All you need to know about visas and residence permits in Switzerland

Switzerland is also one of the 26 countries that make up the Schengen area: Austria, Belgium, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain and Sueda.

They have a common visa and do not have border controls between them, so any of these nationalities can travel freely to Switzerland.

If you think of moving toward Switzerland, you need to have information on the visas to live, study, or work in Switzerland, you convey albinfo.ch.

According to the Movement Freedom Act, almost all citizens from EU or EFTA countries have the right to move to Switzerland, even though they have to register to work and apply for residence permits for over three months.

However, there are some special rules for new EU members, including Bulgarian, Romanian and Croat citizens.

Almost everyone else needs visas to enter Switzerland and a Swiss residence permit for any purpose and authorisation to work.

Every stranger who stays in Switzerland for more than 90 days / three months needs a residence permit, even for EU citizens / EFTAs.

You must apply to local canton migration offices where you intend to live before you settle in Switzerland.

Switzerland is a Federal Republic, composed of 26 cantons or regions. Each canton has cantonal migration offices, which are responsible for issuing residence permits and cantonal working offices, which are responsible for job authorization.

Although all cantons operate under the same federal law, each canton has some autonomy in terms of migration to the region. Cantons, therefore, are the first source of information regarding the demands for work permits and residence.

L- visa a biometric card, worth up to a year, which can be continued, but only up to 24 months.

B- visa a biometric card, normally valid for a year, which can be continued. You must have a full-time job contract or be in college. There's a limited number of these permits.

A visa C allows for permanent stay in Switzerland and can be continued. This biometric card is usually issued after only 10 years of stay in Switzerland. With this permission you can change your job at will, and live wherever you want in Switzerland.

The G- visa is for those working in Switzerland, but live in another country This is an annual permit that can be continued each year. It gives you no residence rights and cannot convert to a residence permit.