Appeal a family reunification visa rejection in Switzerland

• Immigration and Citizenship Law in Switzerland
• Appeal Revocation of settlement permit C
• C permanent residence permit
• Early issuance of settlement permit C
• Leaving Switzerland Loss of C permit
• The B residence permit and appeals
• Permit L Issued Instead of B !
• Family reunification rejection appeal
• Name Change: appeal a rejection
• Brexit & British nationals in Switzerland
• Moving to Switzerland from US, UK, Canada etc.
• Retiring and emigrating to Switzerland
• Naturalization in Switzerland
  • Simplified naturalization in Switzerland
  • Appeal against revocation of citizenship
  • Appeal against denial of Swiss citizenship
  • Re-naturalization after lost of Swiss citizenship.
• Loss of permit after divorce or death

When you live in Switzerland and intend to bring members of your foreign family to Switzerland, you can apply for family reunification.

Depending on your nationality and residence status, family reunification is either your right or a possibility that will be examined and decided by the authorities. Unlike the C permit, the B permit does not necessarily entitle you to family reunification, but the authorities can still grant it. Asylum seekers cannot apply for family reunification.

Family reunification for EU/EFTA1 nationals.
The Agreement on the Free Movement of Persons between Switzerland and the EU stipulates that EU/EFTA1 nationals who have acquired the right of residence in Switzerland may be joined by their family members.

EU/EFTA nationals with an EU/EFTA residence permit or a short-term residence permit.
EU/EFTA nationals (employees, self-employed persons, persons not in gainful employment) may be accompanied by:
– their spouse and relatives in the descending line (or those of the spouse) who are under the age of 21 or who are dependent on them;
– their relatives or their spouse’s relatives in the ascending line who are dependent (does not apply to students), regardless of their nationality.

If you have the citizenship of a non-EU country.
You can have your spouse or registered partner join you in Switzerland.
Your unmarried children under the age of 18.

Generally, you have five years to apply for family reunification. However, if the family reunification involves children over the age of 12, you only have one year; this shorter period is intended to ensure that older children can integrate better in Switzerland.

If you have been temporarily admitted to Switzerland (F permit), the State Secretariat for Migration can review an application for family reunification after 18 months.

If an application for family reunification is rejected, an appeal against the decision can be lodged in Switzerland. The appeal is an opportunity to reconsider the rejection and obtain a new decision. It is highly advisable to seek professional attorney support when filing an appeal in order to increase the chances of success.

---