1. Overview: What happens under foreign nationals law upon marriage to a Swiss national?

When a foreign national marries a Swiss national, a right to family reunification arises under Art. 42 FNIA — the Federal Act on Foreign Nationals and Integration (FNIA, SR 142.20). The resulting permit is, as a rule, a B residence permit.

Important distinctions:

  • The B permit is the standard permit for the foreign spouse of a Swiss person.
  • The Ci permit, by contrast, is reserved for spouses and children of staff of international organisations or foreign representations (Art. 45 OASA) and does not apply in an ordinary marriage case.
  • The C permit (settlement) is not, in the family-reunification context with a Swiss spouse, the initial result: it is obtained only after 5 years of lawful residence with integration, as so-called early settlement (Art. 42 para. 3 FNIA), or after 10 years through the ordinary route.
  • The L short-term permit does not come into consideration in a marriage case: the right under Art. 42 FNIA is directed at a B residence permit.

The right under Art. 42 FNIA is a legal entitlement and not a discretionary decision: where the statutory conditions are met and no ground for revocation exists, the cantonal migration authority must grant the permit. This fundamentally distinguishes the constellation from family reunification involving third-country B-permit holders (Art. 44 FNIA), where additional conditions such as need-covering income, suitable housing and proof of language skills are required. The legal-entitlement nature has the consequence that a refusal ruling of the cantonal migration authority may be challenged by appeal to the cantonal appellate authority and — because a statutory entitlement exists and the exclusion ground under Art. 83 (SR 173.110; Federal Supreme Court Act, FSCA), namely its let. c no. 2, does not apply e contrario — reviewed at final instance by way of an appeal in public-law matters to the Federal Supreme Court.

This module describes the legal mechanisms, the relevant federal norms as well as the consequences upon later life events (divorce, death, facilitated naturalisation, birth of children). It does not replace legal advice in an individual case — the rendering of the norms is summary, and the individual case regularly depends on cantonal practice, the state of the evidence and procedural details.

2. Art. 42 FNIA — rendering close to the statutory text

Art. 42 FNIA — Family members of Swiss nationals:

Para. 1: Foreign spouses and unmarried children under 18 of Swiss nationals have a right to the grant and extension of a residence permit if they live together with them.

Para. 2: Foreign family members of Swiss nationals have a right to the grant and extension of a residence permit if they hold a permanent residence permit from a State with which an agreement on the free movement of persons has been concluded. Family members are: (a) the spouse and the relatives in the descending line who are under 21 years of age or to whom maintenance is provided; (b) the relatives, of the spouse or one's own, in the ascending line to whom maintenance is provided.

Para. 3: After a lawful and uninterrupted residence of five years, the spouse has a right to the grant of a settlement permit if the integration criteria under Art. 58a FNIA are met.

Para. 4: Children under twelve years of age have a right to the grant of a settlement permit.

Source (binding): Fedlex AIG SR 142.20 — https://www.fedlex.admin.ch/eli/cc/2007/758/de

Note: The rendering above is a summary presentation. In the event of questions of interpretation, the consolidated text on Fedlex as at the relevant date is always authoritative.

3. Conditions for the right to the B permit

3.1 Living together with the Swiss spouse

Art. 42 para. 1 FNIA expressly requires that the foreign spouse live together with the Swiss person. Marital cohabitation is the rule. Exceptions to living together are possible only where there are important reasons (Art. 49 FNIA: e.g. professional obligations, the children's schooling reasons, health reasons; the marital union must, however, continue to exist).

3.2 Existing marital union

Beyond mere living together, an actually lived marital union must exist. The case law of the Federal Supreme Court (BGE 137 II 281; BGE 130 II 113) examines the existence of an actual community of life on the basis of objective indicators.

3.3 No grounds for revocation (Art. 51 FNIA)

Art. 51 para. 1 FNIA lists the grounds for revocation and lapse exhaustively:

  • The rights under Art. 42 FNIA lapse if they are asserted abusively (in particular to circumvent the provisions on admission and residence of foreign nationals — so-called marriage of convenience).
  • The rights likewise lapse where grounds for revocation under Art. 63 FNIA exist (e.g. a longer-term custodial sentence, serious endangerment of public security or order; a long-lasting and substantial dependence on social assistance can likewise constitute a ground for revocation, Art. 63 para. 1 let. c FNIA).

