Hello folks,

I am suppose to be entering Switzerland next week to live permanently. Obviously with everything going on with the Coronavirus I have a few questions to ask.

I lived and worked in Switzerland from August 2017 to August 2019. I had a B permit at the time. I decided to give up my B permit and my job to move back to the U.K. for 6 months to gain a certificate that would be beneficial for my future employment prospects.

My girlfriend is living in Switzerland but I have no job interview or working permit. My plan was to find a job once I got back to Switzerland and my permit would follow after.

I read an article that Switzerland was only letting citizens and people with work permits back in the country. Can anyone confirm this is true?

I was due to fly on the 25th but I’m worried I may not get in the country. Can anyone give me advice?

Thanks

Residents, not just citizens, as I understand it. Can't confirm it either way though. And I realise that doesn't help in your case.

But I'm in France now and we're staying here for the duration, not going to risk getting stuck on the other side of the border by trying to continue travelling between our two homes.

Colleague of mine flew in this week, but then she has a residency permit. So no idea how it works if you do not have one, anyway it can change daily.

Ask the airline? They have to take you back worst case

Have your girlfriend here ask if you can enter, and best would be if she could get you a letter which would allow entrance, just going to the border with no rental contract, no labour contract and no residence status is bound to end up in disaster.

Hi folks thanks for the replies.

Yeah seems a complicated situation.

I am going to try ring the Swiss embassy in London on Monday and see what their take is onit.

My biggest worry is flying all the way to Zürich and find that I will be getting sent back home.

I can't offer direct experience with flights. But friends have told me that at the borders into Germany and France they are really checking and only letting people in with Swiss Passports or Residency Permits.

Would really recommend to try and check before you fly.

Hi EdwinNL

That’s a good idea. I will ask my girlfriend to speak to the local geminde and see if a letter is possible though I’m thinking it’s possible it might be shut due to the coronavirus.

Okay thanks for the info Icepanda

Best way, I agree.

At a press conference it was explicetly said that a residence permit must be shown at entry. A work-contract for example is not enough.
You seem to have neither. Looks like you'll have to postpone.

You could also try contacting the British embassy here in Switzerland. From what I see on their website, it looks like they're still open (whereas I think the US embassies here have closed).

https://www.gov.uk/world/organisatio...ritish-embassy

It's going to be tough, if you dont have a permit, i doubt they will let you in given what is currently being discussed. Pretty sure i read on here, Husband's / Wife's are spit, where one has a visa and the other doesn't - no visa, no entry.

I also heard they have also stopped issuing new visa's till June.

Afaik that concerns 3rd country nationals.

You will not even be allowed to board the plane if they can't land you in Zurich.

At our border they are letting in frontalier workers who work for hospitals, doctor's surgery (office) and EMS/Care homes. They need to have an official document from their workplace.

Yes, and for this reason you might find information on your airline's website, too.

as far as i understand the situation , you will need a permit (typ does not matter, so B, C,L, or G) or a swiss id , to be able to cross the border into switzerland until further notice.Or a relative (family member) has a case of emergency.

https://www.holidaycheck.ch/aktuelle...mmungen-corona

Only citizens, holders of residence permits or cross border permits being allowed in. Below from the FCO;

https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/switzerland

Flights to Switzerland are subject to controls and inspections. Entry in to Switzerland via flights from the UK, Austria, France, Germany, Italy, Spain and all non-Schengen countries will now only be possible for Swiss citizens, residents, cross-border workers, those transiting with an onward ticket within the same day (not overnight) and those with “compelling reasons”.

That's what the frontier guards told me too.

Yes, it is so don't bother coming here for at least the next 3 months. No permits of any kind are being issued and only Swiss nationals, people who already have a Swiss permit and cross border commuters are being allowed in.

"Only Swiss citizens, Swiss residents, those entering the country for professional reasons (e.g., those who work here and have a permit to prove it), and those transiting through, can enter. Even foreign partners of Swiss citizens, who do not have a right of residence in the country, will be turned away."

https://www.swissinfo.ch/eng/covid-1...order/45629122