Registering

At the outset of the process The Wife had to apply for a Visa that would permit her to work in Switzerland.  A bunch of paperwork and a couple of weeks later we learned that she had been approved for a 'B' permit.  This was good;  'B' permits are for up to 5 years, and allow the spouse to not only accompany the applicant but also to work in Switzerland (though I have no intention of taking a paying job).

Obtaining the authorization for the work Visa was just the start.   The authorization generated letters we had to take to the Swiss Consulate and get temporary Visa's allowing us to enter and for The Wife to work for up to 3 months.  A condition was that we had to register with the authorities in the local postal code in which we were staying within 14 days after entry.  We made that visit the day after we landed in Switzerland, and presented a lot of paperwork to the nice lady processing our registration:

• Passports
• Visa authorization letters
• FBI background checks
• Marriage Certificate
• The Wife's work contract

At the end we ended up with another letter, each, and an appointment to go to the immigration office in another part of the city two weeks later for 'Biometrics' (photos and fingerprints).  We did the 'Biometrics' yesterday, which entailed about 5 minutes each after 30 minutes of travel.  In a week or so we should receive our residency cards in the mail.

We are registered!  Not so fast ...  we will be moving in month to a flat in a town about 4 miles away  and will have to re-register with the local authorities in that town.   There is no flying under the radar here; they want to keep track of where everyone is residing.   Failure to comply can result in expulsion, so we intend to be compliant.