I'm going through the process but a different situation. Perhaps the webste below can give more inormation.

https://www.ch.ch/en/marriage

https://www.ch.ch/en/family-reunification1

Good luck!

Hello Stephen, 

Yes, it's possible for her to enter Switzerland and have the situation taking care of once she's there. 

As an American citizen, she will come in Switerland with the waiver program, which means she doesn't need a visa. Once she's there she will inform the OCP with the situation and they will grant her with the permit b. You can learn more here: http://www.vd.ch/themes/vie-privee/population-etrangere/entree-et-sejour/etats-tiers/regroupement-familial-du-conjoint-partenaire-etou-des-enfants-aupres-dun-etranger-titulaire-dun-permis-de-sejour-b-detablissement-c-ou-de-courte-duree-l/

Also I can recommand you an english speaking lawyer, just ask me to.

Good luck and congrats to the newly wed...

This is not accurate. An American citizen needs a visa (national visa type D) to take up residence in Switzerland.

US citizens however don't need a visa for business, tourist and similar purposes for up to 90 days for all Schengen countries within a 180 days period, counting from the day of first entry in the Schengen zone.

The canton of Vaud requires the visa application to be filed at the beginning of the process. However, the original passport usually only needs to be submitted for the visa collection upon approval of the application.

Depending on the place of residence, she may be allowed to file her application by post / courier. Then a copy of tne passport usually will suffice for the first step.

If the family reunion will be based on an upcoming marriage, she will unfortunately have to wait until she got married because the marriage certificate will be required.

You misunderstood me. She can come in Switzerland as a "tourist" and within the 90 days period she will be able to make all the "regroupement familial" procedure to be granted with a permit B. I'm talking facts.

I'm really sorry to say so, but these "facts" are rubbish.

If she is very, very lucky, the SPop ("OCP vaudois") may on a case by case basis exceptionally accept to grant her a permit without her having applied for a visa for family reunion.

If they however stick to Swiss immigration law, she will have to return home and will have lost a lot of time.

If I were in her place, I'd rather not run the risk...

Sorry, just saw "living in Geneva". So it will actually be the OCP. But the situation doesn't change.

We are from Canada and applied for regroupement familial for canton de Geneve. The process took 4 months and we had to supply lots of documentation to indicate that we had sufficient funds and insurance coverage. A really long, stressful and difficult process - even if we speak French! I personally would not take a chance with a 90 days tourist stay, what if she does not get her papers within that time limit?

I applied for regroupement familial from Australia to join my husband who is working in Geneva. I am entitled to a Carte de legitimation through his employment, but the advice I received was that I had to make my application for the regroupement familial visa BEFORE leaving Australia, even though I am entitled as an Australian citizen to come here for 30 days. I was told I could NOT risk coming to Geneva without the visa and that as soon as I arrived I should apply for the Carte ASAP as they can take a while to be issued. I had to supply copies of both our passports, evidence of marriage and evidence of his employment with ILO, together with copies of my travel itinerary and bookings to the Swiss consulate in Sydney and they provided me with the visa within 3 weeks.

I meant to write "entitled to come here for 90 days", not 30 !

And had to send my ORIGINAL passport, together with copies. They guaranteed to send it back to me by the time I was due to fly out, and it came well before.

I'm curious about your experience! I will send you a PM if that's OK to discuss further! thanks!