Bringing your spouse to Switzerland
After the wedding, your foreign spouse can obtain a residence permit through family reunification. The conditions depend on your own status in Switzerland.
You are Swiss
Your spouse is entitled to a residence permit if they live in the same household as you (art. 42 LEI, the Foreign Nationals and Integration Act). For a non-EU/EFTA spouse, the application must be submitted within 5 years (12 months for children over 12).
You hold a C permit
Your spouse is entitled to a permit (art. 43 LEI) if:
- you live together in suitable housing;
- you do not depend on social assistance or supplementary benefits;
- your spouse speaks the local language at A1 level (spoken) or is enrolled on a language course.
You hold a B permit
There is no right to family reunification: the canton decides (art. 44 LEI), under the same conditions as for the C permit. A complete, well-documented file (lease, income, language course enrolment) makes all the difference.
You are an EU or EFTA citizen
The Agreement on the Free Movement of Persons gives you the right to bring your spouse and children under 21, with no deadline to meet.
Where to apply
At the cantonal migration office: the SPOP (Vaud population office) via your commune in the canton of Vaud, the OCPM (Geneva cantonal population and migration office) in Geneva (online or with form M), the SPM (population and migration office) in Valais, the SPoMi (population and migrants office) in Fribourg, the Service des migrations in Neuchâtel. If your spouse lives abroad, the visa application is often made at the Swiss embassy. Details by canton.
Our package
CHF 690: forms, all supporting documents (registered marriage certificate, lease, income, language certificate), submission and follow-up until the decision. Together with the wedding: Marriage + family reunification package for CHF 1’290. If your application is refused, we refer you to a partner lawyer.
FAQ
How many rooms count as suitable housing?
The usual rule is a number of rooms equal to the number of people minus one. Some cantons apply their own criteria.
Does my spouse have to speak French?
For the spouse of a B or C permit holder, A1 level (spoken) or enrolment on a course is required. For the spouse of a Swiss citizen, according to the canton of Vaud no language requirement applies on arrival.
Start with the free check
In under a minute, you will know which procedures lie ahead and in what order.