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30.04.2011, 08:05
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| | Re: Questions about immigrating into Switzerland. | Quote: | |  | | | 12 years, ok. Hmm.. How does it work out if I happen to get married to a Swiss citizen? | | | | | Five years and CHF 300. | Quote: |  | | | The gun and ammunition are then returned at the end of military service. | | | | | Sometimes, as you have the option to keep it. | Quote: |  | | | I've been here for many years but have never met anyone that goes shooting for fun. | | | | | I have, lots of them. Even my girlfriend used to have a rifle and a handgun, and we're thinking of taking up hunting (very popular around here)
Tom
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30.04.2011, 08:13
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| | Re: Questions about immigrating into Switzerland. | Quote: | |  | | | Okay, so I may have been overly misinformed at first about immigrating and the process, but clearly you have all made me aware of it being otherwise. | | | | | That bit is gold. I mean, there's so much good material in this thread, but that bit had me laughing out loud. The rest of the sentence isn't bad either.
Thanks for the laughs!
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30.04.2011, 13:52
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| | Re: Questions about immigrating into Switzerland.
If you can get EU citizenship like German then you can come here with minimal to no restrictions to find a job. Once you have a job you can stay as long as you want. If you want Swiss citizenship then just wait for it (I think it's like 12 years staying in one canton). Being EU also gives you the right to live and work in any other EU country (including the UK). Switzerland along with Norway and Iceland are not in the EU but have agreements with the EU allowing the same free movement of people (EU/EFTA citizens).... that's more or less the rule anyway.
The gun stuff man. Erm this is 2010 in Europe mate. Gun crime isn't common. Switzerland is pretty safe too. The worst is you'll get your handbag nicked... okay I heard the neighbours get pretty angry at noise at night but really if you like guns and want to own them like they do in North America then forget it here. It's pretty alien what you talk about regarding gun ownership to the average jo here.
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30.04.2011, 13:54
| | Re: Questions about immigrating into Switzerland. | Quote: | |  | | | The gun stuff man. Erm this is 2010 in Europe mate. Gun crime isn't common. Switzerland is pretty safe too. The worst is you'll get your handbag nicked... okay I heard the neighbours get pretty angry at noise at night but really if you like guns and want to own them like they do in North America then forget it here. | | | | | Pssst... it's 2011 but don't tell anyone.
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30.04.2011, 13:56
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| | Re: Questions about immigrating into Switzerland. | Quote: |  | | | Pssst... it's 2011 but don't tell anyone. | | | | | That gets me almost every time!! And it's almost May! | This user would like to thank digg for this useful post: | | 
30.04.2011, 15:58
| Newbie 1st class | | Join Date: Apr 2011 Location: Canada
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| | Re: Questions about immigrating into Switzerland. | Quote: | |  | | | If you can get EU citizenship like German then you can come here with minimal to no restrictions to find a job. Once you have a job you can stay as long as you want. If you want Swiss citizenship then just wait for it (I think it's like 12 years staying in one canton). Being EU also gives you the right to live and work in any other EU country (including the UK). Switzerland along with Norway and Iceland are not in the EU but have agreements with the EU allowing the same free movement of people (EU/EFTA citizens).... that's more or less the rule anyway.
The gun stuff man. Erm this is 2010 in Europe mate. Gun crime isn't common. Switzerland is pretty safe too. The worst is you'll get your handbag nicked... okay I heard the neighbours get pretty angry at noise at night but really if you like guns and want to own them like they do in North America then forget it here. It's pretty alien what you talk about regarding gun ownership to the average jo here. | | | | | Thanks for the information. And I just won't comment on my gun questions anymore as it does seem like a really alien topic here, and people are paranoid of em it seems. | Quote: | |  | | | That gets me almost every time!! And it's almost May!  | | | | | Yeah, and all the snow was melted in my area, gone.. This morning I awoke to find 2 feet of fresh snow everywhere with a blizzard going around! >_< I hate these longer Canadian winters.
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30.04.2011, 17:25
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| | Re: Questions about immigrating into Switzerland. | Quote: | |  | | | Thanks for the information. And I just won't comment on my gun questions anymore as it does seem like a really alien topic here, and people are paranoid of em it seems. | | | | | Only the ones on this forum, Swiss people in general are not.
Tom
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30.04.2011, 17:57
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| | Re: Questions about immigrating into Switzerland. | Quote: | |  | | | Yeah, and all the snow was melted in my area, gone.. This morning I awoke to find 2 feet of fresh snow everywhere with a blizzard going around! >_< I hate these longer Canadian winters. | | | | | Yeah I heard it can be pretty bad over there in winter. Still supposed to be a great country to live in and who knows.... with global warming it'll be the place to be in the next generations!
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30.04.2011, 18:34
| | Re: Questions about immigrating into Switzerland. | Quote: | |  | | | Thanks for the information. And I just won't comment on my gun questions anymore as it does seem like a really alien topic here, and people are paranoid of em it seems. | | | | | For most of us Swiss that have done the military, guns are not a taboo. We have done so much shooting (with all kinds of weapons) that it is not exactly exciting and is often seen by many as a chore.
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30.04.2011, 19:00
| | Re: Questions about immigrating into Switzerland. | Quote: | |  | | | Only the ones on this forum, Swiss people in general are not.
