FAQ residence permit

I am a non-EU citizen and am going abroad for a maximum of 6 months for an internship. My residence permit is still valid when I return. Do I have to deregister in Zurich?

No, as long as you keep your residence and health insurance in Switzerland, your residence permit remains valid during your stay abroad. In this case, you do not need to do anything special before departure.

I am a non-EU citizen and am going abroad for a maximum of 6 months for an internship. My residence permit expires during this time. What do I have to do?

In this case you have to deregister at the resident's registration office (external page Personenmeldeamt only available in German) before departure and apply for a new entry visa abroad. The procedure is exactly the same as for the first entry.

I am a non-EU citizen and am going abroad for more than 6 months. My residence permit is still valid when I return. What do I have to do?

Your residence permit expires after 6 months abroad. If you are abroad for more than 6 months, you must deregister at the resident's registration office (external page Personenmeldeamt only available in German) before leaving and apply for a new entry visa abroad. The procedure is exactly the same as for the first entry.

Do I also have to deregister if I am only going to be abroad for a little longer than 6 months?

Yes, your residence permit expires after 6 months abroad. This does not change if you return to Switzerland for a few days in between or if you cross the border by train or car.

I am an EU citizen and am going abroad for 6 months for an internship. Does my residence permit also expire after 6 months?

Yes, you must deregister at the resident's registration office (external page Personenmeldeamt only available in German) before departure and apply for a new residence permit after re-entry.