3.4 Proof of language skills

The question of proof of language skills must be assessed in a differentiated manner in family reunification with a Swiss spouse:

  • Art. 43 para. 1 let. d FNIA expressly requires proof of language competence (at least at level A1) for family reunification involving third-country B-permit holders.
  • Art. 42 FNIA (spouse of Swiss nationals) contains no explicit proof of language in the statutory text for the initial grant of the B permit. Legal doctrine and cantonal practice nonetheless draw on language competence via the concept of integration (Art. 58a FNIA), in particular for the later extension and for the grant of the settlement permit (cf. section 7.2).
  • Whether — and at what level — proof of language is required already at the initial grant of the B permit is not harmonised by federal law and depends on cantonal practice. The information of the competent cantonal migration office is authoritative. Binding level thresholds for settlement and for facilitated naturalisation are, by contrast, found in the ordinance (see sections 7.2 and 8.2).

Form of proof (where required): fide language passport/certificate or an equivalent recognised proof of language. The list of recognised proofs is maintained by the State Secretariat for Migration (SEM).

3.5 No proof of income

Unlike family reunification involving third-country B-permit holders (Art. 44 FNIA: need-covering income + housing), Art. 42 FNIA requires no prior proof of income. The family-reunification constellation with a Swiss spouse is to that extent privileged.

However: dependence on social assistance can subsequently lead to revocation (Art. 63 para. 1 let. c FNIA in conjunction with Art. 51 FNIA).

4. Procedure — step by step

Step 1: Celebration of the marriage

  • In Switzerland: celebration of the marriage at the civil registry office of one of the spouses' place of residence. Preliminary procedure with examination of documents (birth certificate, certificate of single status, where applicable divorce decree, identity documents). The civil registry office examines, within the scope of its competence, in accordance with Art. 97a CC (prohibition of circumvention).
  • Abroad: celebration of the marriage under the local law. Subsequent recognition in Switzerland under Art. 45 (SR 291; Federal Act on Private International Law, PILA) — see section 13.

Step 2: Application to the cantonal migration authority

  • Where resident in Switzerland: application to the competent cantonal migration authority of the place of residence. To be enclosed: marriage certificate, valid travel documents, where applicable proof of language (see 3.4), current criminal record extract, residence attestation, tenancy agreement.
  • Where resident abroad: visa application to the competent Swiss representation abroad. The visa is issued after consultation of the cantonal migration authority.

Step 3: Grant of the B permit

The cantonal migration authority examines the conditions under Art. 42 FNIA and grants — where they are met — the B permit. The entitlement is legally given, provided no ground for revocation exists.

Duration of the procedure: once the file is complete, the cantonal migration authority decides, as a rule, within a few weeks to a few months; where the application is made from abroad, the duration of the visa procedure is added. The effective processing time varies considerably depending on the canton and the workload and should be enquired of the competent migration office.

Step 4: Permit document and registration of arrival

After the grant, the foreign nationals permit B is issued. Registration of arrival with the residents' registration office within the period provided for by the canton (typically 14 days after entry or taking up residence).

Step 5: Fees

For the initial grant of the B permit as well as for its later extension, the cantons levy fees that are governed by cantonal law and vary from canton to canton. Added to these, where applicable, are visa fees in the case of an application from abroad as well as the fees of the civil registry office for the marriage preparation and celebration procedure. The respectively applicable tariffs are to be taken from cantonal fees law or from the information of the competent migration office and civil registry office.

Note on the sequence of steps and on visa aspects

Anyone who enters from a visa-required third country and wishes to marry in Switzerland should note: an entry on a Schengen visa (type C, short stay) is not without further ado compatible with the purpose of marriage and the subsequent stay. To prepare a marriage with a subsequent stay, a national visa (type D) must regularly be applied for at the competent Swiss representation abroad. Otherwise procedural delays or the necessity of departing and re-entering may threaten. The practice authoritative for the individual case results from the guidelines of the State Secretariat for Migration (SEM) and the competent representation abroad.

5. Marriage of convenience — Art. 51 FNIA and Art. 97a CC

5.1 Legal bases

Art. 97a CC — Circumvention of foreign nationals law:

The civil registrar shall not enter into the matter of the application if the bride or groom manifestly does not wish to found a community of life but to circumvent the provisions on the admission and residence of foreign nationals.

