When I took my "probefahrt" in kanton ZH I was suck in German, but basically I only need to know left, right, straight, on next roundabout go to (direction) The guy (expert) didn't bother to talk to me much, just tell me where to go and after some time he told me to go back where we start. This was my case I'm not claiming everywhere is like that, but ask around (maybe in some driving school) how it's in your area. Good luck!

Thanks very much. That's more or less what an instructor told me. I guess I will give it a shot.

I have read through the stickies but have been unable to find discussion specific to my situation.

I'm a US/EU dual citizen considering living in Switzerland. I have a valid US drivers license that I would hope to convert to Swiss license as soon as possible.

How long does it take to apply and be approved for residence as an EU citizen (assuming criteria is met)? I presume that you need to be a resident BEFORE you can apply to have your license converted? Do all forms of residency, including the shorter permits allow for license conversion?

If you do need to be a resident first, and you follow the process successfully, can you apply for the license conversion the day you arrive and have a license within a week or two or do you need to be living there for a specific amount of time before you can even apply?

I'm trying to get a sense of how long the total process would take to get set up and have a Swiss license in hand before my US license expires. I realize i can go through the hoops of getting a US renewal, but I'm not there anymore and wish to just convert it as soon as I can. I work for myself and have a lot of flexibility with where I go in Switzerland so if some areas have a faster or more convenient process, I would be open to going there.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Immediately.

Tom

Just renew your US license on-line if it's close to expiring. Then after you move to CH, apply for your CH license. I recall you have 12 months to do so. It's a simple no brainer process that takes a few hours of your time.

Immediately after you get residence or you can apply for the license conversion at the same time as applying for residence? I assume you have to apply and be granted residence before arriving in Switzerland even if an EU citizen? I also assume you need residence before applying for the license conversion but if that's wrong, and you can just show up and apply for the new license immediately to your address (I would rent a temp apartment for my first month while I get a better sense of the area) that would certainly be the easiest option.

I have some practical issues with renewing my US license. I'm not there anymore and have no address. Regardless, I am hoping to find out the time frame I'd be looking at if moving to Switzerland both with regards to the overall time including residence application (if necessary) and for the license application after residence permit is acquired.

Also curious if there is a phone number to a place that answers these kinds of questions in English?

Thank you both for the replies.

Here is a perfect thread: https://www.englishforum.ch/transpor...s-mark-ii.html

It is always good to add such questions to the relevant sticky. such that others in the same situation can easier find the answer. Can a mod move the thread? Thank you.

On thing they ask for license conversion is to have a permit:
Nowhere does it say you need a certain kind of permit. Once you have the permit you can go the very same day to the StVA/SAN to get request your Swiss driving license. Just do all the needed paperwork before hand. It will take less than a week and you will have your Swiss license.

So, the big question would be how long it takes after registration to get your permit. Answer: I do not know.

Here some backup plans apart from the obvious one that you should renew your license:
- It could be that they also accept your expired license plus a driving license record extract from your local DMV.
- Did you do your driving test in an EU country? Than you could also request a record from there. This one is accepted for sure.
- Your location says UK. Why not convert it into an UK license right now?

__________________
On Strike - ChatGPT knows more than I, so use it (or doesn't it?)

Thank you for the help and reply. I was afraid the sticky was inactive as there hadn't been a post in it for a long time but I agree it makes sense to be here.

Regarding the permit, and contact with the Swiss authorities in general, are they fine with dealing with English speakers or do you need a translator? Do you know of a phone number or email to someone that would be helpful in fielding residence permit and license questions?

May be you can get through with English but do not expect it. If you put your inquiry through Google translate also provide the original English and not just the German text as that may be complete senseless gibberish.

For questions regarding permits you have to ask the migration office of the canton you want to move to:
https://www.sem.admin.ch/sem/en/home...ntone_und.html
Do not expect a better answer than: "Some weeks" or "It takes as long as it takes."

For questions regarding driving license you have to contact the StVA/SAN of the canton you want to move to:
http://www.strassenverkehrsaemter.ch

I may do the later for you. For that I would need do know: issuing US state, how long the license is still valid, into which canton you intend to move, and when you intend to register.

__________________
On Strike - ChatGPT knows more than I, so use it (or doesn't it?)

I really appreciate the reply and offer to contact them. I think it's better to hold off on that as from the looks of it, obtaining the residence permit is the trickier part of this equation. I'm financially stable and an EU citizen so I should be eligible without much issue but my situation is still a bit unique and the order of operations is a little confusing for me.

