Red Tape in Switzerland

This is my feeble attempt to represent the convoluted process that we are going through to move here officially. For each item (ex. Bank Account) all of the required items are indicated by red arrows (ex. Mailing Address, Phone Number, Work Contract, Passport, and Declaration of Residency). 

As you can see, many of these arrows form loops. Loops can be frustrating. 

The Mailing Address is the biggest problem. It is required for almost every step, including the application for a new apartment. Most of the official institutions, including the bank and department of migration, do not want to ship to temporary addresses. In fact, if your name is not on the mailbox, your mail will be sent to the main post office of your region and destroyed. Your name cannot be put on the mailbox without being declared with your landlord. The bank will not hand you account cards, only mail them. These facts led to one of the other post-docs having his account closed because the letter officially opening the account could not be delivered (his name was not on the box). 

As we continue to navigate this quagmire, we will keep you posted. For now, we must run to the post office.