Applying for a residence permit for my family (family reunification)

1. Overview

If you wish to bring your family together as part of a family reunification, the conditions for obtaining a residence permit for your relatives are different depending on your nationality, family ties and status in Switzerland.

Autres feuillets du livret

  • You are a national of an EU/EFTA Member State
Application for family reunification
  • You are a national of a third country
Application for family reunification
  • You are a Swiss national
Application for family reunification
  • You are a member of a foreign representation or international organisation:

For any information regarding family reunification, please contact the Swiss Mission.

Contact the Swiss Mission
  • You are an EU/EFTA national and wish to stay with your partner without gainful employment
Apply for a residence permit without gainful activity
  • You are a third-country national and wish to sta with your partner
Apply for a residence permit for non-EU/EFTA cohabiting partner

2. I am a national of an EU/EFTA Member State

For whom

As an EU/EFTA national with a residence permit in Switzerland, you can claim a right to family reunification for:

  • your spouse
  • your child(ren) under the age of 21 or dependent children, and those of your spouse
  • your parents, your in-laws and your grandparent, dependant
If you are a student, the right to family reunification is limited to your spouse and dependent child(ren).

When

The application for family reunification may be filed at any time except for the descendants who are not dependent and for whom the application must be filed before their 21st birthday.

What

Members of your family (with the exception of relatives in ascending line) who benefit from family reunification have the right to work or establish themselves as self-employed throughout Switzerland, regardless of their nationality.

Children have access to general education, apprenticeship or vocational training on the same conditions as Swiss children.

Terms

You must have adequate accommodation for the whole family.

The poverty o children over the age of 21 or those in the ascending line must be proven before coming to Switzerland.

You must have a personal e-démarches account to be able to file your application online.

Entry to Switzerland

For conditions of entry to Switzerland, please refer to the information provided by the State Secretariat for Migration: Entry to Switzlerland

Attachments

  • 1 M form per person (including children) if the request is sent by postal mail
  • colour copy of a valid I.D. for each person invloved
  • copy of the lease or written attestation of the landlord established according to the AL form (with the copy of the main lease and the I.D. of the landlord and the sub-tenant)

Depending on the situation, the following documents must also be attached:

  • copy of the marriage certificate (with official translation if necessary)
  • copy of the birth certificate of each of the children concerned (with official translation if necessary)
  • evidence of parental authority (if family reunification concerns only children) or Form EM
  • supporting documents for the financial resources

Price

For online applications, payment is made online as well.

For applications sent by post, payment is made by invoice.

See our Taxes and fees table

Processing times

Processing times can be consulted on this page: Délais de traitement moyens des demandes déposées à l'OCPM | ge.ch

Help to fill in the online form

See our fact sheet: Practical help to announce your arrival in Geneva online or to apply for a residence permit with or without activity at the OCPM | ge.ch

Apply for family reunification

Your application can be done either online or by postal mail.

3. I am a national of a non-EU/EFTA State

For whom

As a non-EU/EFTA national with a short-term, residence or establishment permit, you can apply for family reunification for:

  • your spouse
  • your unmarried children under 18 years of age

When

The application for family reunification must be submitted before entering Switzerland and within five years of the granting of your permit or the establishment of the family link. This period shall be 12 months if the application concerns children over 12 years of age.

What

Family members of holders of B or C permits (with the exception of relatives in the ascending line) who benefit from family reunification have the right to work or establish themselves as self-employed throughout Switzerland, regardless of their nationality.

Family members of L permit holders who are eligible for family reunification and who wish to work must apply for a work permit, which will be reviewed by the Foreign Labour Service.

Children have access to general education, apprenticeship or vocational training on the same conditions as the Swiss children.

Terms

Your family members should normally share your home. In addition, housing must be adequate to enable the whole family to live together.

You must not be dependent on social assistance or receive (currently or through family reunification) annual federal top-up benefits.

Finally, your spouse must be able to communicate in French.

You must have a personal e-démarches account to be able to file your application online.

Entry to Switzerland

Persons subject to a visa must apply for a visa at the Swiss representation in their place of residence abroad. They have to wait abroad for the decision.

Third-country nationals who have a long-stay visa or a valid residence permit issued by a Schengen State do not need to apply for a visa.

For further information, please consult the information provided by the State Secretariat for Migration: Entry to Switzerland.