Source: Fedlex ZGB SR 210 — https://www.fedlex.admin.ch/eli/cc/24/233_245_233/de

Art. 51 para. 1 let. a FNIA: The rights under Art. 42 FNIA lapse if they are asserted abusively, namely in order to circumvent the provisions on the admission and residence of foreign nationals.

5.2 Federal Supreme Court indicators of a marriage of convenience

The case law of the Federal Supreme Court (in particular BGE 137 II 281; see also BGer 2C_177/2013) examines a series of indicators:

  • substantial age difference between the spouses
  • short duration of acquaintance before the marriage
  • circumstances of the meeting (in particular brokering, commercial environment)
  • imminent removal of the foreign person at the time of the marriage
  • lack of any possibility of linguistic communication between the spouses
  • lack of a marital union after the marriage (no living together, separate domiciles)
  • payment for entering into the marriage
  • rapid separation after the grant of the permit
  • contradictory statements by the spouses on details of the meeting, the wedding or daily life upon separate questioning
  • lack of integration into the social networks of the other person (no acquaintances of the one side know the other)

Important: a single indicator alone does not found any presumption of a marriage of convenience. An overall appraisal of all the circumstances of the individual case is required. The Federal Supreme Court requires that the indicators, taken together, found a substantial suspicion of a circumvention situation. The burden of proof for the alleged marriage of convenience lies in principle with the authority; in the event of clear indications, however, the burden of substantiation for exculpatory circumstances reverses — the spouses must then concretely set out the actually lived community of life.

The indicators are to be viewed dynamically: indicators that did not yet lead to a refusal at the initial grant of the permit (e.g. a substantial age difference alone) can, in the event of later indications (e.g. separation 13 months after the grant of the permit), be reappraised within the framework of a revocation procedure.

5.3 Legal consequences

  • Before the wedding: non-entry by the civil registry office into the marriage application (Art. 97a CC).
  • After the grant of the permit: revocation of the permit (Art. 51 FNIA in conjunction with Art. 62 FNIA and Art. 63 FNIA), where applicable removal, where applicable an entry ban, where applicable criminal consequences (Art. 118 FNIA: deception of the authorities).

5.4 Anti-scope note

SIP-v3 expressly provides NO advice on "how to avoid marriage-of-convenience indicators". The indicators above are rendered as factual information from the case law, not as strategic guidance. Anyone who leads a genuine community of life needs no strategy; anyone who does not lead one should obtain no permit. Individual advice in an individual case exclusively through a lawyer entered in the cantonal bar register (professional register, BfR) in the relevant canton.

6. Rights of the foreign spouse holding a B permit

A B permit under Art. 42 FNIA grants the following rights:

6.1 Gainful employment

Art. 46 FNIA: The spouse of a Swiss national holding a B permit may engage in salaried or self-employed gainful activity throughout Switzerland. No additional work permit is required; no sector or quota restrictions.

6.2 Choice of place of residence

Within Switzerland the place of residence can in principle be freely chosen. A transfer of domicile to another canton requires registration of arrival with the new municipality of domicile within the period provided for by the canton (typically 14 days).

6.3 Family reunification of one's own children

One's own minor children from a previous relationship can be brought in:

  • Children under 12 years: within 5 years from the arising of the right to family reunification (Art. 47 para. 1 FNIA).
  • Children between 12 and 18 years: within 12 months from the arising of the right (Art. 47 para. 1 FNIA).
  • In the case of late assertion: only where there are important family reasons (Art. 47 para. 4 FNIA).

6.4 Social-insurance and health-insurance obligation

With the taking up of domicile in Switzerland there is the obligation to join the mandatory health insurance (HIA) within 3 months as well as subjection to the OASI/IV.

6.5 Schengen travel and visa freedom

A valid Swiss B permit entitles the holder to visa-free entry and short stay in all Schengen States in accordance with Schengen standards (90 days within a 180-day window per member State). For longer stays in a Schengen member State, that State's national residence law is authoritative.

6.6 Period of validity and extension

The B permit is initially issued for 1 year, thereafter extended for 2 years at a time. The extension application must be made at the latest 2 weeks before expiry to the competent cantonal migration authority. Upon extension, the authority examines the continued existence of the conditions under Art. 42 FNIA, in particular the subsisting marital union.

