Arriving in Switzerland brings a short, intense stretch of paperwork — and a handful of deadlines that genuinely matter. This guide walks you through what to do in your first weeks, roughly in the order things tend to happen, so nothing important slips through the cracks. It is general practical information to help you find your feet, not individual legal advice: the precise rules and timing that apply to you depend on your nationality, your permit and your canton of residence. Take it one task at a time: each item below is manageable on its own, and most can be handled in a single visit or a short phone call.

Before you arrive and at the border

Most of what makes the first weeks smooth is prepared before you land. Gather the documents Swiss authorities tend to ask for, and keep originals plus a few certified copies within easy reach.

  • a valid passport (or national ID card for EU/EFTA nationals), with copies
  • your visa or entry confirmation, if you needed one to enter
  • your employment contract or proof of why you are moving
  • civil-status documents (birth and, where relevant, marriage certificates), with any apostille or certified translation your canton requests
  • the address where you will live — you cannot register without one

At the border, carry these documents in your hand luggage rather than in a shipped container. Keep digital scans as well; you will be asked for the same papers more than once in the weeks ahead. Plan for some cash for the first stretch, too, as not every counter accepts foreign cards. The official portal ch.ch gathers up-to-date guidance from the federal, cantonal and communal authorities and is a good first reference throughout your move.

If you have not yet secured a home, make it your priority: the address is the key that unlocks registration, your bank account and your utilities. Many landlords ask for a full application file — proof of income, references and a copy of your contract — so prepare one in advance and respond quickly to viewings.

Register at your commune in the first days

This is the single most important early step. Newcomers must register in person at the residents' registration office of the commune where they live — called the Einwohnerkontrolle in German-speaking areas, the contrôle des habitants in French-speaking ones and the controllo abitanti in Italian-speaking ones. You must do this shortly after arrival; the window is short and set by law, so treat registration as a priority in your first days, not your first month.

Registration is more than a local formality. It records your residence, sets several other obligations in motion and feeds the data that lets the cantonal migration office process your permit. Bring your passport or ID, your rental contract or proof of address, passport photos and, for family members, their civil-status documents. Adult family members usually need to appear in person, and parents register their minor children. Some communes let you book the appointment online first, but it is the in-person identity check that counts toward the deadline.

If you cannot get an appointment in time, contact the office proactively rather than letting the deadline pass quietly.

Collect or await your permit card

Registration sets your permit process in motion. For most newcomers with a job or a longer stay, it leads to a residence permit — commonly the B permit — while shorter stays often receive an L short-stay permit and cross-border commuters a G permit. The migration office issues the physical permit card and sends it to you; processing usually takes several weeks and varies by canton.

  • Learn what the residence permit involves in the B permit guide.
  • Unsure which category fits your situation? The permit finder helps you orient.

While you wait, the registration confirmation from your commune usually serves as temporary proof of your status for banks, insurers and employers. Once it arrives, store the card carefully and note its expiry date — you will need it to prove your status, to renew on time and, later, if you change address or canton.

Take out health insurance before the deadline

Basic health insurance is mandatory for everyone living in Switzerland, and you must take out a policy within three months of arrival. Cover then applies retroactively to the day you took up residence, so signing up early avoids a gap. If you miss the window, the competent cantonal authority assigns you to an insurer — and the premiums are still owed from your arrival date. The same three-month rule applies to each member of the household, including children, so sign everyone up, not only the working adult.

You choose your own insurer for the basic plan, and every insurer must accept you for it. SIP does not recommend or compare insurers.

Open a Swiss bank account

A Swiss account makes daily life far easier: receiving your salary, paying rent and setting up standing orders for recurring bills. Banks typically ask for your passport, your permit card or registration confirmation, and proof of your Swiss address. If you arrive before your first salary, ask your employer how and when you will be paid, and keep enough funds accessible to cover rent, a deposit and the first month of living costs.

If your card has not arrived yet, the registration confirmation is often enough to open an account. SIP does not recommend particular banks or compare their terms.

Mobile, internet, Serafe and utilities

A local mobile number is useful from day one — many Swiss banking and government services rely on it for two-factor authentication. Prepaid SIM cards are available immediately; contracts require an identity check.

A few household basics to set up once you have an address:

  • Electricity and water are arranged through your commune or the local utility; ask at registration who supplies your building.
  • Internet contracts usually take a few days to activate, so order early.
  • Radio and television fee (Serafe): every household pays a device-independent fee, billed automatically once you are registered. Look up the current rate with the official collection office.
  • Waste: many communes use chargeable rubbish bags while recycling is mostly free; your commune publishes the local rules.

AHV and social insurance basics

Switzerland's old-age and survivors' insurance (AHV/AVS) is the foundation of the social-security system, and almost everyone living or working here contributes. If you are employed, your employer registers you with the AHV and — above certain thresholds — with a pension fund; you usually do not need to do this yourself. You will be assigned a social-security number that follows you across all dealings with authorities and insurers. If you are self-employed, you register yourself with the relevant compensation office. These contributions build your entitlement to old-age, survivors' and disability benefits, and your social-security number also links your records across health, accident and family-allowance schemes. Keep the number handy — you will quote it often.

Your week-by-week checklist

Every move is different, but this rough sequence keeps the essentials in view.

Before arrival

  • gather and, where needed, certify your documents
  • secure somewhere to live and confirm the address

Week 1

  • register in person at your commune's residents' office
  • keep your registration confirmation safe — you will reuse it often

Weeks 1–2

  • open a Swiss bank account
  • get a local mobile number
  • order internet and arrange utilities

Weeks 2–4

  • watch for your permit card and store it safely once it arrives
  • check that your employer has registered you for AHV

Within 3 months

  • take out basic health insurance before the deadline
  • register children for school or childcare through your commune
  • begin a course in your canton's official language

Where to go next

For the full picture — including documents, deadlines and the longer-term integration steps — see the complete moving-to-Switzerland checklist. If you are still working out which permit fits your situation, start with the permit finder. Bookmark these as you work through the weeks ahead; you can come back to any step whenever you need it.