Hello everyone. My name is Julia, I am currently studying MSc in Belgium. I am from Vietnam. My boyfriend is Swiss and he lives in Aargau canton. We have intention to apply dependent visa for me next year. I read and gathered a lot of useful information from all of you in forum about this concern.

However I would like to ask few questions.
1. Am I allowed to work under dependent visa if my boyfriend is Swiss?
2. How much amount of money in saving account he has to prove that he can cover all fees for my living in Switzerland? As I saw in one post, writer said that is 30,000 CHF, but I am not sure if that amount has not been changed.
3. Dependent visa could be my advantage to apply for a job in Switzerland?
4. How long does process take?
5. How could we prove that we are in real relationship?

Thank you so much in advance!!!

You have two options. Get married (simplest in terms of a permit) or he applies for a Concubine permit for you. That means he agrees to be financially responsible for you for 5 years, even if the relationship doesn't work out.

Not all cantons offer this type of permit. A quick google search shows that Aargau mentions Konkubinat in several places on the website, so they might offer it. Your boyfriend will have to do some homework.

1. If you're married, yes you would have the right to work. If on a concubine permit, I think it depends on canton.

2. The general figure I see posted here is 100 CHF per day, so yes 30,000+ sounds about right.

3. Yes with a marriage dependent permit, because then an employer would not need to prove they could not find a Swiss or EU to to the job.

4. It takes as long as it takes. Often 12 weeks is common if all the paperwork is in order.

5. He'll write a letter explaining how you met, how often you visit each other, show pictures of vacations together, etc.

Important note: In Switzerland, a visa is only used for entry into the country. If you apply as a concubine or spouse, you would apply for a D-visa. Once you enter the country, you register as a resident and you receive the appropriate residence permit.

Hi, thank you so much for your reply and information. So from what you said, If we choose Concubine permit, it’s unsure that I could work under that permit, right?
And there is one thing is about where I live. So if I live at his house, house I prove it? Does his family need to write any letter as a proof?

There is one more thing, is that true when companies in Switzerland prefer Swiss and EU citizens to the non EU when they recruit employees? (Let’s say, we have same same diplomas, somehow equally qualified).

I don't know if a person can work with a concubine permit. I think not, but don't know for sure. This is part of the homework your boyfriend needs to do with his cantonal authorities.

If you're here on family reunification, you must live together. Would you be living with him and his parents or just the two of you in an apartment? If living with parents that might be tricky because the authorities would wonder what kind of long-term, stable relationship you're in and how he will support you both if he still lives with parents. If he lives in a flat, then you'd sign the lease with him.

Yes, companies must first look for Swiss or EU citizens when hiring. However, if you are here on a dependent spouse permit, then they consider you to be Swiss/EU for hiring. In other words, if you're married, the company doesn't need to do anything special to hire you. If you're not and on a concubine permit, I don't know if you can work. If you're not married and not on a concubine permit then all you can do is visit and you can't work - or you try to get a company to hire you on your own merits.

Thank you so much for your help. We will check it out more.

If you and your partner live with his parents, then you and he could also sign a rental contract with them, i.e. the parents become your landlords, and you and your partner pay the parents a certain rental sum per month. This contract will document, to the authorities, how and where you live and will be part of the proof he submits to show that he can afford to provide for himself and for you.

Oh I see. That’s so helpful for us. Thank you so much!