Attachments

  • 1 M form per person (including children) if the request is sent by postal mail
  • colour copy of a valid I.D. for each person involved
  • 1 passport-sized photo with full names on the back for each person concerned
  • copy of the lease or written attestation from the landlord in accordance with form AL (with copy of the main lease and the I.D. of the landlord and the sub-tenant)
  • proof of financial means

Depending on the situation, the following documents must also be attached:

  • copy of the marriage certificate (with official translation if necessary)
  • copy of the birth certificate of each of the children concerned (with official translation if necessary)
  • evidence of parental authority (if family renunification concerns only children) or Form EM
  • certificate of French or certificate of enrolment in a French course

Depending on your situation, the administration reserves the right to ask you for additional documents.

Price

For online applications, payment is made online as well.

For applications sent by post, payment is made by invoice.

See our Taxes and fees table

Processing times

Processing times can be consulted on this page: Délais de traitement moyens des demandes déposées à l'OCPM | ge.ch

Help to fill in the online form

See our fact sheet: Practical help to announce your arrival in Geneva online or to apply for a residence permit with or without activity at the OCPM | ge.ch

Apply for family reunification

Your application can be done either online or by postal mail.

4. I am a Swiss national

For whom

You are a Swiss national and your family members reside in an EU/EFTA State with a durable residence permit

You can apply for family reunification in favour of:

  • your spouse
  • your children and those of your spouse up to age of 21 and older if they are dependent on you
  • your relatives in the ascending line and those of your spouse if they are dependent on you

You are a Swiss national and your family members reside outside the EU/EFTA

You can apply for family reunification in favour of:

  • your spouse
  • your unmarried child(ren) under 18 years of age

When

If the members of your family reside in an EU/EFTA State with a durable residence permit, your application can be filed at any time.

If they reside outside the EU/EFTA, family reunification must, in principle, be requested within five years of your entry into Switzerland or the establishment of the family link. For children over 12 years of age, reunification must take place within 12 months.

Terms

Your family members should normally share your home.

You must have a personal e-démarches account to be able to file your application online.

Entry to Switzerland

Persons subject to a visa must apply for a visa at the Swiss representation in their place of residence abroad. They have to wait abroad for the decision.

Third-country nationals who have a long-stay visa or a valid residence permit issued by a Schengen State do not need to apply for a visa.

For further information, please consult the information provided by the State Secretariat for Migration: Entry to Switzerland

Attachments

  • 1 M form per person (including children) if the request is sent by postal mail
  • colour copy of a valid I.D. for each person involved
  • 1 passport-sized photo with full names on the back for each person concerned
  • copy of the lease or written attestation of the landlord established according to the AL form (with copy of the main lease and the I.D. of the landlord and the sub-tenant)

Depending on the situation, the following documents must also be attached:

  • copy of the marriage certificate (with official translation if necessary)
  • copy of the birth certificate of each of the children concerned (with official translation if necessary)
  • evidence of parental authority (if family reunification concerns only children) or Form EM
  • proof of financial means

Price

For online applications, payment is made online as well.

For applications sent by post, payment is made by invoice.

See our Taxes and fees table

Processing times

Processing times can be consulted on this page: Délais de traitement moyens des demandes déposées à l'OCPM | ge.ch

Help to fill in the online form

See our fact sheet: Practical help to announce your arrival in Geneva online or to apply for a residence permit with or without activity at the OCPM | ge.ch

Apply for family reunification

Your application can be done either online or by postal mail.

5. I hold an F permit

For whom

If you hold an F permit, you can benefit from family reunification for your spouse and single children under 18.

When

You can apply no sooner than three years after your provisional admission, but no later than 5 years after the waiting period (1 year for children over 12 years).

Terms

  • you will have to live in a common household
  • you have suitable accommodation
  • you and your family are not on social assistance
  • you do not receive (currently or through family reunification) any annual federal top-up benefits
  • your spouse must be able to communicate in French

Your request is forwarded to the State Secretariat for Migration (SEM), which decides on it.

