Effective date: 01.01.2024 — State of federal law at the time of initial drafting.
Status: AI draft, pending review by the supervising lawyer of record.
Purpose of this table
The following overview lists the deadlines that frequently occur in Swiss immigration law. It does not replace the examination of the specific deadline in each individual case, nor does it replace consultation with a lawyer. In particular, the calculation of the deadline's start date is often the most difficult legal question – for example: when is a ruling considered to have been "served"? See procedure/proc_appeal_pathway.md as well as the relevant case law of the Federal Supreme Court and the Federal Administrative Court.
The deadlines are grouped according to life events.
1. Registration of arrival and taking up residence
| Deadline | Trigger | Duration | Legal basis | Consequences of non-compliance |
|---|
| Registration with the municipality of residence | Entry with intention to reside for ≥3 months | 14 days from date of entry, before starting work | Art. 12 AIG (SR 142.20) in conjunction with Art. 9 OASA (SR 142.201) | Administrative fine; late registration may delay the granting of a permit |
| LAMal registration (health insurance) | Taking up residence in Switzerland | 3 months from taking up residence | Art. 3 KVG (SR 832.10) | Compulsory registration by the canton with an insurer of its choice; retroactive premium obligation from the date of taking up residence |
| AHV registration (old age and survivors' insurance) | Taking up residence or starting employment | Immediately (registration via employer when starting employment; otherwise self-registration with the cantonal compensation office) | Art. 1a AHVG (SR 831.10) | Contribution gap; retroactive claim; risk of fines for self-employed persons |
| Obligation to report change of address within the municipality | Change of address | typically 14 days (regulated at cantonal level; standard) | Art. 15 AIG; cantonal registration laws | Administrative fine; permit data outdated (risk in the event of a later extension) |
| Change of canton | Change of canton of residence | Apply for a new permit before moving | Art. 37 AIG | Loss of permit in the canton of departure; new application procedure; for B/C permits: separate requirements |
2. Extension and expiry of permits
| Deadline | Trigger | Duration | Legal basis | Consequences of non-compliance |
|---|
| Extension of residence permit (B, L) | Expiry date approaching | Recommended 3 months before expiry (cantonal practice 2–4 months) | Art. 33 AIG; cantonal procedural rules | Late submission possible, but risk of expiry according to Art. 61 AIG in case of prolonged inaction + stay abroad |
| Expiry of permit due to stay abroad | Absence from the country without an application for extension | 6 months for B and C; extendable to up to 4 years upon request (Art. 61 para. 2 AIG) | Art. 61 AIG | Permit expires automatically; re-entry as a third-country national or EU/EFTA national without reference to acquired legal status |
| Appeal against a revocation/removal ruling | Notification of the ruling | 30 days | Art. 50 VwVG (SR 172.021); Art. 108 AsylG for asylum rulings, 5 or 30 days depending on the type of procedure | Ruling becomes final; enforcement of the removal |
| Restoration of the appeal period | Failure due to an unavoidable obstacle | 30 days after the obstacle has ceased | Art. 24 VwVG | Deadline finally missed; ruling becomes final |
3. Family reunification
| Deadline | Trigger | Duration | Legal basis | Consequences of non-compliance |
|---|
| Family reunification: spouse/children of B permit holders | Marriage or acquisition of the B permit — whichever is later | 5 years | Art. 47 para. 1 AIG | Reunification only possible on the basis of "important family reasons" according to Art. 47 para. 4 AIG; restrictive practice |
| Family reunification: children over 12 years of age of B permit holders | As above, but for children aged 12 and over | 12 months from the start of the entitlement | Art. 47 para. 1 in conjunction with para. 3 AIG | Reunification only possible on the basis of "important family reasons" |
| Family reunification: C permit holders / Swiss citizens | Marriage or birth | The same deadlines apply by analogy (Art. 42 in conjunction with Art. 47 AIG); separate regulations for EU/EFTA citizens in the AFMP | Art. 42-44 AIG; AFMP Annex I Art. 3 | As above |
| Permit retention after dissolution of the family community | Separation/divorce | Entitlement to permit extension after 3 years of marriage + successful integration OR in the event of important personal reasons (violence, hardship case) | Art. 50 AIG; Art. 77 OASA | Loss of permit; risk of removal; hardship application according to Art. 30 AIG remains open |
4. Transitions in relation to permits
| Deadline | Trigger | Duration | Legal basis | Consequences of non-compliance |
|---|
| L permit maximum duration | Initial issue | 12 months, may be extended to a maximum of 24 months in exceptional cases | Art. 32 AIG | Permit expires; departure or transition to B permit (if requirements are met) |
| B to C transition EU/EFTA | Continuous residence in Switzerland | 5 years | Art. 34 para. 2 AIG in conjunction with AFMP Annex I Art. 12 (EC/EFTA settlement permit) | Transition is not automatic; application required; requirement: integration requirements must be met |
