Purpose of this overview
Administrative fees in immigration proceedings consist of three layers: federal fees (laid down by the OASA, uniform for all cantons), cantonal fees (laid down in the respective cantonal migration office tariff, vary), and third-party fees (document authentication, translations, apostille). This file documents all three layers transparently. It is not exhaustive; additional fees may apply in special proceedings (e.g. hardship case application, regularisation of undocumented persons).
The OASA sets a maximum limit for the fees in immigration permit procedures. The cantons apply this limit differently; the following figures are the maximum values set by the OASA (CHF, as of 1 January 2024).
| Procedure | Maximum Fee CHF | Legal Basis |
|---|
| Initial issue of B residence permit (third-country nationals) | 95.- | Art. 8 para. 1 lit. a OASA |
| Initial issue of B residence permit (EU/EFTA) | 65.- | Art. 8 OASA |
| Initial issue of L short-term permit | 65.- | Art. 8 para. 1 lit. b OASA |
| Initial issue of C settlement permit | 95.- | Art. 8 para. 1 lit. c OASA |
| Initial issue of G cross-border permit | 65.- | Art. 8 OASA |
| Extension of B / C / L | 65.- | Art. 8 para. 2 OASA |
| Change of canton (Art. 37 FNIA) | up to 95.- | Art. 8 OASA |
| Procedure concerning termination / revocation / removal | up to 1,000.- | Art. 8 para. 3 OASA |
| Issue of foreign national ID card | 32.- (plastic card additionally) | Ordinance on Foreign National ID Cards |
2. Cantonal Permit Fees (Focus Cantons)
The cantons set their own fees within the federal framework. The following figures are the standard cantonal rates based on publicly available fee regulations, as of 2026-05.
Canton of Zurich (ZH)
| Procedure | CHF | Source |
|---|
| B residence permit, initial issue | 142.- (including ID card) | Zurich Migration Office, fee list |
| B residence permit, extension | 142.- | ibid. |
| C settlement permit, issue | 192.- | ibid. |
| C settlement permit, extension (passport entry/card) | 142.- | ibid. |
| L short-term permit | 102.- | ibid. |
| Family reunification procedure | 192.- (plus costs for initial issue per person) | ibid. |
| Change of canton | 142.- | ibid. |
Canton of Geneva (GE)
| Procedure | CHF | Source |
|---|
| B residence permit (initial issue) | 162.- (holder) | OCPM Fees |
| B residence permit (renewal) | 142.- | ibid. |
| C settlement permit | 192.- | ibid. |
| C settlement permit (renewal) | 142.- | ibid. |
| L short-term permit | 112.- | ibid. |
| G cross-border permit | 112.- | ibid. |
| Family reunification procedure | 192.- + fee per person | ibid. |
| Change of canton (Art. 37 LEI) | 162.- | ibid. |
| Papyrus fee (Art. 30 LEI) | completion of procedure 350-650.- (depending on complexity) | OCPM 2024 directive |
Canton of Bern (BE)
| Procedure | CHF | Source |
|---|
| B residence permit, initial issue | 125.- | Migration Office of Bern |
| B residence permit, extension | 105.- | ibid. |
| C settlement permit | 185.- | ibid. |
| C settlement permit, extension | 125.- | ibid. |
| L short-term permit | 95.- | ibid. |
| Family reunification | 185.- (plus per person) | ibid. |
| Change of canton | 125.- | ibid. |
Canton of Basel-Stadt (BS)
| Procedure | CHF | Source |
|---|
| B residence permit, initial issue | 132.- | Cantonal Migration Office of Basel-Stadt |
| B residence permit, extension | 102.- | Ibid. |
| C settlement permit | 192.- | Ibid. |
| C settlement permit, extension | 132.- | Ibid. |
| L short-term permit | 92.- | Ibid. |
| Family reunification | 132.- (plus per person) | Ibid. |
Canton of Zug (ZG)
| Procedure | CHF | Source |
|---|
| B residence permit, initial issue | 142.- | Amt für Migration ZG |
| B residence permit, extension | 122.- | dito |
| C settlement permit | 192.- | dito |
| C settlement permit, extension | 142.- | dito |
| L short-term permit | 112.- | dito |
| HQTC procedure (Highly Qualified Third Country) | Federal framework exhausted, cantonal up to 192.- | dito |
Canton of Vaud (VD)
| Procedure | CHF | Source |
|---|
| B residence permit, initial issue | 157.- | SPOP Fees |
| B residence permit, renewal | 137.- | ibid. |
| C settlement permit | 192.- | ibid. |
| C settlement permit, renewal | 142.- | ibid. |
| L short-term permit | 117.- | ibid. |
| Family reunification procedure | 187.- (plus per person) | ibid. |
| Change of canton | 157.- | ibid. |
3. Naturalisation fees
Naturalisation involves three levels of fees: federal (SCA/SVO), cantonal, and municipal. The federal fee is fixed; cantonal and municipal fees vary considerably.
