Hello all.

This is my first post to this forum. I hope someone can give me some advice and point me in the right direction. I speak French very poorly, and it can be hard to get some info.

First, a bit of background info. I am a Canadian living for the time being in Serbia. I have a very elderly (88 years old) aunt living in Geneva. I expect her to live many more years, as this seems to be the ways it goes with females from that side of the family back many generations.

My aunt is unable to take care of herself and she has a bit of dementia. She has some at-home care from some company and someone else to do some basic things.

However, generally, her situation is a bit grim. She NEEDS someone to stay with her on a constant basis.

She has NO relatives except for me and my dad.

She is also extremely paranoid and will not accept anyone except someone who is from her country of origin (Serbia) and has been vetted by me.

I have found someone, we came here together for a few months' visit, which we are a few weeks into. The situation is perfect. My aunt (a very difficult person), loves who I have found and the situation is perfect beyond my wildest dreams.

Before I came, I asked the Swiss embassy in Belgrade what I need. They gave me some information. However, having lived the last year in Serbia, I simply do not trust anything a Serb tells me (even one working for the Swiss embassy). Besides, they don't make the decision, they send it to the canton responsible.

Also, her existing caregivers are strangely hostile to this change and won't assist me in any way.

So, I'd like to hear from the horse's mouth here in Geneva what I need to get this type of visa/work permit. Can it be applied for here or does it need to be applied for from Serbia.

Can someone point me in the right direction and maybe give me some advice?

Thanks,
Danilo

More questions than answers I'm afraid:

Who will employ this person?
Is the current provision based on your noted restrictions or is it that you want to make the change?
Do you have medical and/or psychiatric evidence to support the requirements?

Thanks so much for replying!

My aunt will employ the person.

I'm not sure what you mean by your second question. Maybe the change you're referring to is the hiring of this new domestic help. Nothing else is changing. maybe bad choice of words. The nurses that come now will still come. This is an addition.

I'm sure her doctor would support this.

This is basically what they told me in Belgrade:

Get a letter from the person that wants to hire her (my aunt). Get a letter from her doctor and a nurse.

outline in the letter who will pay her salary, where she'll stay and why her.

Letter from to visa applicant - why she wants to go work for my aunt.

birth certificate

65 euro

They said it was for a D visa

The D visa is not a work permit - in order to get a work permit there will have to be a strong case for this person as there are many care workers available in Switzerland.

Support from the doctor is going to be a big help but there's no way of knowing how this will turn out without simply applying and see what happens.

How should I approach this? Where do I go? Whom do I ask?

Would it be helpful to go through some sort of immigration consultant/lawyer?

My aunt insists her bank can help. Seems crazy to me, but who knows, I don't know how tings work here.

what IS a D visa?

This a type of schengen visa that allows the applicant to enter the country.

Best place to start would be your aunt's local town hall. They will be able to provide the forms required. Youy already know what sort of supporting documentation you will need.

If you can afford it then an immigration lawyer could be useful.

Can anyone reccomend an immigration lawyer/consultant in Geneva?

I've searched the forums.

The one link i found didn't have 'immigration' on their list of competancies.

One more thing. Does a non-EU national need a long-stay schengen visa as well as a Swiss work visa?