Attachments

  • a letter of motivation stating, in particular, the current address of the persons to be included in the provisional admission and the intention to live together
  • passports and identity cards of the persons to be included in provisional admission (copies)
  • a lease agreement or document attesting to the number of rooms in the dwelling
  • last 6 salary slips
  • proof of the relationship with the person(s) you wish to bring to Switzerland (original civil status documents with certified translation)
  • the applicant's current health insurance policy (copy)
  • offers of the health insurance for persons to be included in provisional admission (copies)
  • Hospice General attestation
  • certificate of non-prosecution issued by the prosecution office
  • French certificate for your spouse or certificate of enrolment in a French course
  • extract from the criminal record (original)

If applicable:

  • applicant's employment contract (copy)
  • the work contract or promise to hire the person to be included in the provisional admission (copy)
  • housing allowance attestation
  • health insurance subsidy certificate
  • certificates of AVS annuities or supplementary benefits
Apply for family reunification

Send your request by post to:

OCPM - Secteur Asile 
Route de Chancy 90
P.O. Box 2652 1
211 Geneva 2

Legal bases

6. Stay for the purpose of marriage

For whom

A foreign national may apply for a residence permit of limited duration in order to enable them to prepare their marriage to a Swiss citizen or a foreign national holding a residence permit of a durable nature (permit B or C).

When

The application for a residence permit for marriage must be filed by the fiancée or fiancé abroad before their entry into Switzerland with the competent Swiss representation of their place of residence.

Applications to the Civil Registry Office must be made before entering Switzerland.

Terms

The legal steps towards marriage must be completed and the celebration of marriage must be possible within a reasonable time. A certificate from the Civil Registry Office confirming this shall be submitted.

You must have a personal e-démarches account to be able to file your application online.

Attachments

  • application for personal entry to the Swiss representation abroad (visa application)
  • copy of a valid passport
  • 1 passport-sized photo with full names on the back
  • evidence of financial means
  • copy of the lease for the future spouse in Geneva
  • certificate from the Civil Registry Office confirming that the preparatory formalities have been completed and that the marriage can be celebrated within a reasonable period
  • letter confirming the wish of the future spouses to marry, specifying the circumstances of the meeting of the couple and mentioning any children born of a previous union

The application is forwarded to the OCPM by the Swiss representation for appraisal and decision. Additional documents may then be requested.

If the fiancée or the fiancé is already in Switzerland, she or he should first contact the Civil Registry Office of the place of residence chosen for the celebration of the marriage to start the procedures there and obtain the necessary information on the progress of the procedure.

Once you receive the "60 days" civil status letter, you will be able to file your application.

Processing times

Processing times can be consulted on this page: Délais de traitement moyens des demandes déposées à l'OCPM | ge.ch

Help to fill in the online form

See our fact sheet: Practical help to announce your arrival in Geneva online or to apply for a residence permit with or without activity at the OCPM | ge.ch

Application for authorisation of residence for marriage

Your application can be done either online or by postal mail.

7. Residence permit for non-EU/EFTA cohabiting partner

For whom

A non-EU/EFTA foreign national who wishes to live un Geneva with his Swiss or foreign cohabiting partner who holds a valid B or C permit may obtain a residence permit if certain conditions are met.

There is no right to obtain such a residence permit.

Terms

Cohabiting couple without children:

The relationship must be stable and of a certain duration.

The intensity of the relationship can be confirmed (e.g. cohabitation agreement).

Security and public order were not violated.

The couple will share a common household in Geneva.

The couple has sufficient financial means not to seek social assistance.

Cohabiting couple with child(ren):

Parents and children live together.

Parents take care of the children together and look after them.

Security and public order were not violated.

The couple will share common household in Geneva.

The couple has sufficient financial means not to seek social assistance.

 

Entry to Switzerland

Persons subject to visa must apply for a visa at the Swiss representation in their place of residence abroad. They have to wait abroad for the decision.

Third-country nationals who have a long-stay visa or a valid residence permit issued by a Schengen State do not need to apply for a visa.

For further information, please refer to the information provided by the State Secretariat for Migration: Entry to Switzerland.

Attachments

  • application for personal entry to the Swiss representation abroad (visa application)
  • colour copy of a valid passport
  • 1 passport-sized photo with full names on the back
  • proof of financial means
  • copy of the rent lease of the cohabiting partner if she or he is already in Geneva
  • colour copy of the passport and/or residence permit of the spouse in Geneva
  • letter of motivation demonstrating the need for the stay with the spouse
  • cohabitation agreement (cohabitation agreement or PACS-type partnership contract concluded abroad) if existing
  • proof of the stable and lasting relationship such as: photos, letters from family or friends, lease at common rent, common bank account, ...

Price

Payment is made by invoice.

See our Taxes and fees table

Processing times

Processing times can be consulted on this page: Délais de traitement moyens des demandes déposées à l'OCPM | ge.ch

Apply for a residence permit for non-EU/EFTA cohabiting partner

Your application must be sent by postal mail.