Moving to Switzerland: the steps you can’t afford to miss

Arriving in Switzerland is an administrative race against the clock. Some steps come with strict legal deadlines, and missing them can be expensive (fines, complications). Here’s the essentials, in order.

1. Registering with your commune (within 14 days)

As soon as you arrive, you need to register with the residents’ registration office (contrôle des habitants) of your commune. The deadline is usually 14 days — sometimes 8, depending on the commune. Bring your passport, your tenancy agreement and your employment contract.

2. Health insurance (LAMal, within 3 months)

Basic insurance is mandatory and backdated to your arrival date: you’ll pay premiums from the day you arrived, even if you sign up later. Compare providers on the official comparison tool priminfo.ch.

3. Your driving licence (within 12 months)

If you drive, exchange your foreign licence for a Swiss one within 12 months, otherwise it’s no longer valid.

4. Everything else

• Residence permit
• Enrolling your children in school
• AVS/AHV, tax at source, the Serafe fee

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