Navigating the System

The anxiety and uncertainty of our visa situation finally pushed us to action. Monday morning we decided to go in person to the Office de Population, Canton of Vaud, Section Étranger. It was somewhat intimidating as our previous experience there had not been positive. Helga had written a letter for us, submitted on April 1, and we had no comfirmation that it was received or if it was added to our file. It was time to face the system.

We have been discussing alternatives in the event that we will not have an answer on our visa extension. Our days allowed under our tourist visa are dwindling quickly. None of the options are really what we want to do. We could go to Ireland, a non Shengen treaty country, for a couple of weeks. That would extend our days here to mid July and perhaps we would have an answer by then. Or we could go back to the US in early July and wait or reapply and return in the Fall. Having the perfect apartment here that we do not want to give up, and having to wait till Sept for our house in Portland to be ready threw some complications into the mix. We couldn't wait any longer.  It was time to face the system.

The Office is located in a nondescript building in a less attractive section of Lausanne. We knew that it is closed from 11:30-2pm for lunch.  We knew that we had to get by the guard at the entrance, and once we got to the third floor, we would take a ticket and wait. We expected a long wait so went early. After less than 15 minutes our number was called. There are two cubicles for seeing applicants. Each is a room where two people can stand in front and a service person stands behind a thick plexiglas window and you speak to each other through  tiny holes in the glass. This is not unlike visits in prison movies, only there are no chairs. The ambiance is like prison.

We had agreed ahead that I would speak, hopefully being more sympathetic and having a better understanding of French, and Steve's voice was hoarse as he is recovering from the plague we are passing between us.

I started, our service person smiled! and he typed our names into the computer. Yes, he said, they have received our additional documents and they are in our file. No, he said, he did not know when they would be reviewed but it could take a month or more. They are very busy. Then the breakthrough. 

We explained that our time is running out. He replied that as long as we are in the country now and we have an application in process we are allowed to stay until we have an answer even if we over stay our 3 month tourist visa. We do not have to leave. This good news was followed by his absence to speak to a colleague. He was gone a long time. 

When he returned he had a new form for us to fill out. The new document was to register us as residents of Pully. It was a four page document for each of us, including mother's maiden name, place of marriage, local address, etc. We were to fill them out and bring them to the Office of Population for the City of Pully. 

Next day we showed up at City Hall in Pully documents and passports in hand. Our clerk there had no idea what to do with us. After consulting her boss, who asked us why the people in Lausanne sent us there, they decided to take our documents anyway which they would then forward to Lausanne, and they needed to collect a registration fee of 260 CHF. Steve wanted to ask if they would refund our money if they kick us out, but I kicked him under the desk.

They also wanted a copy of our lease which we did not have with us but said could email to them. Giving them our lease agreement requires another prayer that we do not get Rebecca in trouble for she is subletting to us an not legally able to give us a lease. We explained to the Pully people that we did not know how long we could stay but we hoped to stay until October. They told us not to be concerned about our visa running out. Even if we are denied we may have as long as we need to make arrangements to leave. And when we do leave we need check out of Pully with the appropriate exit documents.

In the end, though we don't have written confirmation, it seems like things are going well. Jed thinks they would not have sent us to register as residents of Pully if they didn't expect to allow us to stay. Also, when it happens, we will not get a visa as there is no such thing as an extended visa. We will get a residence permit. They might have told us this last December when we first applied for an extended visa at the Swiss Consulate in San Francisco.

We are much more optimistic now. We have decided to take a trip to Ireland in mid June anyway. Hopefully it will be a celebration trip. Is there anyone out there who would like to join us?





Anita