| Procedure | CHF | Legal basis |
|---|
| Ordinary naturalisation — individual | 100.- (adults) / 50.- (minors) | Art. 7 SCA in conjunction with Art. 35 SCA |
| Facilitated naturalisation (Art. 21 SCA) | 600.- | Art. 7 SCA |
| Re-naturalisation (Art. 27 SCA) | 600.- | Art. 7 SCA |
Cantonal and Municipal Fees (Selection of Focus Cantons)
The amounts are standard fees; for higher incomes, the canton and municipality may charge higher fees based on a lump sum or cost-based tariff (often up to CHF 5,000 for an individual).
| Canton | Municipal Standard | Cantonal Standard | Total Standard Case (Individual) |
|---|
| ZH | 600-1,200 CHF (depending on the municipality) | 600 CHF | typically 1,300-1,900 CHF + Federal contribution of 100 CHF |
| GE | up to 1,000 CHF (Geneva) | 800 CHF | typically 1,800 CHF + Federal contribution of 100 CHF |
| BE | 500-1,000 CHF | 600 CHF | typically 1,200-1,700 CHF + Federal contribution of 100 CHF |
| BS | 600 CHF (uniform in Basel-Stadt) | 600 CHF | typically 1,300 CHF + Federal contribution of 100 CHF |
| ZG | 700-1,200 CHF | 800 CHF | typically 1,600-2,100 CHF + Federal contribution of 100 CHF |
| VD | 500-1,200 CHF | 750 CHF | typically 1,350-2,050 CHF + Federal contribution of 100 CHF |
Note on flat-rate vs. cost-based fees: Some cantons (e.g. Zurich, Vaud) allow municipalities to charge fees on a cost basis in individual cases – in the case of wealthy applicants, this can result in fees of up to CHF 5,000 or more. Information on this can be found in the relevant municipal fee regulations. This practice is not contrary to federal law (BGE 142 I 152), but may be subject to an appeal on the grounds of proportionality.
4. Document fees (apostille, legalisation, authentication)
| Service | CHF | Office |
|---|
| Apostille on Swiss documents (BJ) | 20.- per document | BJ — Apostille Office |
| Authentication of signature (Notary ZH/GE/BE) | 30-80.- (varies by canton) | Cantonal Notary |
| Authentication of copy of document | 20-50.- per page | Notary |
| Certified translation (of foreign documents) — standard rate | 60-120.- per page (~250 words) | Freelance translators, cantonal list of approved translators |
| Confirmation of residence / certificate of origin / family certificate | 20-40.- | Residents’ Registration Office/Municipality |
| Extract from the Swiss criminal record | 20.- (online) or 30.- (postal delivery) | Federal Office of Justice |
| Extract from the debt collection register (personal) | 17.- (standard rate, cantons) | Debt Collection Office |
5. Court fees in appeal proceedings
An appeal in immigration law can be lodged at up to four levels (cantonal — FAC — Federal Supreme Court; in the case of asylum, directly: SEM → FAC → Federal Supreme Court). Court fees represent a significant cost factor.
Cantonal administrative court fees (selection)
| Canton | Standard fee CHF | Source |
|---|
| ZH Administrative Court | 1,000-3,000 CHF (migration law) | VRG ZH § 65 |
| GE Court of Justice (CDP) | 500-2,500 CHF | LPA GE |
| BE Administrative Court | 800-2,500 CHF | VRPG BE |
| BS Court of Appeal (Administrative Law Division) | 500-2,500 CHF | OG BS |
| ZG Administrative Court | 500-2,000 CHF | VRG ZG |
| VD Cantonal Tribunal — Court of Administrative and Public Law | 500-2,500 CHF | LPA-VD |
Federal Court Fees
| Instance | Standard fee CHF | Source |
|---|
| Federal Administrative Court FAC — immigration law (excluding asylum) | 800-2,500 CHF (case of medium complexity) | Art. 4 VGKE i.V.m. Art. 63 VwVG |
| FAC — asylum appeal | 600-1,200 CHF (Asylum Act, special rates) | Art. 63 VwVG; Art. 109 AsylA |
| Federal Supreme Court BGer — immigration appeal | 1,000-5,000 CHF (typically 2,000-3,000 CHF) | Art. 65 BGG i.V.m. Tarif BGG |
Advance on costs and legal aid
- Before the FAC and the Federal Supreme Court, an advance payment of costs is required before proceedings can begin (Art. 63 para. 4 VwVG, Art. 62 BGG). Amount: typically equivalent to the expected fee.
