I'm an American citizen, my husband is Swiss. He has an opportunity to work in the UK and is strongly considering it - but with me staying here for a while longer.

I've been in Switzerland since November 2002 (began with an L permit) and we were married in April 2003 (L converted to B at this time).

I know I qualify for facilitated naturalization from my date of arrival, rather than the date of my first B permit. It is my understanding that I would qualify for a C permit five years from the date my first B was issued, rather than from the date of entry (when my L was issued) - does anyone know if this is right?

I have just signed a contract for a year at a job which I love, and I don't want to leave before that year is up (if at all!). We are also not sure if the job in the UK is going to be something the husband loves and if we'll really want to move our household there for it.

Does anyone know how long my husband can be out of Switzerland (he'd probably come home one weekend a month, I'd go there one weekend a month) before he'd need to de-register? Since my B permit is based on being married to a Swiss citizen, if that citizen was not resident, would I still be able to stay on until my contract was complete?

Thanks for any info!

I reckon every community office and every 'expert' will give you a different answer.

AFAIK your husband should de-register if here is not his main residence. Though this could be a real bind and he would have to pay his estimated tax liability up to the day of leaving. Tax will be fun anyway earning in the UK and resident here. The UK has PAYE (pay as you earn) so tax us deducted at source anyway.

I have no idea really, but I am sure you can stay as you will still be married to a Swiss citizen, though he won't be in Switzerland...

First and foremost: LOVE the Avatar. I'm truly jealous. What, me worry?

Next, if my experience is anything to go on - and even though it shouldn't be so - the true authority will often turn out to be the person in charge of the "Einwohnerkontrolle" at your local Gemeinde. The "Einwohnerkontrolle" are the people who track residents of the the municipality (the "Gemeinde").

As your husband is Swiss, you're really pretty much set in any case. It used to be that Americans had to wait 10 years for a C-Permit. That has been reduced to 5. I'm sure that it would be 5 from the time of your B-Permit, but could easily be 5 from your first entry. Again: check with the local Gemeinde. They will be the ones to facilitate or stuff up your paperwork in any case.

For your husband: same answer. I'm SURE that the local Einwohnerkontrolle will have a very clear answer in his case as to when he must unregister. If it were I, I'd probably couch the question in some vague "what-if" scenarios, so as not to raise all too many questions.

I'm no expert (though I'm going through a number of special-case situations myself here in Schwyz - I've been here 20+ years, C-Permit, my wife (recently married) is a U.S. citizen... etc.). From my experience, if you can get a personal relationship going both with the local village as well as the cantonal Fremdenpolizei (literally - the "Foreigner Police" - the folks responsible for issues relating to foreigners), you're all set.

Good luck in any case.

You'll better check that out from the Gemeinde I am married to a Swiss to but he doesn't know anything about it. Although a friend of mine told me that you can not leave Switzerland longer than 4 months otherwise your paper work starts all over again, and that the years that you have been here don't count. Even when I have two kids with him everything has to start from the day I come in again.

Say and do nothing,carry on as usual,why invite trouble by going and asking questions.

Should any enquiring busy body ask anything, tell em to buggar off and mind their own business, then tell em, your husband will be back shortly.

That's the trouble here, and that is including the swiss people here, they are all to frightened to argue back, because of the fear of the of the authoritities. Just sheer indoctrination.

Carry on as normal,believe me everything will be fine.

All the best.

Well this has to be the daftest most ill-informed response i've read in a while. Ever heard of taxes?

Daft,daft,

ill-informed,

Have you read the question,nothing to do with taxes.

Will my paper work be OK. Course it will.

Neither person will be out of the country for more than three months at a time.

You must only inform the gemeinde and 'sign off', if you are going to be out of the country longer than three months.

So once again say and do nothing,the paperwork will be Ok.

Nothing wrong is being done,so why say anything,she goes once a month to England,he comes once a month here.
Therefore never out of the country for more than three months, so whats the problem. Answer none. Daft, ill-informed. I DON'T THINK SO.

Regarding taxes, thats another question on what one wants to do, or where one wants to pay tax,

hey,

seems a critical position...yes u are right if he loves the job or not too...i am mohit fromm india ....what can suggest is u shud...let him try the job and see what/how it goes...to finally decide wht u say

Have you read the initial post properly? If evilshell's husband takes the job in london,that sort of implies that at least he will be out of the country for longer than three months.

As far as the paperwork is concerned, i remember reading something about spousal B permits requiring living under the same roof. Maybe I can dig it up again.

How can he be in two places at one time, if he comes to Switzerland once a month,if , he is here, how can he be in England.

Get it, if he goes away to England for one month,then he comes here for a weekend and that every month he will never be away for more than three months and vice versa for the wife.

Therefore not only are they still living under one roof technically but also legally.

a) cut out the personal jibes
b) look at the original posting date of the question
c) regarding tax, he might be able to avoid UK tax if he's not in the country enough. But officially, he should be paid-up and declared not domiciled - even for something short-term.

a. don't know what your problem is.

b. yes, agree with you.

c. full of contradictions. if he is not long enough in Uk. then where will he be, here. so there is no need whatsoever to 'sign off' as not domiciled.
Plus,if he only works a short time in UK.yes he can claim all his tax back.
Anyway you are getting into the world of tax and that can get complicated.

Personal digs between forum members. Pure, simple. Don't.

I'm afraid you've got me here,please explain.

WHERE ARE THE PERSONAL DIGS AT MEMBERS.

I am very very careful what I write and say for more reasons than you would care to know.

So, you explain to me where the jibes are,and, you'll get an apology.

erm - this isn't so "polite". If you want to apologise then go ahead. I don't see why you should apologise though (unless it's for missing the point of course )

We'll don't think I've missed the point but that's ones perspective, of the adivice or given answer.
The point I am trying to get over is never give too much information to any given authority, as it will always some how,come back and bite you on the backside if you are not careful. Just do your homework to the best of ones ability.
Likewise it does not pay to act ignorant.
Hope this has clarified things a little better.
ANYWAY CHEERS.

That was the point i was trying to make, albeit i was a bit "Northerner harsh" So, sorry about that Ynot. It's been my experience in this country that not saying or not even knowing, has been financially to my detriment.
Thats why when it comes down to something so important as a permit or even
facilitation , emotional opinions aren't enough.

Jesus !!!!! and I 'm not being funny or patronizing,but I have just got a lump my in my throat,because I have seen so many failed people/persons in this country who've only come to better themselves and failed only because of ignorance, not on their part, but the part of the authorities not giving or wanting to give information.
Today it is easier !!!!!!! NOT REALLY, but information, is more or less, made more available because of the internet.

The strange thing is a lot of people believe that I have a problem with the society and the country, actually, QUITE THE OPPOSITE, otherwise I would not have lived here so long.

However,I do have a problem with the beaurocrats here,and I can assure you,I have dealt with so many, I've forgotten how many.

And I assure you do not need to appologise,because I fully understand what you have and are going through, and it is more than humbling, when someone appologises
The only other thing I would say, 'I have never bowed down to the authorities,and this has always frightened them to the point of disbelief '

Hence my name ' ynot '
because,by the powers that be,my question was always, warum nicht, why not.
It drove them nuts. !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

aLL the very best,
cheers ynot.

Well it's good to hear a happy ending to a story and it's always good to meet someone who fought a just battle and won. So good on you.

My name is Lynn