Who is the online form for ?
The online form for submitting a first application or for announcing an arrival is for the following:
- Any Swiss national from another canton or from abroad wishing to announce their taking residence in Geneva
- Any person of Swiss and non-Geneva nationality residing abroad and wishing to exercise an independent activity in Geneva without taking up residence there
- Any foreign national from another canton or from abroad wishing to apply for a residence permit with or without activity
- Any foreign national holder of a legitimation card wishing to announce their residence in Geneva.
The online form doesn't allow to:
- announce a change of address within the canton
- apply for a work permit in the canton without taking up residence (cross-border work permit)
- apply for asylum
- submit an application for a residence permit in cases of hardship.
How does the online form work ?
You must have a personal e-démarches account to be able to file your application online.
The form adapts to the beneficiary's profile. As a result, specific topics may be displayed based on the request. This is the case, for example, for the headings "Spouse" (which is displayed only for persons married or bound by a registered partnership), "Studies" (for students only) or "Gainful activity" (for persons wishing to apply for a work permit).
In order to submit your form online, you will need to upload supporting documents that are different depending on the nature of your application. It is possible to keep your form online in "draft" mode, while gathering these different documents. Finally, you will need a credit card to make the payment and thus finalise the sending of your request.
You will receive from us: a payment confirmation email as well as a an email confirming your request. Once our employees have carried out an initial verification of your request, you will again receive an email confirming its registration. This means that the application is registered and has been forwarded to the appropriate sector of our Office for processing. You will then have the opportunity to continue certain steps according to the information contained in our specific FAQ: "Steps following the registration of your arrival announcement or request for authorisation to stay with or without activity".
Is it possible to apply for another person ?
Yes. You can apply for another person. You are then considered to be a "proxy". Your contact details and a power of attorney will be requested.
If you make a request for another person, their contact details must be entered in the "Beneficiary" section.
Who is the "beneficiary" ?
The "beneficiary" is the person for whom the application is made.
Members of the same family may submit a single group application for the whole family.
"Family" means spouses married or bound by a registered partnership and their children, whether common or not, up to the age of 18 (if the parents are Swiss or non-European nationals) and up to the age of 21 (if the parents are nationals of an EU/EFTA Member State).
How to complete the "beneficiary" section if the application is filed at the same time for multiple family members ?
The "beneficiary" heading must be completed in the following order of priority with the contact details of:
- the Swiss national
- the person who takes up a job in Switzerland (if both spouses take up a job, first of all the person who is a national of an EU/EFTA Member State)
- in the context of a stay without activity, the person who has the financial means to support the family (where appropriate, as a priority the spouse who is a national of an EU/EFTA Member State)
- in the context of a study stay, the person who is undergoing training in Switzerland
- in the context of a change of canton, the person holding a C permit or who is a national of an EU/EFTA Member State.
If the application concerns more than one child who joins a parent already present in Geneva, an application must be submitted for each child. The contact detailsof the latter must be given under the heading "beneficiary".
How do I complete the form if I want to bring my fiancé or fiancée to Geneva to prepare for our wedding ?
In the first place, your fiancé or fiancée must submit an application for a residence permit for marriage before entering Switzerland to the competent Swiss representation of their place of residence and await the decision abroad. You must also begin the process of your marriage with the Civil Registry Office.
If your fiancé or fiancée is already in Geneva, you must first contact the Civil Registry Office which will give you a letter entitled "letter of 60 days". You will be able to complete your application online once you have received this document.
How do I complete the form if I want to bring my spouse and/or children to Geneva ?
The contact details of your spouse or registered partner and/or children (if they come without their other parent) should be entered under the "beneficiary" section. You will have to select "family reunification" in the "reason of the stay" section.