Rather than deciding where I want to live before I even get there, I would rather show up for a month, travel a bit, test our different areas, and then decide. But can you apply for residence once you are already there or are you supposed to do it in advance of arrival and be granted it before you make plans to move? In my dream world, as an EU citizen with financial security, I could just show up. Walk into an office and apply for residence and a license on the spot but that's almost certainly not the way it works.

So I need to figure out the smoothest way to get residence. I realize most people are not as flexible as me in deciding where to live so it's a bit of an unusual circumstance. I can't find a place where you apply online or anything of that nature and I've found no forms in English so it's a bit tricky to see how best to tackle all of this. From the sounds of it, the license part will be more simple and the information on this forum is excellent for that.

Updated the FAQ with the procedures when you move within Switzerland or aboard. In short you must update your StVA/SAN about the change of address or you may end up with some nasty and costly surprises: https://www.englishforum.ch/leaving-...r-leaving.html

Hi guys, I started the process of changing the Spanish drivers license last week in Basel Land, and today I got a letter that they were doing some investigations and so on (according to google translator.... ) and that I have to pay 70 Chf.

Is this normal?

That a administrative procedure costs money? Yes, perfectly normal.
You live in Basel Land, right? (Better update your location as some things are different from one canton to the other) Then also yes on the CHF 70. This the fee you have to pay that they process the application. Then it looks like it is another CHF 60 once you got the new driving license.

https://www.baselland.ch/politik-und...n/lenker-innen

In Basel Stadt it seems to be a CHF 140.
http://www.polizei.bs.ch/textbaustei...rausweise.html

And another 5 Chf. when you go to the office to start it

I have a question about this!

Must my EU/EEA driving license's "4a. Ausstelldatum des Führerausweises" also be over 1 year old, or only the "10. Erteilungsdatum je Kategorie"? I passed my driving exam two years ago, but I recently got issued a new driving license because of name change.

My EU/EEA driving license has the same format as the Swiss one:

A Im Führerausweis enthaltene Angaben
1. Name des Inhabers;
2. Vorname des Inhabers;
3. Geburtsdatum und Heimat- oder Geburtsort des Inhabers;
4a. Ausstelldatum des Führerausweises;
4b. Datum, an dem der Führerausweis ungültig wird, oder – bei unbegrenzter Gültigkeitsdauer – ein Strich;
4c Bezeichnung der Behörde, die den Führerausweis ausgestellt hat;
5. Nummer des Führerausweises;
7. Unterschrift des Inhabers;
9. Kategorien der Fahrzeuge, die der Inhaber zu führen berechtigt ist (die schweizerischen Spezialkategorien
wurden mit anderen Schrifttypen gedruckt als die harmonisierten Kategorien);
10. Erteilungsdatum je Kategorie;
11. Ablaufdatum je Kategorie;
12. Zusatzangaben oder Beschränkungen.

Thanks in advance!

The date when you acquired category B (or Category A if that was before) is important.

In your case what is printed at #10. If that date is more than 12 months in past in respect of the date when you "entered" Switzerland (registered at the commune) you are all set.

Thanks!

One last question:

How do they see that I have a full drving license and not just automatic?
I have a driving license class B (car) and class AM (Kleinkraftrad/Moped; something you don't seem to need in CH for driving those). So I'm afraid those officials will believe AM stands for automatic(?) But the cars I rent from Mobility are manual, so it's important that I get the full driving license.

Thanks

If automatic only it would be indicated on the license.

Yes, you do here, and it's class M.

Tom

European AM is the Swiss A1 45 km/h.

The Swiss Category M is max. 30 km/h, max. 1kW, and pedals.

Very useful information. I have a peculiar situation and wonder if anyone can help me.

I am italian and held an italian DL for 10 years before moving to Basel, CH. In Basel I had to hand over my italian driving license and was given a CH one. In 2003 i moved to NY and i had to surrender my CH license to obtain a NY DL, which i still hold to this day. I now live in the UK and unfortunately i cannot exchange the NY DL here, as the USA is not a designated country with exchange agreements with the UK. However, Switzerland is one of the designated countries. I would like to know if you think I can get a new CH license or, alternatively, a "Bestätigung über die in der Schweiz registrierten Fahrberechtigungen nach Art. 24h VZV" by post using this link http://www.polizei.bs.ch/verkehr/mot...s/verlust.html.

I already tried to get my old italian license but since it is expired i now have to repeat the test/theory exams, which i would like to avoid.

Thanks in advance for any advice.