Your first 90 days in Switzerland: the arrival checklist
The visa got you in — this is what turns you into a functioning resident: the registration clock, the ID number everything else depends on, and the money, healthcare, and license steps in the order they actually unlock. Each step links the official source so you can verify the current rule.
Checked against official sources · September 2026 · how we verify
The catch that burns new arrivals
Health insurance is mandatory, private, and backdated: ignore it for three months and you receive a bill for three months of premiums plus an assigned insurer chosen for you. Choose your own policy in the first weeks — the price difference between insurers for identical statutory cover is large.
The checklist, in the order it unlocks
Register in person at your commune's residents' office (Einwohnerkontrolle / contrôle des habitants) and collect the residence permit
Within 14 days of arrival, and before you start work — the communal registration is a legal duty with a fine attached
Switzerland is administered by the cantons and communes, not federally, so the office, the forms, the fees and even the language change when you cross a cantonal border. Take the lease, passport, permit approval and photos to the first appointment.
Get your AHV/AVS number (social security number)
Payroll, pension, health insurance and the cantonal tax authority all key off it; it appears on your insurance card.
Assigned automatically once you are registered and employed or insured — the employer or your health insurer triggers it; you do not apply for it directly.
Open a bank account
UBS, PostFinance and the cantonal banks open accounts on the permit and registration confirmation, with account-keeping fees that are normal here and startling elsewhere. US persons face the hardest FATCA screening of any country on this list — several banks decline outright, so identify a US-person-friendly institution before you arrive.
Enrol in healthcare
Basic health insurance (LaMal/KVG) is compulsory and PRIVATE: you must buy a policy from an approved insurer within three months of arrival, and cover is then backdated to your arrival date so there is no gap — and no escape from the premiums either. Compare on the federal comparison service; the deductible you choose materially changes the monthly cost.
Sort your driver's license
A foreign licence is valid for 12 months from taking up residence; before that year ends you must exchange it for a Swiss licence at the cantonal road traffic office. Licences from many countries exchange on paper, others require a control drive — and missing the 12-month deadline means starting the Swiss process from the beginning.
Deadlines and requirements vary by nationality, visa type, and region, and they change — this is information current as of 2026, not legal or immigration advice. Verify each step with the official source before you rely on it.
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First 90 days in Switzerland: FAQ
What do I have to do first after arriving in Switzerland?
Register in person at your commune's residents' office (Einwohnerkontrolle / contrôle des habitants) and collect the residence permit — Within 14 days of arrival, and before you start work — the communal registration is a legal duty with a fine attached. Switzerland is administered by the cantons and communes, not federally, so the office, the forms, the fees and even the language change when you cross a cantonal border. Take the lease, passport, permit approval and photos to the first appointment. Verify the current rule with the official source before you rely on it.
What is the AHV/AVS number and do I need one?
AHV/AVS number (social security number) is Switzerland's personal tax/ID number. Payroll, pension, health insurance and the cantonal tax authority all key off it; it appears on your insurance card. Assigned automatically once you are registered and employed or insured — the employer or your health insurer triggers it; you do not apply for it directly.
Can I drive in Switzerland on a US license?
A foreign licence is valid for 12 months from taking up residence; before that year ends you must exchange it for a Swiss licence at the cantonal road traffic office. Licences from many countries exchange on paper, others require a control drive — and missing the 12-month deadline means starting the Swiss process from the beginning. Rules differ by nationality and change — check the official source before the window closes.
How do I get healthcare after moving to Switzerland?
Basic health insurance (LaMal/KVG) is compulsory and PRIVATE: you must buy a policy from an approved insurer within three months of arrival, and cover is then backdated to your arrival date so there is no gap — and no escape from the premiums either. Compare on the federal comparison service; the deductible you choose materially changes the monthly cost. See our healthcare-systems guide for how Switzerland's system treats foreign residents.