Hi,

My wife applied for a dependent visa and has obtained the 'Ermächtigung' document from the canton of zurich. She already has a valid schengen visa and could theoretically enter switzerland with it. So, the best thing would have been to hop onto the next available flight and come here. But, when we explained the situation over email to the Swiss embassy in London asking them if she can travel to Zurich on her schengen visa and then go and register at the kreisburo with the 'Ermächtigung', they said that is not possible and she has to apply for an entry visa and get it stamped (waiting 2 days in the process and also travelling up and down from Bristol twice).

I do not get the logic of this decision, although we are abiding by the 'rules'. I was just wondering is there some logic to this decision.

-technix

No logic. Just the rules.

I think it's quite common in many countries that you can't apply for an entry visa from within that country. The Schengen visa is not Switzerland specific so wouldn't allow entry without the relevant visa.

Sounds logical to me. Try getting a visa for the US whilst staying in the US.

i agree that its just the rules and we would have to follow. But we would feel good about it if there was a logic to it. And i did not mean that we would apply for the entry visa in Switzerland. I meant the residence permit. The entry visa only serves the purpose of coming in to Switzerland and also has a specific expiry date (much shorter than the actual permit is for). And in this case, the schengen visa acts as the entry visa. So the exercise seems pointless.

-technix

Are you confusing the Ermächtigung with the Aufenthaltsbewilligung (residency permit)? You apply for your residency permit when you arrive by registering with the community office. The Ermächtigung sounds like the entry visa which, as mentioned before, will have to be applied for from outside of the country.

You mention Bristol in your first post - is your wife British? If so, she doesn't need a visa to enter the country.

Schengen is not a visa to enter Switzerland. It only works if you already have permission and documentation to travel there.

@Sandgrounder

No, my wife is Indian and she is currently in UK. Ok, maybe i got the terminology wrong. What i mean by 'Ermächtigung' is the 'Ermächtigung Zur Visemerteilung' which i understand is a sort of consent for a permit and also a go-ahead to the concerned embassy to provide a visa for the person to enter Switzerland and register for residency.

I think its pointless to ask these questions since we would have no choice but to follow the 'rules'. But its interesting to analyze the rationale behind some of the rules.

-technix

The logic is there is a rule, and everyone including yourself has to leave Switzerland, pick up the Visa in Milan, Paris or Stuttgart, and return.

Search the Forum for "Pick up Visa" and you get 3 results:

Where to pick up Swiss Visa? (Familiennachzug) (3) 29.Apr.2011
How long do I have to pick up my Visa (3) 9.Nov.2010
Which country consulate to pick up visa? (3) 1.Oct.2010

the logic is that you avoid being deported and having to go through this anyway.

The entry visa is permission to enter the country one-way. I'm guessing her schengen visa is for tourism purposes and has an expiry date on it...

And I'm guessing that her 'dependent' permit is tied to a non-eu as well ?

The UK is not part of the Schengen agreement. That is why. Nothing to do with Swiss bureaucracy, just the usual British imperialism.

I would say Imperialism is hardly the word to use in these circumstances.