Settling in services in Switzerland are there for the weeks right after you land: the paperwork at the town hall, the health insurance, the bank, the school place, the keys and the utility bills. Think of the move as two parts. Before you leave, you prepare from home. After you arrive, many small steps follow one another, and each one depends on the last.
Relocation Swiss does not carry out these steps itself. We connect you with a relocation company that fits your situation. This page explains what such help usually covers, what many people do alone, and what happens after you send a request.
What "settling in" really means
Picture a couple from Singapore with two school-age children, arriving on a Saturday. The flat is rented, the boxes are on the way. Then Monday comes, and the list begins.
Most settling-in help falls into a few groups:
- Registration: reporting your arrival to the local municipality (Gemeinde in German-speaking areas).
- Health insurance: arranging basic cover in time.
- Banking and bills: a local account, then payments for rent, electricity and internet.
- Home basics: the handover of the flat, the condition report, the mailbox, the waste rules.
- Family life: school or childcare enrollment and local transport passes.
- Driving and belongings: exchanging a foreign driving license and bringing household goods in.
The deadlines that matter
Two timings are worth knowing before you land.
First, arrival at the municipality. Reporting your arrival is generally due within 14 days (ch.ch). Rules can differ by municipality and canton, so the local office confirms the details. At the counter, people usually bring an identity document, their residence or work permit, and proof of health insurance.
Second, health insurance. Basic health insurance is compulsory for anyone living in Switzerland, and it is to be taken out within three months of taking up residence (FOPH). If that period is respected, cover is backdated to the day you took up residence, and premiums are due from that day. If it is missed, cover starts on the day of affiliation, a surcharge may apply for an unexcused delay, and the cantonal authority can assign an insurer.
Other timings, such as exchanging a driving license or importing household goods, depend on your situation and on the offices involved. A calendar helps you see them in order: try the relocation calendar.
Doing it yourself, or with help
Many people manage everything on their own, and that is a perfectly good choice when time is available and the language is familiar. Others prefer help, especially when work starts right away or children must be placed in school quickly.
Neither route changes who decides on permits: the authorities do. A company can prepare and explain, but it cannot promise an outcome.
How the matching works
- You describe your move. The form at the bottom of the page asks about your destination, your household and the help you want.
- Your request is read. We look at what you need: registration help, a home, a school, or a mix.
- You are put in touch with a relocation company that fits that need. Which one depends on the request.
- A first conversation takes place. You ask your questions, hear how they work, and decide whether to continue.
You are under no obligation after the first conversation. For the full picture, see how we help.
What to prepare from home
Before you travel, gather the papers that offices usually ask for: passports, civil documents, your contract or permit decision, and any insurance proof from your home country. If you want to understand your permit route first, the permit finder gives a quick orientation.
Families can build a personal list with the moving checklist tool, and look ahead with the first-months checklist. If you are moving alone, moving on your own covers that angle. Partners may also like support for your partner and family.
Questions to ask any provider
- Which steps exactly are covered, and which stay with me?
- Who is my contact, and how do we communicate?
- How are the fees set out, in writing, before I agree?
- What happens if an office asks for a missing document?
- Do you work in my canton?
For more on choosing well, read how to choose a relocation agency.
Related services
Some needs are bigger than the first weeks. Look at home search, school search, temporary housing or furnished housing for your first weeks. For city-specific help, there are pages for Zurich and Lucerne. Questions about visas belong on the immigration support page, and your first tax filing is explained in your first Swiss tax return.
Frequently asked questions
What are settling in services in Switzerland?
They are practical help for the first weeks after arrival: registration, insurance, banking, school, housing basics. A relocation company provides them, and we put you in touch with one.
Do I have to use a relocation company?
No. Many people do the steps themselves. Help is a choice, useful when time or language is tight.
How soon after arriving is registration due?
Reporting your arrival to the municipality is generally due within 14 days (ch.ch). The local office confirms its own rules.
What do I bring to the municipality?
Typically an identity document, your residence or work permit, and proof of health insurance. Check with the local office before you go.
When does health insurance have to start?
Basic health insurance is compulsory and is to be arranged within three months of taking up residence (FOPH).
What if the insurance deadline is missed?
Cover then starts on the day of affiliation. A surcharge can apply for an unexcused delay, and the canton may assign an insurer.
Can a relocation company get me a permit?
No. Only the authorities grant permits. A company can explain the process and help prepare documents.
Does Relocation Swiss name the companies it works with?
No. We match your request with a company that fits your need, and the first conversation introduces them.
Is there a cost to send a request?
The request itself is simply a way to describe your move. Any fees from a company are explained by that company before you agree.
Can my partner and children be included?
Yes. Say who is moving on the form, so the match takes the whole household into account. See partner support.
Can I get help with a driving license?
Exchange of a foreign license depends on your country and on the canton. The relevant office gives the details, and a provider can walk you through it.
What about bringing furniture and belongings?
Customs rules for household goods depend on your situation. A provider can explain the steps, and the customs office has the final word.
What happens after I send my request?
Your request is read, matched, and a company contacts you for a first conversation. You then decide whether to go further.