Moving to Basel

Before you arrive: what to prepare

A move to Basel goes more smoothly when a few things are arranged before you land. Confirm your employment contract and, where relevant, your work permit process with your employer or HR department, since this affects your legal ability to reside and take up work in Switzerland.

Gather documents you will be asked for repeatedly during your first weeks: passport, birth and marriage certificates (with certified translations if not in English, French or German), academic and professional qualifications, and proof of health insurance arrangements from your home country if you plan to bring them.

If you are relocating with family, start researching schooling options early. Basel has a mix of public schools, which teach in German, and a small number of international schools, and places at the more sought-after international schools can fill up well before the start of the academic year.

• •Employment contract and permit documentation
• •Passport and family civil status documents
• •Proof of qualifications and professional credentials
• •School applications, if moving with children
• •A provisional budget for setup costs (deposit, agency fees, first purchases)

Finding housing in Basel

Housing is the step that most often slows down a relocation to Basel. The rental market is tight, particularly for larger family apartments and for anything near the city centre or the well-regarded school catchment areas, and landlords typically ask for a complete application file before they will even consider a viewing.

A standard file includes proof of income or an employer confirmation letter, a copy of your passport or residence permit, and often an extract from the debt collection register (Betreibungsregisterauszug), which new arrivals cannot yet provide and which agencies usually accept to waive or replace with alternative guarantees for internationals.

Many newcomers start in temporary or furnished accommodation for the first weeks while they view apartments in person, since some agencies are reluctant to confirm a lease sight unseen. Viewings tend to move quickly, and being ready to decide on the spot is often the difference between securing an apartment and losing it to another applicant.

Registering with the commune and getting your residence permit

Once you have an address in Basel, you must register with the local residents' registration office (Einwohnerdienste) within the deadline set by the canton, typically within a couple of weeks of arrival. This registration is the step that triggers your residence permit application if you are not a Swiss or, in some cases, an EU/EFTA national with simplified procedures.

Bring your rental contract, passport, employment contract and any family documents to this appointment. The office will also register you for compulsory health insurance purposes and communal taxes, so keep a copy of everything you submit.

Basel-Stadt has its own cantonal administration, distinct from Basel-Landschaft, and the exact office and required documents can differ depending on which side of the cantonal border your apartment falls on, so confirm the correct registration office before your appointment.

Setting up daily life

With registration done, the remaining setup follows a fairly standard sequence: opening a Swiss bank account, arranging compulsory health insurance within the legal deadline, and connecting utilities if these are not already included in your rent.

Basel is compact and well served by trams and buses, and many residents find they do not need a car for daily life within the city. If you plan to commute across the border from France or Germany, factor in cross-border transport links and, where relevant, vehicle registration rules.

Basel's international community is concentrated around the life sciences and pharmaceutical sector, and expat groups, sports clubs and language exchanges are a practical way to build a network in a city that can otherwise feel reserved to newcomers at first.

• •Open a Swiss bank account
• •Arrange compulsory health insurance
• •Register utilities (electricity, internet) if not included
• •Explore public transport passes for trams and buses
• •Look into expat groups and local associations