Dear EF'ers,

Questions regarding putting a C permit on hold:

1. How long can it be on hold?
2. How often do I need to enter the country, if at all, to maintain the hold status?
3. Will I still be able to withdraw my vested benefits when putting the permit on hold, if not are there any alternatives?
4. Do I keep the permit with me, or do they take it and keep at the canton? If the latter, how do I enter CH and how do I pickup the permit?
5. What about all other services "tied" to the permit (e.g. mobile, SBB card etc), do they get affected?

Thank you!

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i took the red pill

Talk to your cantonal migration authorities for info on this. The C permit can be suspended, sometimes for years, providing you intend to return to Switzerland.

I would think, if you don't have a physical address here, things like mobile phones might be affected.

1) Federal law gives a maximum of 4 years (subject to cantonal approval of your justification for temporarily leaving).

2) If your C permit suspension is approved, no need.

3) No, as your intent is to return to Switzerland (which will be mentioned on your deregistration papers that you would have to show your bank(s).

4) You surrender your permit, and you will receive an official document to reclaim Swiss Permanent residency, which you present to your commune upon your return.

5) You present them with your deregistration form to cancel contracts and services (mobile, gym membership, etc)...

Hi, Are you sure about the duration of C permit on hold. Is it 4 years. I have read before that it is 5 years.

3.4.4 Aufrechterhaltung der Niederlassungsbewilligung während eines Auslandaufenthalts
Die Niederlassungsbewilligung erlischt durch Abmeldung oder wenn sich die
Ausländerinnen und Ausländer während sechs Monaten tatsächlich im Ausland
aufhalten. Stellen sie vor Ablauf dieser sechs Monate das Begehren,
kann die Niederlassungsbewilligung während vier Jahren aufrechterhalten
werden (Art. 61 Abs. 2 AuG).

3.4.4 Maintien de l’autorisation d’établissement en cas de séjour à
l’étranger
L’autorisation d’établissement prend fin lorsque l’étranger annonce son
départ ou qu’il a séjourné effectivement pendant six mois à l’étranger.
Sur demande présentée au cours de ce délai, elle peut être prolongée
jusqu’à quatre ans (art. 61, al. 2, LEtr).

Thanks a lot for the valued information.

The reasons for allowing the permit to be put on hold are very specific. Such as going to the military or your Swiss employer sends you to another country.

Thanks for this info,

I wondered where I can find the info that states that one has to stay 180 days per calendar year to maintain the C permit ? or is that wrong ?

I was in a discussion with my colleagues about the C permit expiry, where mentioned the condition of a person who pays rental, medical insurance and declare taxes at the end of the year but stays 1 week every three months in Switzerland due to a two years working abroad.

Most of my colleagues mentioned that the C permit will be expired as it doesn't fulfill the condition of staying 6 month per year - I couldn't find this info on the official website.

Any idea about that will be highly appreciated,

Thanks in advance

As I understand it, if you are sent on assignment to work outside of Switzerland by your Swiss employer, then this is one of the few qualifying reasons for being eligible to retain the C permit.

There are several threads on this topic where the exact and very narrow eligility criteria is stated but can't recollect reading anything about 180 days...

These are two different things.

The first persion talks about continuing / pretending / maintaining your residence in Switzerland. The second is about retaining your right to a C permit, but actually surrendering the permit itself.

In the second case you actually leave and deregister from Switzerland, but get a letter saying that when you return we'll give you again a C permit. In the first case you never left.

All I have seen in writing personally, is that the C or B permit gets cancelled after 6 months continuous absence from Switzerland. So in theory you only need to visit 2 well-timed days per year! :-) However, there may (must) be other requirements too, beyond physical absensce that I am unaware of..