6.7 Loss of the permit — risks in everyday life

Even after the grant, the B permit can lapse or be revoked in the following constellations:

  • longer absence abroad (over 6 months without an authorised extension — Art. 61 para. 2 FNIA)
  • dissolution of the marital union without important reasons (Art. 49 FNIA)
  • serious criminality as a ground for revocation relating to public security and order (Art. 62 FNIA, Art. 63 FNIA)
  • persistent and substantial dependence on social assistance of the foreign person or of the entire family (Art. 62 para. 1 let. e FNIA); mere debts or a single debt-enforcement do not, by contrast, immediately trigger a revocation — they affect the status, if at all, only indirectly via the integration assessment (Art. 58a FNIA)
  • false statements or concealment of material facts in the permit procedure (Art. 62 para. 1 let. a FNIA)

7. Early C settlement permit — Art. 42 para. 3 FNIA

7.1 Conditions

Art. 42 para. 3 FNIA: After a lawful and uninterrupted residence of five years, the spouse of a Swiss national has a right to the grant of the settlement permit if the integration criteria under Art. 58a FNIA are met.

The integration criteria under Art. 58a FNIA comprise in particular:

  • observance of public security and order
  • respect for the values of the Federal Constitution
  • language competence
  • participation in economic life or in the acquisition of education

7.2 Language requirements for the early C

Under Art. 60a OASA (Ordinance on Admission, Residence and Gainful Employment, SR 142.201), the early settlement within the framework of family reunification under Art. 42 FNIA requires:

  • oral language competence at least at level B1 (reference language of the place of residence)
  • written language competence at least at level A1

This requirement is lower than the standard requirement for the ordinary early settlement of other foreign persons (B1 oral + A2 written under Art. 60 OASA).

Note: The level thresholds under Art. 60a OASA are set at the ordinance level and can be amended by the Federal Council. The consolidated text on Fedlex as at the respective relevant date is always authoritative; the rendering here refers to the position as at 01.01.2024.

7.3 Ordinary settlement after 10 years

Independently of early settlement, the ordinary settlement entitlement exists after 10 years of B residence (Art. 34 FNIA), provided the integration criteria are met.

7.4 Consequences of the C permit compared with the B

The C settlement permit is of indefinite duration (with a three-year permit-document control period; the entitlement does not lapse through expiry of the permit document) and unconditional in the sense that it is not tied to concrete purposes. The switch from B to C brings in particular:

  • Unrestricted right of residence: no more periodic extension.
  • Removal threshold: higher than for B-permit holders; a revocation of the C permit presupposes higher thresholds (Art. 63 FNIA).
  • Facilitated naturalisation conditions: the C permit automatically satisfies the right-of-residence criterion of ordinary naturalisation.
  • Travel and abroad-absence tolerance: stays abroad of up to 6 months do not affect the C permit; longer absences can be authorised on request (Art. 61 FNIA).

7.5 Lapse of the basis of the B entitlement upon interruptions of residence

The "lawful and uninterrupted" 5-year residence under Art. 42 para. 3 FNIA requires an actual Swiss domicile. Interruptions of residence of more than 6 months can interrupt the 5-year period and thereby postpone the moment of early settlement (Art. 61 FNIA on the lapse of the permit; applied by analogy). How long stays abroad are permissible in the individual case without interrupting the period is assessed by the competent cantonal migration authority according to the concrete circumstances; in case of doubt its information should be obtained.

8. Swiss citizenship — facilitated naturalisation after marriage (Art. 21 SCA)

Facilitated naturalisation must be strictly distinguished from the foreign-nationals-law permit dealt with here: it is governed by the Swiss Citizenship Act — a self-standing enactment with its own ordinance — and not by the Foreign Nationals and Integration Act. The residence-law permit is a condition, not naturalisation itself.

8.1 Conditions

Art. 21 SCA (Federal Act on Swiss Citizenship, SR 141.0): A foreign person married to a Swiss national can submit an application for facilitated naturalisation if she

  • has resided in Switzerland for a total of 5 years, including the year immediately preceding the submission of the application,
  • has been living for 3 years in a marital union with the Swiss national and
  • is successfully integrated (on the integration criteria, Art. 12 SCA: observance of public security and order, respect for the values of the Federal Constitution, language competence, participation in economic life or in the acquisition of education, promotion of the family's integration).

Alternative constellation for spouses of Swiss abroad who are resident abroad: Art. 21 para. 2 SCA (at least 6 years of marital union and close ties to Switzerland).

