Official document from Office federal des migration:

'L'approbation de la decision prealable.. relative a l'autorisation d'exercer une activite lucrative est délivrée.'

My HR says it means my work permit has been approved by federal government. But as she is also new with applying a Permit B for non-EU national, she says still she needs to ask about my residence permit.

I also checked:

" Issuance of visa: The cantonal migration authority (formerly aliens’ police department)Advises (by consent of FOM where persons from nations subject to visa requirements are concerned) the appropriate Swiss diplomatic representation abroad online to issue visa. Applicants are requested to collect their visa at that specific Swiss representation.

Registration: The employeeRegisters himself with the residents’ registration office not longer than 14 days after his entry into Switzerland. Only then is he allowed to take up his employment. "

So does it already included a residence permit?

How long does it take to collect the entry visa in the general consulate in my country?

THANKS!!

From what I have read till date in the forums, it hardly takes any time to get the visa from the Swiss consultate in your own country..may be 2-3 days.

If your employer has been notified that it is approved, then you make contact with the swiss embassy/consulate general in your home country. They will tell you what you need to do next...there will be a form to fill in, a payment at your end and they will need your passport to stick your visa "permission to enter for work permission" into...

Then the visa gives you a 'window' for entry - for us it was dated from the date of issue plus three weeks...so we had three weeks to arrive in Switzerland. When you arrive at the border, declare that you have a visa with permission to enter for work purposes, and they should stamp it with the date - then you have evidence that you arrived within the visa requirements.

Once you arrive in Switzerland, you have 8 days to register at the local Gemeinde (town hall) and I recommend you take someone from your employer's company to act as a 'translator' and make sure you have all your documents with you - address where you are going to live in Switzerland, passport etc...

Your actual residency permit will take maybe a couple of months to arrive, in the meantime you can ask for a temporary permit from the Gemeinde that has your name, date and your swiss address on it, it's handy for if you get any questions about where you live in Switzerland or for signing up for things...

You won't know whether you have a 'L' or 'B' permit until you get here - with an L you renew after 12 months (your employer has to fill out more forms again in about 9 months time for the renewal to happen in 12 months)...the general thing to be aware of is that you might get an L for 12 months, renewed once for another 12 months. After two years on an L you generally can expect to get a B, or be asked to leave the country.

The uncertainty is painful...but the delight of eventually getting that B and having some security is fabulous, and i know that I wouldn't get a better deal trying to enter my home country (Australia) - we get a better deal in Switzerland because health cover is for everyone...in OZ you'd be paying your own health care for two years first...

Oh, and the original question, how long does it take to get the entry visa? We emailed the consulate general in our home country, and they told us we could come in during XYZ business hours, and allow an hour and they would process it 'on the spot' which they did. I recommend doing it that way...at least you know you will get it on the spot, and not risk your passport or application being lost 'in the post'...but in our case the travel from home to the consulate general was less than an hour by public transport...

Hey Swisspea, that's great deal of information. Just confused about one part where wher you mentioned that we won't know if it is L or B until we get there. Do you mean that even the employer wouldn't know? In that case, is there any way for the employer to make an enquiry with the embassy before a person travels to Switzerland?

Typically, a person may have a kinda long term outlook (3-5) years and otherwise not interested if it's just for 2 years coupled with uncertainty after 2 years..Is there any way out so that a person can take an informed decision before he travels?

We were not able to find out if it was L or B. I'm not sure if our employer could find out.

Yes, the uncertainty is painful. What's your profession/specialisation ? That might help with your odds of renewal...

I don't know how to find out - the Gemeinde knew when we went to register, they had it on the system. But they were not the ones in control of the decision...

Yezi, where did you confirm that yours is a B permit and valid for 3 years?

Thank you so much for your detail informatoin. I really appareciate your help, pea.

Questions:

About when to contact my home country's general consulate...Since my employer has already got the file from federal migration office ( see my 1st post), does it can be considered that it is the time I contacted the general consulate? Do I have to wait until the file returns to canton first? BTW, the file was sent to my employer on July 20th. So when do u advise me to contact Switzerland's general consulate in my home country?

Second, upon collecting the single entry Visa I will have only 3 weeks to enter the country?! I heard 3 months but i may be wrong. If so things are quite hectic for now...I will need to buy the flight ticket very soon then.

Third, I presumed my residence permit is a 3 years one because in the canton approval they wrote ' Permit B, no more than 36 months of stay...' All in French. My French level is not that good now.

Thanks!

Also "Your actual residency permit will take maybe a couple of months to arrive, in the meantime you can ask for a temporary permit from the Gemeinde that has your name, date and your swiss address on it, it's handy for if you get any questions about where you live in Switzerland or for signing up for things..."


I am not allowed to start working while waiting for my formal residence permit right? I can travel within the Schegen countries after paying some money for a temporary permit. Am I correct? Thanks again for your help!

I think one can work while waiting for the Residence Permit. I mean, you already have the Work Permit, right? As long as you have a paper stipulating the Residence Permit paperwork is being processed, it shouldn't be a problem.

Hopefully someone will correct me if I'm wrong.

So some updates. My HR informed me that my Visa is about to be ready to collect. She said the general consulate will contact me.

I wrote an Email to the General consulate as suggested by a friend here. But they replied no information about it in their system yet.

So I shall just wait?

PS: It's been 2 weeks after the federal's positive approval...

My contract is a 3 years one. And it is clearly written in the kanton approval.. I do not really mind if it turns out to be an L or B. If B, great! If L, not too disappointed either.