The B permit in Switzerland: what it is, who gets it and how to apply

What the B permit is

The B permit is Switzerland's residence permit (Aufenthaltsbewilligung in German, autorisation de séjour in French). It's the permit for anyone settling in the country for more than a year: to work, to study or to live on their own means.

It's issued by the canton where you live once you've registered with the municipality, and it comes as a card. With it you can sign a rental or mobile contract, open a bank account without hassle and travel around the Schengen area.

B, L, G or C: which one is yours

First of all, check that the B is your permit. It depends mainly on how long your contract lasts and where you live:

You'll find the details of each one on our residence permits page.

If you're from the EU or EFTA

Thanks to the free movement agreement, if you're a citizen of the EU or EFTA (Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway) the B permit is almost a formality:

• With a job: you get it if you have a contract of at least 12 months or a permanent one. It's valid for 5 years and is renewed for another 5 if you still meet the requirements.
• Without a job: you're also entitled to it if you can show sufficient financial means and adequate health and accident insurance.
• Looking for work: you can arrive and search without a permit for the first few months. If it takes longer, ask your municipality about the job-seeker authorisation.

If you lose your job, you don't automatically lose the permit. That said: if you've been involuntarily unemployed for more than 12 months in a row, the first renewal may be limited to one year.

If you're from outside the EU

Here the road is longer and it's set by the company hiring you:

• The company applies for the permit before you travel, and has to show that it couldn't find a suitable candidate in Switzerland or the EU.
• There are annual quotas for people from outside the EU, shared out among the cantons.
• It's reserved for skilled profiles: in practice, a university degree and several years of experience in the field.
• The permit is usually granted for one year and renewed as long as you keep meeting the conditions.

If you're coming to study, the university guides you through the process and the permit is tied to your studies, with limits on working. Check with your university how many hours you can work before accepting anything.

How to apply, step by step

If you're from the EU, you don't apply for the B permit at a consulate: it's processed when you register with your municipality.

• 1. Get an address. To register you need accommodation you can prove. A temporary flat or a room will do.
• 2. Register with the municipality within 14 days of your arrival, and always before you start working. The office is called Einwohnerkontrolle or Kreisbüro in the German-speaking part and contrôle des habitants in the French-speaking part.
• 3. Bring the documents: passport or ID card, employment contract (or proof of enrolment), rental contract or landlord's confirmation and, if you're coming with your family, marriage and birth certificates. Some municipalities also ask for a passport photo.
• 4. Pay the fee. Each canton sets its own; ask for the amount when you book your appointment.
• 5. Wait for the card. It usually takes several weeks. In the meantime, your registration receipt is enough for most paperwork.

The deadlines you can't miss

• 14 days: registering with the municipality.
• 3 months: taking out basic health insurance, which is compulsory. If you do it late, you pay retroactively from the day you arrived and may be charged a surcharge.
• 12 months: converting your foreign driving licence. After that, you can no longer drive with it.

Need help with insurance? Our partner brokerage arranges it for free.

Taxes with a B permit

With a B permit you pay tax at source (Quellensteuer): your employer deducts it from your salary every month.

• If you earn 120,000 CHF gross a year or more, filing an ordinary tax return becomes compulsory. What has already been withheld counts as a payment on account.
• If you earn less, you can request an ordinary tax return voluntarily. It usually pays off if you have deductible expenses, such as pillar 3a contributions. The usual deadline to request it is 31 March of the following year; confirm it with your canton.

Renewal and changes

• Renewal: the canton usually notifies you before it expires. If you don't hear anything, request the renewal yourself before the date on the card.
• Moving: if you change municipality, you deregister in the old one and register in the new one.
• Changing jobs: if you're an EU citizen you can change employer freely; notify your municipality if your details change.

From B to C: permanent residence

The C permit gives you indefinite residence and leaves tax at source behind. When you can apply depends on your nationality:

• After 5 years if you're from Spain, Germany, France, Italy, Portugal, Austria, Belgium, the Netherlands, Denmark, Greece or Liechtenstein, thanks to the agreements these countries have with Switzerland.
• After 10 years in most other cases, although in some it can be granted earlier.

In every case you'll be asked to show you're integrated, which includes proving a basic level of your canton's language. Starting German or French in your first year saves you a rush later on.

Common mistakes

• Starting work before registering with the municipality.
• Leaving health insurance until the last minute and paying months in arrears.
• Accepting an 11-month contract without knowing it gets you an L permit, not a B permit.
• Moving to another canton without deregistering and re-registering.

If you want to be on the safe side, in a private call we go through your case and you leave with your steps listed in order.