Leaving Switzerland & Moving On

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Leaving Switzerland & Moving On

When leaving Switzerland and moving on there are a number of tasks to be completed before departure.

Anyone who registered with their Embassy on arrival in Switzerland now needs to advise them that they are leaving.

• British citizens will find useful information for returning to the UK, including a checklist of things to do, on the Directgov website: Click here
• US citizens can consult their government's travel website for tips on returning: Click here and scroll down to the section on "Returning to the US"
• Information for Australians from their government: Click here

Local Authorities

The Swiss authorities require anyone intending to settle in Switzerland to register their arrival with their home commune within eight days. The commune forwards the information to the cantonal authorities who process the request and send out the residence permit.

Residents will have been issued with one of two types of resident permit: the short-term residence permit (up to 364 days) or a five-year residence permit. Anyone who has an employment contract for a year or longer should have been issued with a residence permit that is valid for five years.

Before leaving Switzerland it is important to notify the authorities. Contact the Cantonal Resident Registration Office (Einwohnerkontrolle), who will ask for the residence permits of those leaving and details of the new address.

It is important to get confirmation of deregistration as it may be required to transfer benefits (such as pension contributions) out of Switzerland.

• For information regarding residency in Switzerland from the Swiss government website: Click here

Education

Give schools a reasonable amount of notice of a child's departure. There may be outstanding bills for school fees, transport or meals to be settled.

On registration at a new school in the new country a parent may be asked for a certificate stating the latest grade passed by the child. Request this from the school when giving notice of departure. Swiss schools will normally be happy to provide a summary of a child's progress and up-to-date test results. They may be able do this in English, if asked.

Leave a forwarding address for any correspondence.

Housing Issues

Rental contract (Mietvertrag)

In Switzerland, tenants who wish to move out of a property must give notice in writing of the termination of their tenancy agreement. All tenants named on the contract must sign the letter. It is recommended to send it by registered mail (Einschreiben).

The usual notice period for residential property is three months but can be up to six months. It must reach the landlord three days before the last day of the three month termination deadline. It is vital that the notice of termination reaches the landlord in good time (at least one day before the beginning of the notice period).

The tenancy agreement normally specifies the agreed notice period. Anyone wishing to vacate a property quickly must normally find another suitable tenant or pay the rent themselves.

It is important to ensure that the rental property is left in a clean condition. There are cleaning companies specialising in serving people who are moving, and this service is recommended. A rental contract will state whether the property must be redecorated before the tenant moves out. This may include repairs to flooring, repainting, and filling-in holes made by the tenant's fixtures and fittings. The landlord will likely want to check through a detailed inventory of fixtures and fittings and to inspect for any damage.

A deposit is usually required at the start of the tenancy and this should be returned (usually two weeks after vacating the premises) as long as the property is in satisfactory condition. The deposit may be used to carry out repairs but only with the agreement of the tenant. If a tenant does not agree, a landlord must get a court ruling that repairs will be paid out of the deposit. If a court ruling is not obtained, then the bank will return the deposit to the tenant one year later.

Rental contracts list the sets of keys given to a tenant. These must all be returned at the end of the rental period. If any keys are missing, the locks must be changed at the tenant's expense.

Payment of all taxes is the landlord's responsibility so it is unlikely any refunds will be due.

• For more information regarding tenancy termination, see the Swiss government website: Click here

Property sales

For non-Swiss nationals, permission has to be given before buying property in Switzerland unless the property will serve as the principal residence.

For those who satisfied the requirements and purchased a property, the property may now need to be sold, though the Swiss authorities will allow it to be kept as a secondary residence or to be rented out if preferred.

Following a sale, the seller may be liable for capital gains taxes. The amount due, if any, will depend on the profit and the duration of ownership.

• For more information, see the AngloINFO INFOrmation page, How to Buy & Sell Property in Switzerland

Insurance (Versicherung)

Home insurance can be cancelled once a sale is completed (or a tenancy has ended) and in some circumstances a partial refund may be due. It is best to cancel all insurance in writing and by recorded delivery.

