I was on my way for a long weekend in London and as I was exiting the country at the passport control in Geneva the girl asked me if I was going for a holiday, i replied yes, then she asked me whether I lived in Lausanne, in which i replied yes also, then she asked me for my permit. I have a b-permit which i leave at home as i don't want to lose it and the main document i use for traveling is my passport (EU) as you would normally do. i then asked her again to repeat the question, but this time in english as i was a bit taken aback, and i said "no, it's at home"then she just said "ok you can go through", but then I also asked her if it was ness to bring it everywhere and she said if u return you may be asked for it. I've never been asked for the permit, now do I need to bring it everywhere i go??!! even tho i hold a UK passport? my husband was after me and wasn't asked the same questions. maybe it's cos of the way i look.

I was asked for my permit (C) when I came back to Zurich after Xmas as well. Didn't think anything of it at the time as I had it with me, though must admit it was the first time I'd ever been asked in the nearly 10 years I've been here...

AFAIK You are not legally required to have it with you. That said, if you know they're liable to ask, why not bring it?

In my (non-EU) experience they always ask, and if I don't have it (has happened a couple times) they scold me a little bit and then let me through anyway. I try to have it with me though - it saves everyone a few seconds' hassle.

Yep, I always keep it in my passport wallet anyway, so no biggie...

I lived in Zürich for several years and only got asked for my permit once. And that was at checkin at a UK airport as I was flying back to Zürich. Like you, I figure it's safer leaving it at home in CH and I know I can't lose it / get it nicked / forget it in the UK by accident.

I didn't get at all why he wanted to see it, and me not having it didn't seem to cause too much of a problem. I mean, if I lived in the UK I wouldn't need to show him a permit, and I could go in and out of Switzerland freely. Anyway it only took a few seconds to explain that it was safely at home (ok, I was scolded a little bit) and that was that. So why did he even bother to ask?

I was under the impression that you always had to travel with it? Especially being non-EU. How would you get back in to the country otherwise?

Have never been asked as yet but I always have it with me when travelling abroad to avoid any potential hassles on that front.

I've been in Geneva for nearly 3 years now and never been asked despite quite a few flights abroad.

When they give me something a convenient size (like the real Swissies get) then I'll carry it with me...

When did you last renew your permit? All post-2009 permits are normally credit card format.

I was asked for my permit too when leaving CH just before Christmas. First time in 8 years. They didn't ask for the rest of my family who have EU passports though.

Some related answers here-
Asked for Swiss Residence permit Leaving the UK!

I was asked once and told the guy that obviously I wouldn't carry both my passport and permit with me, cuz losing both would be stupid.

Since a passport is valid for entry into CH, you obviously don't have to produce it on request. You'll be rarely asked, and as was the case with you, if you don't have it, that's it, on you go.

Corrected for you

Really, they kept the little book format for the other ones? Why?

yeah must be non-EU permits, as my permit is from 2010 and it is in some sort of booklet...

I would assume because they want you to carry it and don't care if I don't.

I, for example, moved house in November and will register today. After they wrote to me. I still won't be carrying my permit after I get a new one...

The UK is not in Schengen, and thus if you entered for more than the three months/six allowed, they won't let you in without a permit.

Tom

just thought it was a bit strange as I was leaving switzerland not actually trying to enter. that said, i still won't be taking it back and forth with me, it's another thing to lose, it's EU and with that you're supposed to be able to come and go as you please. however it is strange being asked as you leave UK...

Well the airlines get a bit over the top sometimes because they are worried that they will get stuck with responsibility for people who are refused entry into a country.

You are confusing many different agreements here. People from Schengen countries don't have any special right to reside in CH for more than 3 months either.