Question 1

Recognized refugees with asylum

Accepted Answer

If you lived together as a family before you left your home country and were separated from your relatives due to the flight, your family members can also obtain asylum in Switzerland. There are exceptional circumstances under which this is not possible: for example, if you have broken off the relationship or if your family members are citizens of another country and the whole family could live in that other country.

Question 2

Persons with temporarily admitted refugee status (F permit)

Accepted Answer

The Foreign Nationals and Integration Act (FNIA) states that once you receive temporarily admitted refugee status, you must wait three years before you can apply for family reunification. In practice, however, the Swiss authorities already examine applications after two years. The other prerequisites are:  Sufficiently large apartment for the whole family Not receiving social benefits  Not receiving complementary benefits  Your family members abroad speak the language of your place of residence in Switzerland at A1 level or have signed up for a language course  The time limit for family reunification must be complied with (see ‘Time limits’)

Question 3

Persons with a residence permit (B permit)

Accepted Answer

The prerequisites are as follows: Sufficiently large apartment for the whole family  Not receiving social benefits  Not receiving complementary benefits  Your family members abroad speak the language of your place of residence in Switzerland at A1 level or have signed up for a language course  The time limit for family reunification must be complied with

Question 4

Time limits

Accepted Answer

You must submit your application for family reunification within five years of receiving your residence status in Switzerland.  If you receive a residence permit before founding a family, your application must be submitted within five years of founding a family.  For children over 12 years old, the time limit is only one year from the moment the residence permit is received or the family is founded.  If you hold an F permit, the five-year or one-year time limit for family reunification starts once the waiting period has expired.  Once you have gone past the time limit, family reunification is only possible under important family circumstances and is very rarely granted.

Question 5

Step 1: Completed asylum procedure

Accepted Answer

See the ‘Prerequisites for family reunification’ section. During the asylum procedure, if you have any questions about family reunification, please contact your assigned legal representation or legal advice service.

Question 6

Step 2: Contacting the cantonal legal advice offices for asylum seekers

Accepted Answer

First of all, it is best to contact the legal advice office in your canton. They can help you check whether you fulfil the criteria.

Question 7

Step 3: Submitting an application

Accepted Answer

If you fulfil the criteria, you can submit your application. Depending on your residence status, you might have to do that at another place. Recognized refugees (with asylum and separated from their families because they had to flee from their country) should directly contact: State Secretariat for Migration (SEM)
Quellenweg 6
Wabern People with temporarily admitted refugee status or a residence permit, should contact the immigration authority in their canton:

Family reunification

Table of contents

Prerequisites for family reunification

Family reunification video

Which family members can come to Switzerland?

Information from the authorities

Procedure

Beware of paid services

Family reunification step by step

What we do

General advice

In some cases we cannot help you

In-depth advice in a few cases

Background information, lobbying and advocacy

Our achievements in 2023

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Links to other organizations

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