You cannot bring a brother, sister, cousin, aunt or uncle to live in Switzerland through family reunification. Swiss law gives that right only to the close family: spouses, registered partners and children, plus some parents in narrow cases. For anyone else, the only routes are a hardship case, which rarely succeeds, or asylum if the person is persecuted. Visits of up to 90 days on a Schengen visa are possible.

In short

  • No right for siblings or other extended relatives, whether you are Swiss, a B or C permit holder, or an EU/EFTA citizen.
  • Who can come: spouses, registered partners and children under 18 (under 21 for EU/EFTA families), and under the AFMP also dependent parents and grandparents.
  • Hardship case: in very rare cases a relative can get a permit under Art. 30 para. 1 lit. b FNIA. Success rates are low.
  • Art. 8 ECHR protects sibling ties only where there is a special dependency, and even then only through the hardship route.
  • Visits: relatives can visit for up to 90 days on a Schengen visa, with your declaration of commitment.

Who counts as close family

Family of Swiss citizens (FNIA Art. 42)

  • spouses and registered partners;
  • children under 18;
  • in some situations, adult children with special needs.

Family of B and C permit holders (FNIA Art. 43-45)

  • spouses;
  • children under 18.

You must apply within 5 years; for children over 12, within 12 months (FNIA Art. 47).

Family of EU/EFTA citizens (AFMP Annex I, Art. 3)

The Agreement on the Free Movement of Persons (AFMP) goes slightly further:

  • spouses and registered partners;
  • children and grandchildren under 21, or older if you support them financially;
  • parents and grandparents whom you support financially.

Siblings are not covered under the AFMP either.

Relatives with no right to join you

  • Siblings, cousins, aunts and uncles: not covered by Art. 42-45 FNIA or AFMP Annex I Art. 3.
  • Adult parents of a third-country B or C permit holder: no right. Only the AFMP covers parents, and only if you support them, which is a real hurdle assessed case by case.
  • Adult parents of a Swiss citizen: a right only if dependent and holding a durable AFMP permit (Art. 42 para. 2 let. b FNIA).

The hardship route (Art. 30 para. 1 lit. b FNIA)

In very rare cases, a relative outside the close family can get a permit as a hardship case (see the hardship case provision under Art. 30 FNIA). Examples from practice:

  • a minor sibling whose parents have both died, for whom the adult sibling in Switzerland is the only remaining contact. Very rarely accepted.
  • a parent needing intensive care in a country with no realistic care available, where the child in Switzerland is the only financial and personal support. Practice is very strict.
  • a person at risk of political persecution who has family here. This goes through the asylum procedure, not family reunification.

The authorities decide at their discretion, cantons differ, and success rates are low, typically in the single-digit percentage range for extended family.

Art. 8 ECHR: the right to family life

Article 8 of the European Convention on Human Rights protects family life, mainly between spouses and between parents and minor children. Siblings and other relatives are covered only in exceptional cases, for example:

  • a special dependency beyond normal family ties, such as a lifelong need for care or a long period living in the same household;
  • a legally binding responsibility, such as a sibling acting as guardian after the parents' death.

Even then, Art. 8 ECHR does not create a separate right to family reunification. It can only support a hardship case.

Practical options

  • Visits: relatives from countries whose nationals need a visa can visit for up to 90 days on a Schengen visa, with a declaration of commitment from you. This is not a residence permit.
  • Guardianship: if a minor sibling's parents have died, a guardianship decided by the competent court in the home country gives legal parental responsibility, which may bring the child within the close family.
  • Realistic planning: Swiss law deliberately limits family reunification to the close family, and no political change is expected soon.

Never present a sibling as your child, or invent a dependency, in an application. If you are considering a hardship case for a sibling, talk to a lawyer specialising in immigration law. Chances depend on the facts but are generally low.

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