| B to C transition third-country nationals | Continuous residence in Switzerland | 10 years (standard); may be reduced to 5 years in cases of particularly successful integration (Art. 34 para. 4 AIG) | Art. 34 AIG | Application possible at any time after the expiry of the period, but no legal entitlement unless there are special circumstances |
| F to B transition | Provisional admission (F) continuously | 5 years | Art. 84 para. 5 AIG | Application possible, granting of permit at the discretion of the cantonal authorities |
5. Naturalisation
| Deadline | Trigger | Duration | Legal basis | Consequences of non-compliance |
|---|
| Ordinary naturalisation — residence requirement (federal) | Residence in Switzerland | 10 years cumulative (residence between the ages of 8 and 18 counts double) | Art. 9 SCA (SR 141.0) | Application inadmissible |
| Ordinary naturalisation — residence requirement (canton/municipality) | Residence | Varies: typically 2-5 years at cantonal level + 2-5 years at municipal level (standard practice; cantonal provisions in framework/fw_cantonal_acts_index.md) | Art. 18 SCA in conjunction with cantonal Swiss Citizenship Acts | Application inadmissible |
| Facilitated naturalisation — spouse of a Swiss citizen | Duration of marriage + residence in Switzerland | 3 years duration of marriage + 5 years residence in Switzerland (including 1 year immediately prior to the application) | Art. 21 SCA | Application inadmissible under the facilitated procedure; the ordinary procedure remains open |
| Reintegration of former Swiss citizen | Loss of citizenship through marriage (before 1992) or rejection of children | Application admissible at any time; certain circumstances subject to a 10-year bar | Art. 24-25 SCA | Application refused in exceptional cases |
| Annulment of citizenship after obtaining it by fraud | Act of fraud | 8 years after grant (absolute deadline) | Art. 36 SCA | Annulment no longer possible |
6. Asylum Procedure
| Deadline | Trigger | Duration | Legal basis | Consequences of non-compliance |
|---|
| Submit asylum application | Entry or stay | Immediately (no fixed deadline; however, a later application may affect credibility) | Art. 18 AsylA (SR 142.31) | Procedure possible later, but procedurally disadvantageous |
| Appeal against the decision not to admit (NEM) | Notification | 5 working days in the accelerated procedure | Art. 108 para. 2 AsylA | Ruling becomes final; enforcement of removal |
| Appeal against the decision on the merits of the asylum application | Notification | 30 days in the extended procedure | Art. 108 para. 1 AsylA | Ruling becomes final |
| Work permit as an asylum-seeker (N status) | Asylum application + 3-month waiting period | Commencement of employment at the earliest after 3 months from the date of application; permit required by the cantonal labour market authority | Art. 43 AsylA | Commencement of employment before the deadline is illegal; sanction according to Art. 115 AIG |
7. Schengen and Travel
| Deadline | Trigger | Duration | Legal basis | Consequences of non-compliance |
|---|
| Schengen stay without visa (third-country nationals) | Entry into the Schengen area | 90 days in any period of 180 days | Art. 6 Schengen Borders Code (Regulation (EU) 2016/399) | Criminal offence under Art. 115 LEI/LStrI/FNIA; entry ban |
| Stay abroad with valid B/C permit | Leaving Switzerland | 6 months without an application for extension (Art. 61 LEI/LStrI/FNIA); extendable upon request for up to 4 years | Art. 61 LEI/LStrI/FNIA in conjunction with Art. 79 OASA | Permit automatically expires after the deadline |
| Minimum passport validity for application for extension | Application submission | Passport must be valid beyond the expiry date of the desired extension (typically 3 months margin) | Standard practice of cantonal migration offices | Application will not be processed until passport is renewed |
8. Procedural deadlines for authorities
| Deadline | Trigger | Duration | Legal basis | Consequences of non-compliance |
|---|
| Official processing deadline for extension of permit | Complete application | No fixed processing deadline in the law; cantonal standard practice of 3-6 months | Art. 6 ECHR (proceedings within a reasonable time); cantonal | If there is excessive delay, an appeal may be lodged on the grounds of denial of justice (Art. 46a VwVG) |
| Finality of ruling | Expiry of the appeal period without an appeal | With the expiry of the 30-day period (Art. 50 VwVG) | Art. 39 VwVG | Ruling is no longer subject to appeal; enforcement |
| Enforcement of removal order | Finality | Official order for departure, typically 7-30 days; immediate in the case of coercive measures | Art. 64 ff. LEI/LStrI/FNIA | Coercive measures (preparatory detention, deportation detention) |
9. Rules for Calculating Deadlines (Overview)
- Start of the deadline for rulings: on the day after delivery (Art. 20 para. 1 VwVG). Delivery is typically deemed to have taken place on the 7th day after the first attempt at collection in the case of registered mail (Art. 20 para. 2bis VwVG), and in the case of ordinary post, according to the records.
