Swiss relocation glossary

Permit and immigration terms

Swiss residence permits are commonly referred to by a letter rather than a full name, and that letter is the first thing you will see on your residence card. The letter reflects your nationality, the purpose of your stay and how long the permit is granted for, not your profession or income level.

The distinction between EU/EFTA nationals and third-country nationals matters throughout this vocabulary: the same letter can follow a different process depending on which category you fall into. A dedicated guide on Swiss residence permit types explained walks through each letter, who qualifies, and what renewal looks like.

• •Permit B: initial residence permit, typically renewable, tied to your reason for staying (work, family reunification, study)
• •Permit C: settlement permit, granted after a qualifying period of residence, generally without the same conditions attached to a B permit
• •Permit L: short-term residence permit, tied to a fixed-term contract or assignment
• •Permit G: cross-border commuter permit, for people who live outside Switzerland and work inside it
• •Legitimation card: issued by the Federal Department of Foreign Affairs to staff of international organisations and diplomatic missions, and their accredited family members, in place of a standard residence permit

Housing and tenancy terms

The Swiss rental market runs on its own vocabulary, and a listing that looks straightforward can include several terms that do not translate directly from English. Getting these right before you sign avoids surprises at move-in and at the end of the lease.

The Swiss rental market explained covers the full rental process; the terms below are the ones you are most likely to see on a listing or in a lease before you get that far.

• •Charges (or Nebenkosten): a monthly or annual provision for heating, water and building running costs, billed separately from rent and reconciled against actual usage
• •Caution (rental deposit): funds held in a blocked bank account for the duration of the tenancy, typically capped by law at a set number of months of rent
• •État des lieux (Wohnungsabnahme): the formal inspection report completed when you move in and again when you move out, used to compare the condition of the property
• •Régie: the property management company that administers the building on behalf of the owner and handles day-to-day tenant requests
• •Préavis (Kündigungsfrist): the notice period you must give before ending a lease, set out in your contract and by cantonal practice

Everyday administrative terms

Beyond permits and housing, a handful of recurring terms cover the day-to-day administration of life in Switzerland: registering with your commune, health insurance, and the basic social security framework.

These are the terms that appear on official letters and forms once you have arrived, and knowing what they refer to helps you recognise which piece of paperwork you are looking at.

• •Commune (Gemeinde): the local municipal authority where you register your address and handle most local administrative matters
• •Contrôle des habitants (Einwohnerkontrolle): the residents' registration office within the commune where you declare arrival, departure or change of address
• •LAMal: the federal law governing compulsory basic health insurance, which every resident must take out within a set period after arrival
• •AVS/AHV number: the Swiss social security number, used across insurance, pension and administrative records
• •Franchise: the annual amount you agree to pay yourself before your health insurer starts covering costs, chosen when you select a policy

Where to go next

This glossary is a starting point, not a substitute for reading the guide that matches your situation. The cards below link to detailed explanations of permits, the rental market and other topics covered on this site.

If a term you encountered is not listed here, or you are unsure which category applies to you, a relocation consultant can walk through your specific documents with you.