8.2 Language requirements

The language requirement is governed not in the act but in the ordinance. Under Art. 6 (SR 141.01; Ordinance on Swiss Citizenship, SCO) the following must be proved:

  • oral language competence at least at level B1
  • written language competence at least at level A2

(The reference language is an official language at the place of residence.)

8.3 Course of the facilitated naturalisation procedure

The facilitated naturalisation procedure is governed by federal law (Art. 28 et seq. SCA); cantonal and communal participation is limited to opinions. The Confederation (SEM) decides. Course of the procedure:

  1. Application to the State Secretariat for Migration (SEM) on a prescribed form, with supporting documents relating to residence, marriage, integration, language, employment situation, criminal record and debt-enforcement register of both spouses.
  2. Inquiry with the canton and municipality of residence regarding integration, reputation and any security concerns.
  3. Decision of the SEM. Where the application is granted, Swiss citizenship is acquired simultaneously at federal, cantonal and communal level (Art. 33 SCA).

Duration of the procedure: the processing time is regularly several months to over a year and depends strongly on the volume of applications and on the extent of the cantonal and communal inquiries. There is no binding deadline; current indicative values should be enquired of the State Secretariat for Migration (SEM).

8.4 Loss of Swiss citizenship in the case of a marriage of convenience

Where the facilitated naturalisation rests on false statements or the concealment of material facts — namely on a marriage of convenience —, the SEM can declare the naturalisation void (Art. 36 SCA: declaration of nullity). The declaration of nullity is possible within two years from knowledge of the legally relevant facts, but at the latest within eight years after acquisition of Swiss citizenship. The Federal Supreme Court draws in these procedures on indicators similar to those of the marriage-of-convenience assessment in the foreign-nationals-law context (see section 5.2).

8.5 Cross-reference

For the detailed conditions, procedure and cantonal-communal participation obligations, see the Glossary on the Swiss Citizenship Act 2018 (SCA).

9. What happens upon divorce or separation — Art. 50 FNIA

9.1 Legal basis

Art. 50 para. 1 FNIA: After dissolution of the marriage or of the family community, the spouse's right to the grant and extension of the residence permit under Art. 42 FNIA subsists if:

  • let. a: the marital union has existed for at least 3 years and the integration criteria under Art. 58a FNIA are met, or
  • let. b: important personal reasons make a continued stay in Switzerland necessary.

Art. 50 para. 2 FNIA specifies important personal reasons: namely where the spouse has become a victim of marital violence, the marriage was not concluded of free will, or social reintegration in the country of origin appears severely jeopardised.

9.2 Early separation — before 3 years of marital union

Where the separation occurs before reaching the 3-year threshold under Art. 50 para. 1 let. a FNIA, only the route via important personal reasons remains (Art. 50 para. 1 let. b FNIA). The practice is strict here: the mere psychological hardship of a return or a successful labour-market integration in Switzerland regularly does not suffice. Objective circumstances are required, such as marital violence, a forced marriage, or a significantly impeded reintegration in the country of origin (in particular in the case of a long-standing stay with loss of cultural anchoring in the country of origin).

9.3 Loss of the permit through de facto separation

Beware: already the de facto cessation of living together (before formal divorce) can trigger the lapse of the permit. Art. 42 para. 1 FNIA requires living together; without it the entitlement falls away. In this constellation the permit holder must proactively invoke Art. 50 FNIA.

9.4 Cross-reference

For the detailed treatment of the Art. 50 procedure, the 3-year calculation, the evidentiary requirements in the case of domestic violence and the practice, see Divorce and Residence Permit (Art. 50 FNIA).

10. What happens upon the death of the Swiss spouse

The death of the Swiss spouse triggers a mechanism analogous to divorce under Art. 50 FNIA:

  • The right under Art. 42 FNIA formally lapses with the death, because the marriage as the connecting fact falls away.
  • The permit can, however, be continued under Art. 50 para. 1 let. b FNIA ("important personal reasons"), in particular in the case of a longer duration of the marriage, an integrated way of life in Switzerland or common children.

For the detailed treatment — procedure, deadlines, evidentiary requirements — see Death of a Permit Holder — Consequences for Family Members.

11. Children of the marriage

11.1 Swiss citizenship from birth

Children whose father or mother is a Swiss national acquire Swiss citizenship by descent (jus sanguinis) already at birth — Art. 1 SCA. This applies irrespective of the place of birth.

