Advokature Rig

A solo immigration lawyer in Basel

Noëmi Erig is a lawyer practicing solo in immigration law (Migrationsrecht) in Basel and Zurich, with a practice running since 2015. She describes her approach as grounded in "a realistic assessment of your individual situation", emphasizing tailored advice rather than template solutions. The site names her as a licensed lawyer (Rechtsanwältin) with offices in Basel (Im Westfeld 13, 4055 Basel) and availability for online consultations, allowing clients across Switzerland and internationally. The phone number is +41 43 317 18 32.

Her background includes studies in law at the University of Munich, where she completed her first state examination in 2011, and later studies at the Universities of St. Gallen and Geneva. She holds the license to practice in the canton of Zurich (Anwaltspatent des Kantons Zurich, 2014) and has worked in immigration law since 2015. From 2015 to 2020 she was a partner at Advokatur Gartenhof in Zurich, practicing immigration law alongside criminal law and family law. Since 2021 she has run her own office in Basel and Zurich. This sequence suggests she moved from a larger practice to solo work, potentially choosing specialization and direct client relationships over the broader portfolio of a general practice.

For someone arriving to establish residency or become a citizen

Erig's services are built for the core arrival challenge. She handles "residence permits" (B-Ausweis, meaning temporary residence), including applications and extensions. The site specifies the grounds she covers: family reunification (Familiennachzug), employment (Arbeit), study (Studium), and hardship cases (Härtefall). If you are coming to Switzerland to work or to join family and need residency approval, this is her stated wheelhouse.

For someone planning to stay longer, Erig advises on "settlement permits" (C-Ausweis, permanent residence), either converting an existing temporary permit early (in cases of particularly good integration) or following the regular timeline. She handles both the strategic assessment and the full application, representing you to authorities.

For someone who has built a life in Switzerland over years and wants to become a Swiss citizen, Erig handles the naturalization process (Schweizer Pass). She walks clients through the steps, prepares applications, and represents them through the process. Naturalization involves multiple administrative tiers and documentary evidence of integration, making it a complex process where legal guidance is valuable.

Erig also handles "family reunification and marriage" (Familiennachzug und Eheschliessung), covering scenarios where you are sponsoring a family member into Switzerland, marrying in Switzerland, or seeking recognition of a marriage contracted abroad. She represents clients before all authorities involved in these processes, which can span municipal civil registries and cantonal immigration offices.

The legal dimensions of residence loss and special statuses

Erig covers a specialized subset of cases that many consultancies may not: "threat to loss of residency status" (drohender Verlust des Aufenthaltstitels). If your permit is at risk of being revoked (because of divorce, separation, debt, social welfare receipt, or criminal issues), Erig analyzes your situation, develops a strategy with you, and represents you through all available legal remedies (the full Rechtsmittelweg, or appeals path) to prevent the loss. This is a critical service because losing residence status can mean losing the right to work, losing the right to family support, or facing deportation, and the consequences are severe.

She also advises on "tourist visas" (Touristenvisum) for family members and friends who want to visit, and represents clients in appeals if a tourist visa is refused. This reflects Swiss immigration's granularity: an arrival may need to sponsor short-term visits from overseas relatives, and that requires its own expertise and documentation.

For some arrivals, particularly those from Ukraine, Erig covers "S-status" (Schutzstatus S) protection cases, advising clients on questions that arise if S-status (temporary protection for Ukrainian nationals) is withdrawn and on whether they can secure permanent residency after that protection ends. This reflects the geopolitical realities of 2022-2026: Ukraine-focused immigration law has become material.

Erig also advises on "removal of entry bans" (Aufhebung von Einreiseverboten), relevant if you have been barred from Switzerland or the Schengen area because of criminal issues or visa overstays, and want to restore your right to enter. This is a specialized niche: someone facing an entry ban has limited options, and legal representation to argue for lifting the ban is rare expertise.

For arrivals planning extended time abroad, Erig advises on preserving your Swiss residency status during long stays outside Switzerland, so you do not lose your permit through unintended abandonment. This matters for someone with roots in multiple countries or family obligations overseas.

What the site does not settle

The site lists Erig's practice areas in detail but publishes no pricing, no fee schedule, and no indication of hourly rates or flat fees. An arrival interested in engaging her would need to contact her directly to understand the cost. The site also does not describe how long cases typically take, what the success rate is, or what her typical caseload is. This silence on outcomes makes it hard to evaluate her track record.

Erig does not explain her approach to very urgent cases. Immigration matters are often time-sensitive (a job start date, a family separation, a deportation deadline), but the site does not say whether she can accommodate rush work or how she prioritizes cases. The online availability suggests flexibility, but no specific timeline commitment is stated.

The site also does not detail her approach to cases that involve both immigration law and other legal issues. Many arrivals face questions about employment contracts, family law (custody, divorce with foreign spouse), or criminal liability alongside immigration status. The extent to which Erig works with colleagues in other disciplines to solve these interlocking problems is not stated.

The site does not clarify whether she represents clients in court appeals beyond the cantonal level, or whether she focuses on pre-administrative work. Her background includes time in a general practice with criminal and family law, suggesting broad legal capability, but whether she maintains active trial practice now or focuses on administrative and consultation work is unclear.

Who this fits, and who might look elsewhere

Erig suits arrivals who need individual representation from a lawyer whose sole practice is immigration law. She has been practicing in this field since 2015, nearly eleven years of continuous focus. Her solo practice means you work directly with her rather than being assigned to a junior associate at a larger firm or a generalist at a consultancy. If you want a consistent relationship with one lawyer who knows immigration law deeply, this is the structure for it.

She particularly suits arrivals facing complex scenarios (residency at risk, prior refusals, special status transitions, entry bans, family law tangled with immigration) where one-size-fits-all consultancy services may not apply. Her stated emphasis on realistic individual assessment rather than template advice suggests she works with difficult cases and does not oversell optimistic outcomes.

Erig may not suit arrivals who want a large firm's resources or a consultancy's integrated service (combining immigration with relocation logistics, housing, hiring). She is a solo practitioner in law, not a full-service relocation agency. She may also not suit cost-conscious arrivals without budget for potentially substantial legal fees, since immigration law cases often run into hundreds of hours. Her online availability suggests she can work remotely with clients across Switzerland, but she does not publish pricing to compare against consultancies offering flat-fee or success-based models.

The solo practice model has a distinct advantage: continuity and personal attention. An arrival working with Erig deals with the same lawyer throughout the process, building understanding of their situation, employment, family, language abilities and personal circumstances, context that shapes permit strategy. The emphasis on realistic assessment means Erig is likely to give candid advice about what is achievable and what obstacles exist, rather than optimistic reassurance that a larger firm might offer to please a paying client.