Bringing your family to Switzerland
Your spouse or partner and your children can join you. The conditions depend on your nationality and your permit, and the deadlines matter.
You are an EU/EFTA citizen
Right to family reunification for your spouse and children under 21 (or dependent), with suitable accommodation, with no deadline to meet.
You hold a C or B permit (non-EU)
- Live together in suitable accommodation.
- Not depend on social assistance or supplementary benefits.
- For the spouse: A1 spoken level or enrolment on a course.
- Deadlines: 5 years in general, 12 months for children over 12.
- With a B permit, there is no entitlement: the canton decides.
The documents
Marriage and birth certificates, often apostilled and translated, tenancy agreement, proof of income, language certificate. In Geneva, allow 6 to 8 months for processing. For spouses of Swiss citizens, see also swissmarriage.ch.
Our package
CHF 790 for the first family member, CHF 250 per additional person. Ordering and translating foreign certificates is charged individually.
Sources: ch.ch, OCPM, processing times.
Start with the free test
In under a minute: your permit, your timeline and when you will be able to apply for the C permit.