those options appear.

My opinion on your question: given the unpredictable and constantly changing political landscape of Switzerland and the EU, you can never know with certainty if the freedoms you enjoy today will fall victim to a referendum tomorrow.

Getting Swiss citizenship provides you with the most reliable insurance policy against the tides of fate. If you can do it while keeping your Portuguese one (which I am pretty sure you can do), I would go for it. It's not that difficult, I know, we all got it (while keeping our old Passports as well).

Personally, I didn't feel that my C permit was sufficient to safeguard the upbringing of my family in Switzerland.

Since you have a Swiss husband, you qualify for the simplified process. This is easier, cheaper and quicker (6 months in my case).

Perhaps in the future, there will be more reasons to get a Swiss passport. As an example, the recent adoption of the SVP Ausschaffungsinitiative means that non-Swiss who commit serious crime can be expelled from the country. Theoretically, these crimes could also be accidental (eg causing injury in a road traffic accident)

Cheers
Jekyll

Sadly I know quite a few C permit divorced ladies with children.

A C permit is what it says it is a permanent resident permit, unless you leave without putting it on hold, and even then you have up to 4 years to some back.

The posts above all make very good points. But not sure if it is as much of value if already EU.

EU citizenship with a C permit seems as good as (which i already suspected), I think the only reason to get a proper Swiss ID is for security in case the EU does collapse/changes its rules as i intend to spend the rest of my life here with my family. Also, i always feel inferior when i get asked for ID and show my C permit, would be nice to have a credit card sized ID card with the Swiss flag on it.

How you feel is a completely different issue from what your rights are as a permanent resident. That you would feel inferior is quite sad and you shouldn't. I have no problem showing my C permit. Personally I don't feel in anyway, not in the least bit Swiss which is why I have not applied for Swiss citizenship.

Even if the EU were to collapse you have a C permit. It's issued to you not your country. I also have friend with C permits from countries that no longer exist. Portugal will continue to exist.

At the end of the day, only you can decide what is best for you and what makes you feel most comfortable.

I think your current C permit is a safe bet, as long as you don't overrely on welfare, commit no crimes and continue to live here.

Again, you are living in a direct democracy where the Federal Supreme Court has, in principle, no jurisdiction in making legally-binding rulings on referendum outcomes (something which could by the way change via a referendum). Hence no rights and obligations can be guaranteed to exist in the future. Theoretically even Swiss citizens could lose their passports if a referendum were passed to revoke the citizenship of naturalized immigrants of x, y, z generations. It is possible, but not necessarily plausible. It has happened in instances in early 20th century Europe and and mid-20th century US (McCarthyism).

You are asking for an opinion which is personal. Personally I'm about to apply as I no longer feel just Irish any longer, and I identify with quie a few of the principles of the Swiss system if you're an average person working and paying taxes and saving for the future, and I miss not voting as I'm a very political person and would like to be more officially involved in my community.

Of course it's easier to apply when eligible, therefore I'd ecommend it especially as your children are born Swiss. If you need you can remain or return here independently of them or your husband for life whatever happens.

Minima is right about the C permit and is honest on her own feelings. However technically the C is dependent on the authorities, the passport/citizenship once acquired much less so.

Good luck deciding, especially if having the local ID helps you feel more at home here while remaining true to yourself.

Apply for Swiss assisted citizenship. You can have dual citizenship under Portugese law. It's easy because you are married to a Swiss. By me it took around 9 Months and no problems.

But why all the negative thoughts of marriage collapse. Think positive!

Considering how many marriages fail, it would be naive to ignore the possibility. It's no different, and equally important, as discussing what happens if one or both of you die. Despite being in quite a long term, loving, and stable relationship, my wife and I occasionally discuss the possibility. Our situation with a kid, living overseas, different passports, and my growing desire to throw my US passport in the trash all have the potential to make things very complicated. Life never turns out the way you plan it.

This is something that worries me. As I am non-EU, even with a C permit I cannot consider my residency rights here 'safe'. Should the current anti-immigrant anger continue to grow, any non-EU Auslander could find some unpleasant surprises at the next permit renewal.

We non-EU folks are welcome here only as long as we continue to make a significant contribution to the economy - and only as long as the Swiss public tolerates us. Given the current political situation, that could change.

The OP is EU, so cannot be kicked out (at least, not easily), but only the red passport is provides a concrete guarantee.

Having recently acquired Swiss citizenship myself, I think if one is eligible for a passport, one should acquire it. It adds a level of security and peace of mind that you can't put a price on. Set aside the emotion and feelings of patriotism and think about the Xs and Os. The requirements for renewing a C permit could change, but when you are Swiss, it's a done deal.

Hmmmm, thinking seriously after reading this post about going for the passport.

In almost exactly the same situation as the OP, married almost 9 years, 3 Swiss kids, UK nationality, but on a B permit rather than a C, due to spending the first 5 years marriage in the UK. Marriage is very safe, but it has made me think.