Long-stay (Type D)
Switzerland's national long-stay visa for stays over 90 days.
7 Swiss resources in this topic
Visa routes
- Work Residence Permit for Qualified Specialists (Permit B / L, non-EU/EFTA)Visa route
An employer-sponsored residence-and-work permit for non-EU/EFTA managers, specialists and other qualified workers, subject to federal quotas and the labour-market priority rule.
- EU/EFTA Free Movement Residence Permit (Permit B EU/EFTA)Visa route
A five-year permit for EU/EFTA nationals coming to live, work or be self-employed in Switzerland under the Agreement on the Free Movement of Persons.
- Self-Employment Residence Permit (non-EU/EFTA)Visa route
A discretionary residence permit for non-EU/EFTA nationals setting up or running their own business in Switzerland, granted only where it serves the wider Swiss economy.
- Student Residence PermitVisa route
A residence permit letting foreign nationals live in Switzerland for full-time study at a recognised Swiss school, university or training institution.
- Family Reunification PermitVisa route
A residence permit letting a spouse or registered partner and minor children join a family member who already holds a Swiss permit or is Swiss.
- Residence Without Gainful Activity (Retirement / Private Means, incl. Lump-Sum Taxation)Visa route
A residence permit for people who will not work in Switzerland but can support themselves, covering EU/EFTA retirees and older non-EU/EFTA applicants with strong ties, often via lump-sum taxation.
- Settlement Permit (Permit C - Permanent Residence)Visa route
An open-ended permanent-residence permit granting the right to live and work freely in Switzerland, generally after five or ten years of prior residence.