Hi Dina

Switzerland being now part of Schengen zone, I believe your mother would get a schengen visa and would be able to visit the 25 countries included.  But double check.

For Alsoca, I believe they only intervene for issues between your landlord and you, not for issues with the concierge.  I would advise you to take a legal insurance (the best is the one from Touring club suisse - not the car insurance, but the one for private life).  That would cover you for any legal issue in Switzerland.

Did

Thanks Did :0)

aaaah, so better call lawyer... actually just need to analyze contract, that's why troubles with concierge

it's a like master concierge, ahah, between regie and habitants. she is drafting contracts also. that's why i'm worried...

thanks for advice about visa, i really appreaciate it!

Dear friend

I would like to express an opinion on the so called visa for tourists.

Switzerland is now part of the Schengen treaty. This is true but it s not necessarily true that what you apply for - to visit Switzerland - is necessarily a VISA applied for all Schengen countries.

To my knowledge, there exist two types of VISA for tourism purposes. The first is the one you get for the specific country you intend to visit and you apply through the consolate of that country.

So, for instance, if you wanted to visit Italy or France or Germany for just one week, you d have to go to that consulate and ask for it and this will be limited to that specific country. Although there are no barriers - formal barriers - checks are still possible and checks are not related to the goods you have with you but really for your papers being your passport and VISA.

However, if you intend to visit not only Italy or France or Germany by themselves but rather move within Europe and visit all of those three countries, then you should go to the consulate of the first country you intend to visit - for instance Italy but specify that you then intend to move to France and Germany. At that point a Schengen VISA will be issued valid for all those countries part of the treaty.

The point I wanted to make is that to my knowledge there is still a difference.

In your case, if your mother or any of your friends intend to stay in Switzerland only, this simple application can be made and I suppose the consulate will verify your address, your sponsorship or rather the income certificates of your relatives and friends.

good luck

stefano

Ciao Stefano,

I believe what you say "checks are still possible and checks are not related to the goods you have with you but really for your papers being your passport and VISA." is in fact just the reverse (people not controled, but goods are). Traveling a lot, I can assure you that I never get passport control when landing in Geneva from a Schengen country.

Le 13 mai 2004, les négociations avec la Suisse pour sa participation à l'espace Schengen ont abouti. 54,6 % des votants ont approuvé cette adhésion par votation populaire le 5 juin 2005. La Suisse devient ainsi membre de l'espace Schengen, aux mêmes conditions que les autres pays non-membres de l'Union européenne parties à cet accord, l'Islande et la Norvège. Cette adhésion fut effective dès que tous les pays membres ont ratifié l'accord passé avec la Suisse, en février 2008. Puis la procédure d'évaluation a abouti en novembre 2008. Le 12 décembre 2008 à minuit, la Confédération helvétique a intégré l'espace Schengen[5]. Cependant, les marchandises continuent à être contrôlées car la Suisse n'a pas conclu d'union douanière avec l'Union européenne.

Dina, here is the site with all the information to get the visa:

http://www.eda.admin.ch/eda/fr/home/reps/eur/vbel/ref_visinf/visbel.html

Hope it helps,

Didier

Dear Stefano and Didier,

Thanks a lot for your answers, now situation is more clear to me :-)

Dina