Dear Arianna.

As for C permits, all get's checked - unemploymend, poursites, and for certain nationalities, it takes even longer.

I know several people who  work for the Swiss Goverment, and it's well known that far too many B permit people, from various countires are taking advantage of the Swiss unemploymend system.

Good luck.

Thank you for your reply - please don't misunderstand my question - I'm not asking if I am using unemployment (chomage) will passing from B to C be more complicated. 

I am asking what happens if I am not working at the moment the permit B expires, i.e. I am in between jobs but have not yet a finalized offer in my hands... 

You are most welcome, so here we go:

Should you not be holding a job once your permit B expires, you will have problems.

Even if I can demostrate that I am "dealing" with new employer and waiting for offer? 

C'mon are you serious? Than everyone else will use the same line.

I really find your attitude out of place.

I don't know what's your problem, do not appreciate at all what you are implying.

I am politely asking for some information - and you are making very strong and improper accusatoins. 

What line would I use? I clearly said *demonstate* that I am dealing with an employer. 

My friend a EU national got his permit C after 5 years. The time he got his permit C, he was unemployed if i remember :) 

Anyways don't worry even if you dont you get your permit C now. You can reapply once you have a job. They wont kick you out of the country unlike in case of Non EU nationals.

Good luck for the future :)

I had a C visa and while officially between jobs and in contact with my future employer i moved home to be closer to work.

My C visa was revoked, and some months after recieving my new work contract immigration issued me a B visa.

You are getting conflicting information here. Is there any reason why you don't go to the people/government office that will be making the decision? If everything you are doing or planning to do is on the level, why not ask them, presenting the specifics that they will take in consideration? If you do that, you will be able to make informed decisions, or if it is not in your hands whether you will be employed at the time, you will be able to prepare for whatever you will have to do.

Why do research in forums, from posts from anonymous people who may be well intentioned, but do not share your specific situation? Why not go to the source? You will have to when the time comes.

By the way, I don't read any accussations in Swiss's posts. He is just telling us that some employees of the Swiss government he knows have to deal with a few people, as in every country, who are abusing the system, and that makes them understandably suspicious. Who knows who will handle your case, but your going forward to them in advance will address any suspicions, if they harbor them. If not, and you are fine, you will know the answer and avoid worrying unnecessarily.

Good luck.

Thank you for your reply JR M. 

 I am just worried and  thought that  here I would have found a poor soul that went through a similar experience... In any case, I agree with you, I am going directly OCP to get the correct info and options (and hopefully instructions - I'm completly clueless :-) ) I doubt I am the first person in Switzerland to have this doubt on this specific situation. 

What made me snap with SWISS was the "Come on are you serious, *then anyone would use this line". 
I am sorry, but this is kind  comment is out of place. I was just asking for information not planning to abuse the system...!

Again, thank you for the advice.

Hi C

- Complete the  "demande de renouvellement", put your Photo on the bottom right (in the space for photo) and sign it, do not complete part dedicated to the Employeur too, leave it empty without stamp

- Do not forget to attached color copy of your passport

- Complete the K Form (https://www.ge.ch/document/ocpm-formulaire-k-renouvellement-modification-situation-titulaire-titre-sejour)

- Do not complete the Number 6 Employeur and 7(leave it empty), as you don't have any Employer, no need to complte this section

- Sign bottom of the page with Date

- Send all documents to the OCP by registered post as soon as they send you the form and well before the expiration of the current one, otherwhise, you will need to start from sratch !

- Renewal process will take between 4 to 8 weeks to have their return

- They told me they cannot guarantee you will have C permit, decision depends on personal situation, could be also B extension.

I am between unemployment and teh start of chomage so basically no income but chomage will start later in the year.  This is what they asked for me to do when a HR froiend called them, but as with many things in GVA the requirements can change depending on the person you speak to.  So best to go to the OCP and get them to clrify as well.

Hope this helps

For EU nationals it's C after 5 years. 

What I posted was what the OCP actually said.  If you are not employed and are not actually being paid by chomage then as an EU citizen you may only get a B extension, a C permit is not guaranteed as it is totally dependent on circumstance and who is dealinbg with your case

Hi Arianna,  sorry you received some wrath for your question!  It happens all the time that people have been unfortunate to lose their job just at the random moment that the permit comes up for renewal so the country sees it every day.  They aren't going to throw you out of the country - I'm assuming you are receiving chomage in the meantime so they are already providing for you and it would be absurd to receive payment on one hand and then be chucked out on the other - but what may well happen is that your renewed permit may last for a shorted period such as one year or however long the chomage lasts for.  I think in such circumstances they like to be cautious before providing a C permit because it is a more powerful permit.  But then whenever you get another job and the one year permit expires you should just receive a standard five year C permit in the post.