Important: for children born abroad, the parents must report the birth to a Swiss representation before the child's 25th birthday, failing which the citizenship can lapse (Art. 7 SCA) — provided the child is not otherwise manifest, in Switzerland or in the citizenship relationship.

11.2 Stepchildren and patchwork families

Stepchildren (children of the foreign spouse from a previous relationship) can be brought in under Art. 42 para. 1 FNIA in conjunction with Art. 47 FNIA. The question of custody is central here: in the case of sole custody of the spouse effecting the reunification, the reunification is in principle possible; in the case of joint custody with the other parent remaining abroad, that parent's consent and, where applicable, considerations relating to the child's welfare must be examined (Art. 47 para. 4 FNIA).

11.3 Cross-reference

For the detailed treatment of the birth, recognition and reunification constellations, see Birth of a Child in Switzerland (in preparation).

12. Registered partnership and "marriage for all"

12.1 Marriage for all since 1 July 2022

Since 1 July 2022, marriage for all has been in force in Switzerland. Same-sex couples have since been able to conclude a marriage under the CC. The foreign-nationals-law consequences of a marriage to a Swiss national are fully placed on an equal footing with the marriage of opposite-sex couples. Art. 42 FNIA is worded in a gender-neutral manner and applies directly.

12.2 Registered partnership

The registered partnership under the Partnership Act (PartA, SR 211.231) remains available — since the entry into force of marriage for all, however, only for existing registered partnerships (no new registration is any longer possible; conversion into a marriage is possible under a simplified procedure).

Foreign-nationals-law equal treatment: Art. 52 FNIA expressly places the registered partnership on an equal footing with marriage. All family-reunification rules (Art. 42–47 FNIA) apply by analogy.

13. Marriage abroad — recognition in Switzerland

13.1 Principle

A marriage concluded abroad is recognised in Switzerland under Art. 45 (SR 291; Federal Act on Private International Law, PILA) if it was validly concluded under the law of the place of celebration and does not manifestly contravene Swiss public policy (ordre public).

13.2 Recognition procedure

  • Authenticated marriage certificate from abroad (including apostille or legalisation, depending on the country of origin).
  • Translation into a Swiss official language by a sworn translator.
  • Submission to the competent cantonal civil registry office for recognition and entry in the Swiss civil status register (Infostar).

13.3 Problematic constellations

Certain forms of marriage are not recognised in Switzerland, or only partially:

  • Child marriages (marriage below the civil-law minimum age): a marriage concluded abroad by a minor can be ineffective in Switzerland or be subject to a declaration of invalidity — Art. 105 CC in conjunction with Art. 45a (SR 291; PILA) —, in particular in the case of a clear violation of public policy.
  • Multiple marriages (polygamy): non-recognition where there is a violation of public policy.
  • Religious marriages without a state act in the country of origin: recognition only if the marriage is validly recognised by the state under the law of the place of celebration.
  • Proxy marriages (marriage per procura): recognition to be examined in the individual case.

Note: The recognition of culturally or religiously concluded marriages is assessed on a case-by-case basis and differently depending on the State of origin. In concrete constellations, the assessment by the competent civil registry office as well as — in the case of legal uncertainty — by a lawyer entered in the cantonal bar register (professional register, BfR) is indicated.

14. Cross-references

The following SIP-v3 modules complement the constellation dealt with here:

15. Anti-scope and notes

SIP-v3 provides factual, law-based information on the foreign-nationals-law consequences of a marriage to a Swiss national. SIP-v3 in particular provides NO advice:

  • on the strategic preparation of a marriage in order to obtain a permit;
  • on the avoidance of marriage-of-convenience indicators or on shaping the outward appearance of a relationship;
  • on the choice of the place of marriage from a migration-strategic perspective;
  • on the formulation of individual-case applications or requests;
  • on the prognosis of individual chances of obtaining a permit.

Individual-case legal advice and the professional representation of parties are reserved to the legal profession and are subject to the Federal Act on the Free Movement of Lawyers (LLCA, SR 935.61). For individual questions, recourse must therefore be had exclusively to a lawyer entered in the cantonal bar register (professional register, BfR) in the relevant canton, or to a recognised advice centre in the field of migration. SIP-v3 does not replace such advice.

Status of the norm rendering: 01.01.2024. Last review: 2026-06-03. Next mandatory review at the latest: 90 days after the last review.