- Legal aid (Art. 65 VwVG, Art. 64 BGG): can be applied for if the applicant is without means and there is a prospect of success. It is granted restrictively in immigration proceedings. The application should be submitted with the appeal.
- Awarding costs to the winning party (Art. 64 VwVG, Art. 68 BGG): the winning party typically receives compensation of CHF 1,500-3,000 for legal representation, which is paid by the losing party (i.e. the authority or the Confederation).
6. Special Cases
Hardship case application (Art. 30 FNIA)
- No separate federal fee; the issue is subject to the permit fee (initial issue of B permit).
- Cantons often charge a processing fee of CHF 300-800 for in-depth hardship case proceedings.
- Geneva "Papyrus" procedure: processing fee CHF 350-650, depending on the effort involved.
Regularisation of undocumented migrants
- Procedures such as hardship cases (see above).
- Additional fees for the late payment of AHV contributions (separate authority, cantonal compensation fund).
Family reunification from third countries
- Visa fee at Swiss foreign representation: typically CHF 75-90 per visa (Schengen short-stay; national visa D approximately CHF 100-160).
- Additional translation and apostille costs for foreign documents (birth, marriage, and criminal record certificates): typically CHF 200-800 per family member applying for reunification.
7. What this overview does NOT include
- Solicitors’ fees — these are governed by cantonal bar acts and are not covered here.
- Translation fees exceeding the standard rate — charges may vary for exotic languages or short-notice assignments.
- Tax implications of migration (change of withholding tax, gaps in AHV contributions) — see Change of employer and residence permit.
- LAMal premiums — see Data protection at SwissImmigrationPro under the keyword "compulsory insurance" and the official premium comparison portal priminfo.admin.ch.
8. Updating Protocol
HARD GLOSSARY — non-negotiable Swiss federal codes / agency names.
- "AIG" → "FNIA"
- "Ausländer- und Integrationsgesetz" → "Federal Act on Foreign Nationals and Integration"
- "VZAE" → "OASA"
- "BüG" → "SCA"
- "Bürgerrechtsgesetz" → "Swiss Citizenship Act"
- "FZA" → "AFMP"
- "Freizügigkeitsabkommen" → "Agreement on the Free Movement of Persons"
- "AsylG" → "AsylA"
- "Asylgesetz" → "Asylum Act"
- "nDSG" → "revFADP"
- "DSG" → "FADP"
- "SEM" → "SEM"
- "Staatssekretariat für Migration" → "State Secretariat for Migration"
- "BVGer" → "FAC"
- "Bundesverwaltungsgericht" → "Federal Administrative Court"
- "Bundesgericht" → "Federal Supreme Court"
- "Fedlex" → "Fedlex"
- "Aufenthaltsbewilligung B" → "B residence permit"
- "Niederlassungsbewilligung C" → "C settlement permit"
- "Kurzaufenthaltsbewilligung L" → "L short-term permit"
- "Grenzgängerbewilligung G" → "G cross-border permit"
- "Vorläufige Aufnahme F" → "F provisional admission"
- "Schutzstatus S" → "S protection status"
- "Asylsuchende N" → "N asylum-seeker permit"
- "Einbürgerung" → "Naturalisation"
- "erleichterte Einbürgerung" → "facilitated naturalisation"
- "ordentliche Einbürgerung" → "ordinary naturalisation"
- "Familiennachzug" → "family reunification"
- "Härtefall" → "hardship case"
- "Kantonales Migrationsamt" → "cantonal migration office"
- "OCPM" → "OCPM"
- "MIDI" → "MIDI"
- "SPOP" → "SPOP"
- "MEBEKO" → "MEBEKO"
- "BGFA" → "LLCA"
- "Anwaltsregister" → "cantonal bar register"
- "Apostille" → "apostille"
- "Schengen" → "Schengen"
- "Schengen-Overstay" → "Schengen overstay"
- "Wegweisung" → "removal"
- "Widerruf" → "revocation"
- "Beschwerde" → "appeal"
- "Verfügung" → "ruling"
- "Anmeldung" → "registration of arrival"
- "Genossenschaft" → "cooperative society"
- "Beirat" → "advisory board"
- "Redaktion" → "editorial team"
