I'm on the bubble waiting for my permit - about two weeks into the 6-8 week waiting period. At the same time, I'm getting lots of correspondence from the relocation people - wanting to schedule house hunting trips, school visits, and telling me to apply for international schools for my children. And they know the permit applicaiton status.

From reading the immigration threads in this forum, I'm on pins and needles wondering if I will get my permit with all the quota reductions. However, I also see the company expending a good deal effort to get my relocation details sorted out. My company applied for a B permit. While I'm an American bean counter, I have some highly specialized experience with certain regulatory bodies that is unlikely to be common in the local talent pool.

In terms of knowing my exact situation, I know we're talking crystal ball stuff here. But, based on members' experience, does all this relocation activity prior to the permit approval seem to signal that the company's confidence in the permit process, or is that just par for the course - a failsafe?

Tom Petty was right - "the waiting is the hardest part".

Thanks.

If it is a large company, alot of the relocation stuff is just an automated process and does not signify much inside knowledge. On the other hand, large companies also have more experience dealing with the authorities and in my opinion are more likely to be successful with the application process as they know the ins and outs.

Hi Velocolo,
I'm in the same boat as you...the waiting game!! I'm into the 5th week of 6-8 weeks and practically pulling my hair out, especially after the announcement of the cut of non-EU permits quota. I'm however in Switzerland already.

As for your question about if the company's determination of getting your housing here organised is an indication of permit outcome.... unfortunately not. I have previously worked in a large organisation and dealt with permits, relocation etc and this is just part of the process that they have...geneally CH is quite organised.
Sorry if i put a damper on things
Honestly, best is to get it off your mind...which i know is not easy.

good luck

I am waiting for the permit as well, but I did not worry so much so far. Of course, officially there is no link between the relocation activity and permit .... But, if the company is paying for your relocation and if you are not the first foreigner in the company 'imported' to CH, I trust that they would not put the resources in an already lost game.... So, better focus on things you could control like house hunting instead of permit .... Once the process starts , I think is nothing you could do to accelerate it
By the way, from my experience house search is another challenge ... you better start it in time,.... takes a lot of time ....

We're in the waiting game as well...

and the apartment-hunting game...

It hurts...a lot...

Good luck with the permit change

Yes, good luck Swisspea. You said in another thread that you got your apartment, any permit related good news?

Well, finally some permit-related good news. I was told by HR that my final approval should be here in the next two weeks - the first one, the Canton, an the second, the FOM, have been approved. Now just waiting for Canton to give final approval and issue the approval so I can apply for entry visa.

They are booking a flight for me, and I'll arrive in CH on April 29. With any luck, I will get the approval letter, and can apply for and get the visa before I show up in CH - I'd hate to fly back to the states just to pick up the visa.

Anxiously crossing fingers and waiting for the final approval.

Great news! Congratulations!

Going to San Francisco on Monday to visit the Swiss Consulate and apply for my entry permit - and then off to In-N-Out to have a 3x3 animal style.

Thanks to the excellent advice from Swisspea in what do I do when my permits are not ready, I emailed the consulate a few days ago and just got a very friendly phone call from the consulat staff asking me to confirm my date of birth, and then they sent me the instructions on how to apply for the entry visa - which Swisspea had already given me!.

Thanks for the visa info Swisspea. It looks like it's time to stock up on brown sugar, and as for getting my entry visa - WooHoo!

Congratulations! Hope you enjoy settling in in Geneva - you are timing your arrival just right to avoid most of the cold, ice, wind and snow :-)

If there's any Geneva-specific info that you can't find on here then let me know and I'll see if I can help.

Best of luck for the move.

I'm getting lots of correspondence from the relocation people - wanting to schedule house hunting trips, school visits, and telling me to apply for international schools for my children

i see you have children......means a family.
I do not know if you are expecting the to bring your family with you....it appears from the italiced part that you might be.

It's not a given that you will recieve entry permits for your family even if you have applied for the entire family together.....in case you already aren't aware

Well, with the considerable costs of relocating me to CH, and the considerable costs of relocating me back if I leave for any reason in the first two years, I'm pretty sure my employer has this well in hand.

Thanks GS - I'm sure I will, and I really appreciate your willingness to be helpful. In fact, I'll send you a PM about left bank versus right bank questions later today. Thanks again.

No problem - we had a very lucky break with a French ex-pat couple when we moved here who went out of their way to help us out, so I am always happy to help others in the same situation if I can.

Got the call from the Consulate today - and I'm going to San Francisco on Thursday to pick up my passport and visa on Friday morning, and to have one, or so, 3x3 animal style. I may even have some animal fries as well.

Wow, it seems like time was standing still when I was waiting for the WP to be approved, and now things seem to be moving at light speed....

What the heck is a 3x3? I know what a 3-way is in Cincinnati:



(chili and spaghetti noodles to be found under that cheese).

Velocolo,

Is the company you are working for a swiss company? And is it a very well known and sizable company? I've been waiting for my permit since early January...and seeing that you got yours much sooner, I am just wondering if the size and the type of the company matters?

Congrats!

I love that chili - kind of tastes like cinnamon or nutmeg, right? I had the 5-way chili in Cincinnati a few years ago - is that the same as the Cleveland 3-way? I can't quite remember what the 5 ways are, tho...

Sorry, the 3x3 is a burger from In-N-Out - a SoCal based burger chain that has a few outlets in the San Francisco bay area, and Las Vegas. Been discussed by some fans of the double double, 3x3, and 4x4 at Los Angeles is the best city in the world and Fast Food - what's your favourite? What would you like to see in CH?. It's my last indulgence before skipping across the pond.


Thanks for the congrats. You know, I really don't know about how permits are doled out, if the size, or the if the nationalit of the home office of the company matters. I do believe it has something to do with the specific Canton - I've read here on EF that some Cantons have a significantly longer processing time.

Good luck with getting your permit.

CONGRATULATIONS!

Our permit has also been progressed - they have told us 'no objection' in the Canton Zurich, but now it goes to Bern for stamping, and I'm not sure if that means they are hoping Bern will allocate from their quota rather than Zurich...we shall see!

With the spouse/family comment, our original spouse/children permits were applied for one week behind the husband's work permit, and they arrived one week later than his - and there were no issues...

Once again, just make sure all your paperwork is on order and matches perfectly what has been submitted, and don't forget if your spouse uses a passport in another name to yours (eg. different surnames) use that detail when you are checking up (one forum poster waited 5 months before discovering this!)...ouch!

If anyone else is hanging out in 'limbo' - good luck. The waiting is the hardest part, I promise!

Congratulations for these good news!