Utility bills 

As with any house move, there are utility bills to be settled and meters to be read. If meters are not outside, access to the property will be required. Leave a forwarding address with all the companies involved.

Utility services in Switzerland are managed at a cantonal level, with one organisation in each area supplying all the utility services.

Before departure, contact the company providing the services locally so that they can take the necessary steps to read meters and prepare accounts.

• For Zürich residents this will be Elektrizitaetswerk Kanton Zurich EKZ. It is possible to make notification of a move on the website: Click here (in German)

Telephone and Internet

The national provider of fixed lines is Swisscom. They should be contacted prior to departure.

• This can be done via a free phone number which can be found at their website: Click here
• Or find other contact information at their main website: Click here

Health Care and Social Security

Any private health insurance cover which has been in force may need changing or cancelling. Ensure that health insurance remains valid until arrival in the new country of residence or continues as appropriate.

Anyone who has received medical care in Switzerland should ask for their records to be forwarded to their new practitioner.

Because the Swiss social security system is decentralised, anyone who has been working and paying contributions as well as anyone who has been receiving benefits of any kind needs to contact their local office of the relevant organisation or insurer.

In some cases, refunds of contributions paid into schemes (including pensions/AVS) are possible, but the insurer will need to see proof of deregistration.

Business and Tax Issues

Banking

A Swiss bank account should be kept open for a short period to settle final bills.

As cheques are seldom used in Switzerland, bills have probably been paid electronically. Remember to cancel direct debits and any e-banking facilities which may have been set up.

Ideally, accounts should be closed in person, but many banks will allow accounts to be closed in writing or even online. Check with the bank.

Credit card companies will also need to be notified of a new address for statements.

Tax (Steuern)

The Swiss tax authorities are automatically notified of a change of address by the resident's registration office. There is no need to contact them with details.

However, if there are income tax liabilities then these should be paid to the cantonal administration services (kantonale Steuerbehoerden).

For many foreign workers not in possession of a permanent residence permit, all taxes (federal, cantonal and municipal) will have been deducted from their pay by their employer. Therefore, there is no further liability on departure.

For more detailed information, contact the Swiss Federal Tax Administration.

Correspondence

Swisspost, the Swiss post office, will provide a free redirection service for one year.

To arrange this service, go in person to the local post office or visit their website at least one week before the move.

• For the Swisspost website: Click here (in French and German) 

Vehicles and Driving

Foreign licence plates may be kept on a car in Switzerland for one year provided that proper liability insurance is maintained on the car. After this period, Swiss plates must be obtained from the cantonal road traffic office (Strassenverkehrsamt).

Anyone intending to take a Swiss registered vehicle with them when leaving the country should let the local office know.

• For addresses of cantonal road traffic offices: Click here (in German or French)

Foreign residents have one year to change their driving licence to a Swiss one or to take a Swiss driving test. If issued with a Swiss licence, notify the nearest road traffic office (Strassenverkehrsamt) before leaving.

Animals

Depending on the destination, some animals may require a period of quarantine. Their move will almost certainly require documentation and possible additional vaccinations or similar medical treatment. Most domestic pets need documentation before they can travel. The EU pet passport covers dogs, cats and ferrets for movement within Europe and the Pets Travel Scheme (PETS) allows qualifying domestic pets to travel to and from the UK without a period of quarantine. Local vets can provide information and documentation.

As a general rule, animals have to travel in approved containers and by approved routes. Be aware that sudden outbreaks of diseases (such as avian flu) can affect pet travel. Embassy websites are also good sources of information.

The Swiss Federal Veterinary Office (FVO), Bundesamt für Veterinärwesen (BVET) provides comprehensive information, in English, on importing and exporting animals, including dogs, cats, birds and fish.

• For information from the Swiss Federal Veterinary Office on leaving Switzerland with animals: Click here
• If moving horses, it is also worth visiting the Federal Office for Agriculture site: Click here
• The AngloINFO INFOrmation page, Moving with Pets & Animals to Switzerland has further details and provides links to other useful sites

Further Information

• British Embassy, Switzerland
• United States Embassy, Switzerland
• Australian Embassy, Switzerland
• Swiss Government portal 
• Swiss Federal Office for Migration