Hi everyone this os my first post on here my name is Marie I am 30 and live in switzerland.

I have a slight problem

I have my apartment in switzerland I pay my bills in switzerland and still contribute to my health insurance


I am currently in the United Kingdom I left switzerland on 19th December for Christmas and while I was here someone died and I am trying to help my family as this has destroyed us.

I am planning to fly back end of June my best friend is currently staying in my apartment while I am away

I cant get back till the uk government lifts the travel ban I am in no rush to get back till I can fly back as I have some family problems.


My concern is that I will have been out of switzerland for more then 6 months I am concerned about my permit being taken away.

I am a B permit holder I work for. swiss company

no one knows me in switzerland no one knows I am out of the country its impossible for them to know that I am away surely?

I can not get back anyway due to Covid lockdown in GB ban on international travel

I plan to return on June 15th

Welcome to the Forum. I'm sorry to hear about a death in your family. That's rough any time, but Covid has amplified the stress for many.

I thought the UK travel "ban" doesn't ban all travel. Just unnecessary/tourist travel. If you're a resident here, then it's probably a perfectly legitimate reason to travel to get back before your permit expires.

How did you leave the country? Did you fly? If so then your passport will have been scanned or stamped out since you left Shengen.

You said your friend is staying at your place. Neighbors here can be a bit nosy. I wouldn't count on having no one notice that you're gone.

I'm not 100% sure about B permits. I know C permits you can be gone up to 6 months, but I thought that B permits were only 90 days.

Hopefully someone else will be along with handy links soon.

No, it's L permits that are max 3 months, B's and C's are max 6 months.

Thanks, Medea!

I wont say a word.

Hi I have been struggling emotionally due to the death in my family so that's why I have stayed in the UK I honestly did not feel like I could carry on and was at risk to myself so I promised my mother in the UK I would work remotely and stay here with her.

I have never lived in my apartment I just moved in the day after I left so I haven't met my neighbours yet my friend is staying there as he got fired from work and hasn't got any money so I let him stay there rent free he keeps the lights aye

From my workings out six months from the 19th December when I flew out from zurich airport is 19th June can I return on 18th June then I would get away with it?


Thanks for your reply really appreciated

thanks for the wishes grieving has been tough

Would they be lenient due to Covid 19? Lots of people are working remote

Surely your employer must know? They should help.

I very much doubt that you have to wait until June to come back to Switzerland. UK letting you travel may be a problem, but with a B permit and living here it should be OK...

I’m waiting till June due to choice because I recently had a family member pass I thought as I was a B permit holder I didn’t have to worry it lasts for 5 years

You will be fine. No one will ever notice.

I think they will notice. Your passport and permit are linked on the system, and they scan you in and out.

Whether they will do anything about it, is another matter.

Like you I have a B permit and have been locked down in UK recently. But B permit holders definitely can travel back to Switzerland. You just put Work as the reason for travel on the UK "Leave to Leave" form.

(I am typing this from my seat on the plane at Heathrow, so can prove it is possible to travel.)

Personally, I wouldn't risk overstaying away. You're OK until June, for sure. But why tempt fate. Just get back before the 18th.

Kind regards


Ian

Well, I hope he or someone else is dealing with your mail/bills/etc.

I would call the Swiss Embassy and tell them what you have told us.

Just to make sure I understand: you are renting a place here, you pay other bills here (presumably the ongoing expenditures for insurance etc.), you work for a Swiss company that continues to pay salary into your Swiss account? And you continue to pay Quellensteuer.

Who is ever going to notice? Have someone empty your mailbox, and prepare a story that you have been here in the interim coming by car.

That's just not true. You may have family issues to sort out but the uk isn't stopping foreign residents from leaving.

From the gov.uk Website "If you do not permanently reside in the UK and are in England temporarily, you would have a permitted reason to leave the UK."

But the UK is outwith Schengen. If this was a Schengen country - sure.

I presume the friend that's staying there is handling it, but good point. If OP barely got a permit and left, then perhaps there wasn't time to sort health insurance and the municipality signed him/her up with one. That could be a rude shock if it turns out OP hates that insurance company or owes a massive bill.

But let's think positive. From what everyone has said, so long as OP is back before June 19 then from a permit standpoint there shouldn't be a problem. For other things, there might or might not be issues.

I’ve lived in Switzerland for ages I can deal with it perfectly fine while I am away

He is my best friend and I trust him handling my life while I am away

I have health insurance with sanitas I have lived in ch since 2019 but this is my first time staying outside of the country for a long period of time

The U.K. is Non-EU now, so immigration will note them going in and out of the country for sure!

Can you please stop spreading misinformation?

A B permit is NOT a short-term residence permit and it expires after six months outside of Switzerland, just like a C permit.