Tom | | | | | I think they would get a bit uncomfortable if foreigners move here assuming they can get hold of a weapon to defend their home, as the OP said right at the beginning: | Quote: | |  | | | Another thing I am not clear on is gun laws and self preservation/self defense. If say you were being invaded by an unknown assailant/criminal whom happens to be armed and is actively trying to bring bodily harm or even kill you in your own home/private property. Do you as a citizen have the right to bear arms, and defend your own life on your property?? Or is it like in Canada/UK were you must phone the police, and hope that they get there within seconds before you are dead? | | | | | That's pretty "un-Swiss". Mildly acidic Post-it notes in the hallway are normally as aggressive as things get.
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30.04.2011, 19:00
|  | Forum Veteran | | Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: Zurich
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| | Re: Questions about immigrating into Switzerland. | Quote: | |  | | | Thanks for the information. And I just won't comment on my gun questions anymore as it does seem like a really alien topic here, and people are paranoid of em it seems.
. | | | | | Paranoid? or smart? | 
30.04.2011, 21:52
| | Re: Questions about immigrating into Switzerland.
Having citizenship does have its perks. Its a lot more than being allowed to vote. With citizenship you have freedom. There's no worry about permits. For example, maybe a person wants to leave the country for a few years. With citizenship there's no problem because it won't run out. Even when it has to be renewed it's still a person's citizenship. Permits are limited. A person can't leave the country as long as they want and return with their permit intact. Permits have levels too. So an individual is limited to where they can live, how long they can stay in the country, their work situation etc...If the OP wants Swiss citizenship they will have a rough ride. There have been stories about people who have lived in Switzerland for 15 years, applied for citizenship and didn't get it. Citizenship is not a right, it's a privilege. There's no guarantee even with marrying a Swiss that one will receive citizenship.
I'm speaking from experience as I have had my Swiss citizenship for over 20 years and I see what people go through who don't have it. As long as they have employment they are pretty much o.k with their permits for instance. But if they lose their employment it can be a case of having to leave the country, as far as permits are concerned.
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30.04.2011, 22:04
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| | Re: Questions about immigrating into Switzerland. | Quote: |  | | | But if they lose their employment it can be a case of having to leave the country, as far as permits are concerned. | | | | | A C permit can be renewed without having a job.
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30.04.2011, 23:35
| | Re: Questions about immigrating into Switzerland. | Quote: | |  | | | A C permit can be renewed without having a job. | | | | | Yes but not indefinently. Citizenship is freedom. IMHO... | 
01.05.2011, 00:08
| | Re: Questions about immigrating into Switzerland. | Quote: | |  | | | So as an EU citizen, can I still partake in competition rifle/gun shooting at tournaments, and practice target shooting at ranges? I know I won't be allowed to own or possess any firearms as a foreigner/EU citizen according to https://www.gunfactory.ch/index.htm , unless I can present them with a Swiss "C" passport and a criminal record check within the last 3 months. | | | | | Are Swiss gun laws the only reason why you want to move to Switzerland?
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01.05.2011, 00:56
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| | Re: Questions about immigrating into Switzerland. | Quote: | |  | | | And I just won't comment on my gun questions anymore as it does seem like a really alien topic here, and people are paranoid of em it seems.
. | | | | | Paranoid? I don't think so. It's just a complete nonissue for us. More useful is a pair of skis, a bicycle and a little shopping basket. | This user would like to thank biff for this useful post: | | 
01.05.2011, 01:31
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| | Re: Questions about immigrating into Switzerland. | Quote: | |  | | | Are Swiss gun laws the only reason why you want to move to Switzerland? | | | | | No, I want to eat Swiss cheese, have a swiss bank account, go skiing in the Alps. And partake in all the fests, wear lederhosen, play the accordion instrument, actually get the chance to talk to other people in my native tongue, and just live life.
I find European countries and its culture is just alot more refined and neat, compared to North America which is blunt and can be ugly looking; but that is partly due to there being soo much landmass and the population being far too scattered to look after everything.
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01.05.2011, 01:34
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| | Re: Questions about immigrating into Switzerland. | Quote: | |  | | | Thanks for the information. And I just won't comment on my gun questions anymore as it does seem like a really alien topic here, and people are paranoid of em it seems. | | | | | From what I've read there's only one person on here who seems a bit paranoid.... I'll give you two guess. | Quote: | |  | | | No, I want to eat Swiss cheese, have a swiss bank account, go skiing in the Alps. And partake in all the fests, wear lederhosen, play the accordion instrument, actually get the chance to talk to other people in my native tongue, and just live life.
I find European countries and its culture is just alot more refined and neat, compared to North America which is blunt and can be ugly looking; but that is partly due to there being soo much landmass and the population being far too scattered to look after everything. | | | | | I think you are confused about what country you want to live in. Perhaps you might like Germany better. They have Swiss cheese there.
Last edited by miniMia; 01.05.2011 at 01:47.
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01.05.2011, 02:08
| | Re: Questions about immigrating into Switzerland.
Yep, Switzerland is not generally the first choice option for wearing lederhosen or playing the accordion. And definitely not for chatting to the locals in German. You may be in for a bit of a shock there.
By the way, on the subject of languages, you missed one: | Quote: | |  | | | I know there are 3 official/main languages(?). German, French, Italian. | | | | | but don't worry about it. Hardly anyone else does.
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