And the international drivers license is simply a translation document... nothing more.

I have the same experience and the same idea.


The annoying thing is that even who should know gives wrong information

Yes, but some countries ask tourists to have an international license with them. Not within EU+CH. However, when I drive in Lebanon (for example), the car rental is always keen to see the international license.

Australia obliges you to have an official translation with you, which (at least the German) consulate in Sydney provides for their citizens. (However, when in OZ, why not just get an OZ-license? Super easy, at least I managed using the address of friends. I was just a tourist )

That´s exactly what it is - an internationally standardised version of a translation.

I am leasing BMW in Germany and plan to move to Switzerland soon. As I understand I can legally drive that leased car in Switzerland for 12 months only. What should I do next?
What happens if police stops me after 12 months? Will they confiscate the car even if it belongs to BMW bank?

Please, advise.

Pay off the leasing co & buy another car in CH.
You would not be able to import tax free as you did not own it for 6 months before moving here.

So I if I am stopped after 12 months in a car leased from German BMW bank, police and custom can charge me with hefty fees even if I do not own the car?

So for any car I want to import, it needs to be completely paid off?

Apart from the fact that it will have an impact on your credit rating as you most likely will have broken the terms of the lease contract if you live in Switzerland and still use the leased car from Germany. Do not fully understand why you ask this as in another thread you have it was made clear that the leasing company would not allow this?

I posted on 2 threads, because was just hoping that somebody knows viable option besides paying off the lease completely.

The 12 month rule is for temporary imports after declaring it at the border. You can't import a leasing car!

The time limit for a vehicle you do not own is about 8 days. So be prepared for trouble!

Read this thread! On post #8 there is this,

Some links (Use Beförderungsmittel as search term):
http://www.admin.ch/opc/de/classifie...index.html#a35
http://www.admin.ch/opc/de/classifie...index.html#a55

You've got to face reality here: it's just not going to happen. What you could try is check with a Swiss BMW dealership and ask if they've ever had a case like this - who knows, perhaps they can buy it from the German leasing agency, import it and lease it back to you with a Swiss contract. It is extremely unlikely they'll do that, but that's really the only even remotely conceivable solution I could think of.

A lot of replies are focused on the technicality of what is legal / illegal. I think most people are only interested in what they can and can't get away with, irrespective of the legality of it.

So if you have other driving licences, let's say UK, and you are stopped with a fully legal UK car and show your UK licence, why would the police even think you might also have a Swiss licence? There are stacks of UK tourists in CH with UK cars. More to the point, why bother getting a swiss licence at all. Without one you can drive any car, swiss or not if it belongs to you or you have permission.

Many countries don't have the concept of 'residence'. My brother has lived in Germany for about 20 years and never got a German licence. Maybe this is illegal, maybe not, I don't know, but I do know he's never had a problem with it despite owning a car business there. Personally I have a few licences and usually show one from a different jurisdiction if I ever get stopped as by doing this I never get any follow up problems. Probably not such a good idea, but it works.

On the topic of international licences, I was once stopped in Spain driving an unfortunately bling red Ferrari for a minor technicality and showed a US licence. The guy started saying that it wasn't valid in Europe without an international licence. I showed a UK licence (EU) and he dropped the matter. So if they are being dicks, European police can still request an international licence.

I guess the whole problem only arises if you want to work in CH and therefore would be required to become a resident. Otherwise I don't see the need (unless maybe if you don't have an EU passport and would require a visa to be here). A lot easier to keep foreign licence, never become a resident and keep cars foreign registered. Might be a problem if you street park though, and police notice your foreign car there forever!

(now i'm sitting back and waiting for the shocked abuse at my un-swiss behavior!)

Your behaviour is not un-Swiss, it is illegal

Who are you insured with?

Anything is possible if you go the illegal alien route.
In this case the non-swiss driving license is just a minor side note.

haha - that was predictable.

well i'm a (legal) non resident for now (although my wife is a resident). in fairness, i suppose that's not an option for most people though.

Well no, I don't think most people are. In Switzerland the two are very close anyway.

They'd ask for your passport, and look it up on their database, then find you're a resident here, then come down on you like a ton of bricks. All details are shared between agencies here, so the customs people will also want to see your driving licence, and want to be sure that _all_ your papers and details match and are correct and valid.

Within the EU any EU licence is valid.
You _legally_ hold multiple licences? Seems unlikely to me; how did that happen?
Well yes, of course. If you're living here illegally anyway then why would you even bother about minor details like that? Why are you asking the question, if you're not interested in being legal?

EDIT:
Then I still don't know why you're asking the question. If you're not living here then of course you can drive a non-Swiss car on a non-Swiss driving licence.

a) I suspect the copper thought you were taking the pi$$ with your US licence
b) you joined to tell us you drove a Ferrari didn't you?

before you completely loose your sense of humour, I'd like to point out that I'm perfectly legal in all such matters with the possible exception of trying to avoid a fine by showing foreign licence, although that is debatable:

if i was stopped in the UK i would show a UK licence. I just never have been. If I was stopped in the US I would show a UK licence unless it was in NY state where I hold a licence. not worth the risk. in the US an out of state licence is the same as a foreign licence but the fine / points are never going to be processed because they don't know how and chances are they just let you off. so given a EU and out of state licence, better to show the EU one. similarly, when stopped in the EU (outside the UK) better to show the US licence.

I'm legally resident in both the UK and US. As I took my driving test in both countries I can legally hold both licences - although I wouldn't be able to use the wrong one in the jurisdiction they were issued (UK / NY state).

Living vs Resident - you need to more clear. I spend approximately 50% of my time 'living' in CH - doesn't make me a resident though.

i wasn't asking a question.

Just trolling then?

not really. in my situation, naturally its a subject I have an interest in. why are you being so obnoxious?

just adding some colour in a different direction from the endless repeated posts that have made such a long post so far. why are you intolerant of other ideas / perspectives?

As long as you not stay longer than 90 days in any given 180 day period. (True residence) nor 90 days per year in total (tax residence)

Looks like you are a tax residence at least.