Greetings!

We are in the midst of all the pre-move fun...and the relocation company seems to think we will have a problem with registering and getting our kids to school.

The "problem" - husband's work contract has Sept 1 as start date, but we will permanently be in Canton St. Gallen and school starts Aug 15 so we want them to be there for the start of school. The catch is that our house (which we are buying and are still in the midst of getting all that paperwork sorted out) won't be move-in "able" until a few months after we get there so we will temporarily be living in a different city (which happens to be in a different Canton).

I talked to the Gemeinde in the permanent town yesterday and she didn't seem to mention there being any problems, but she may not have known the start date for my husband is after we arrive.

So I have 2 questions. First, do we have to first register at the temporary address? The person at the Gemeinde seemed more concerned that if we registered in our permanent place then we would have to forward our mail - which I assured them I could pick up as after all, I will be there every day to bring the kids to school and the house does exist and have a mailbox (it is new build and it won't be ready yet for us to move it, but it is empty).

Second, if we do have to register first in our temporary town, does anyone think this will be a problem? They have to "release" our kids for going to school in the other town, but really, I can't imagine that there should be any issues. Relocation company thinks the fact that the start date is after when we get there is an issue. I personally don't think 2 weeks early is that crazy of an idea and that surly this happens all the time, oder?

Further details, husband is EU, I am non-EU. Think that should cover it.

Any advice or stress easing would be appreciated I will call both Gemeindes (if necessary) ASAP today, but hubby is QUITE stressed over this thanks to our relocation person, and it is subsequently giving me nausea...

Thanks!

It's also permissible to register at your employer's address temporarily. Maybe that is a solution?

I don't think the address is the problem. We think it is because the work contract starts Sept. 1 but school starts August 15. I am calling them now...

edit: just called The woman at the Gemeinde said no problem, don't need to register at the temporary town first and those 2 weeks aren't an issue. Now I think I will fire our relocation person

What I did is that I have an apartment arranged before I arrived but it is not ready until end July. So I am in hotel until then. I got the hotel to print me a proforma invoice and with the rental agreement, I turned up at the apartment Germinde and register. They are ok with it and it means I only pay 1 fee. Then with the paperwork, I was able to open bank account and most importantly, go to post office to have my mail held for me until i move in.

You will find that even though your husband is not starting work until September and you might not need a bank account until then, so doing it later is ok. However if you need any half-price travel card or mobile contract, they will ask to see paper and without that piece of paper, you are stuck!

(btw. I find out about the registration from another thread on this forum and not through my relocation agent.)

Your husband has to have registered before he can start work. I'm also relocating and moving over around the same time and will have to go into a temporary apartment to start with which will be in a different canton to where I will settle permanently. It's no problem if you husband is EU, he just registers in the Canton of his temporary address so he can get his permit B issued, then when you move he transfers to the new Canton.

Correct me anyone if I'm wrong but this is what I've been told.

Does anyone know if we're allowed to start work when the permit is in progress but not issued yet, no-one seems to be able to answer that for me.

Thanks.

yes, I went to do the paperwork before I started work and at the end of the process, I asked the nice lady there, am I all legal now and can go to work, she said "Ja".