- Time limits expiring on Saturdays, Sundays or public holidays will only expire on the next working day (Art. 20 para. 3 VwVG).
- Summer recess in administrative appeals proceedings: 15 July to 15 August (Art. 22a VwVG). Note: does not apply in asylum proceedings (Art. 17b AsylA).
- Restoration of the deadline following an involuntary failure to comply: application must be submitted within 30 days of the removal of the impediment (Art. 24 VwVG).
10. What this table does NOT replace
- The calculation of the specific deadline in each individual case — in particular, when a ruling is served with an unclear date of receipt.
- The review of cantonal procedural deadlines, which frequently differ from the federal standard in immigration law.
- Legal assistance in drafting an appeal within the applicable deadline.
- The individual assessment of whether an important family reason exists, as referred to in Article 47(4) of the Federal Act on Foreign Nationals and Integration.
For every open or impending deadline, the following applies: seek legal advice immediately, not just shortly before the deadline expires. The SIP lawyers' list in /legal-board provides an initial consultation in the language and in the place of residence of the person using the service.
procedure/proc_appeal_pathway.md — Procedure for appeals, detailed calculation of deadlinesprocedure/proc_kantonal_registration_14days.md — Registration with the municipalityprocedure/proc_extension_pathway.md — Extension procedure: a step-by-step guideframework/fw_aig_vzae_glossary.md — Commentary on the relevant AIG/OASA articleslife-events/le_haertefall_art30.md — Hardship case regularisationcrisis/cr_permit_expiring_soon.md — Crisis mode file when a permit is about to expire.permits/permit_naturalisation_paths.md — Naturalisation paths in detail
HARD GLOSSARY — non-negotiable Swiss federal codes / agency names.
- "AIG" → "FNIA"
- "Ausländer- und Integrationsgesetz" → "Federal Act on Foreign Nationals and Integration"
- "VZAE" → "OASA"
- "BüG" → "SCA"
- "Bürgerrechtsgesetz" → "Swiss Citizenship Act"
- "FZA" → "AFMP"
- "Freizügigkeitsabkommen" → "Agreement on the Free Movement of Persons"
- "AsylG" → "AsylA"
- "Asylgesetz" → "Asylum Act"
- "nDSG" → "revFADP"
- "DSG" → "FADP"
- "SEM" → "SEM"
- "Staatssekretariat für Migration" → "State Secretariat for Migration"
- "BVGer" → "FAC"
- "Bundesverwaltungsgericht" → "Federal Administrative Court"
- "Bundesgericht" → "Federal Supreme Court"
- "Fedlex" → "Fedlex"
- "Aufenthaltsbewilligung B" → "B residence permit"
- "Niederlassungsbewilligung C" → "C settlement permit"
- "Kurzaufenthaltsbewilligung L" → "L short-term permit"
- "Grenzgängerbewilligung G" → "G cross-border permit"
- "Vorläufige Aufnahme F" → "F provisional admission"
- "Schutzstatus S" → "S protection status"
- "Asylsuchende N" → "N asylum-seeker permit"
- "Einbürgerung" → "Naturalisation"
- "erleichterte Einbürgerung" → "facilitated naturalisation"
- "ordentliche Einbürgerung" → "ordinary naturalisation"
- "Familiennachzug" → "family reunification"
- "Härtefall" → "hardship case"
- "Kantonales Migrationsamt" → "cantonal migration office"
- "OCPM" → "OCPM"
- "MIDI" → "MIDI"
- "SPOP" → "SPOP"
- "MEBEKO" → "MEBEKO"
- "BGFA" → "LLCA"
- "Anwaltsregister" → "cantonal bar register"
- "Apostille" → "apostille"
- "Schengen" → "Schengen"
- "Schengen-Overstay" → "Schengen overstay"
- "Wegweisung" → "removal"
- "Widerruf" → "revocation"
- "Beschwerde" → "appeal"
- "Verfügung" → "ruling"
- "Anmeldung" → "registration of arrival"
- "Genossenschaft" → "cooperative society"
- "Beirat" → "advisory board"
- "Redaktion" → "editorial team"
Last updated: 19.05.2026 — AI initial draft. This file must be reviewed by the lead attorney of record before its initial live deployment (ADR-018 D3) and verified quarterly against the applicable federal and cantonal deadlines. If a deadline changes at the federal level, the SLA documented in framework/fw_sem_directives_index.md applies to the update of the four canonical language versions.