Picture a couple arriving from Singapore with two school-age children. The flat keys are in their hands, the boxes are arriving next week, and nobody has a working phone number yet. This page is for that moment. It walks through the everyday "household plumbing" of a Swiss move: mobile phone, internet, electricity, mail and the radio and TV fee, so that nothing is left to the last minute.
None of this is complicated, but it is different from what many newcomers know from the UK, the US, India or the Gulf. Some things happen automatically in Switzerland. Others need a small action on your side. Knowing which is which saves a lot of stress.
The order that works
Most families find the same sequence is the smoothest. The first step happens before you leave, and the rest follow your arrival.
The registration step matters because the municipality's records feed several other systems. Our guide to your relocation calendar shows how these steps fit around a permit and a lease.
Registering with the municipality first
On arrival, you register with the municipality where you live. Under the information currently on the Swiss authorities' portal, this is done within 14 days, though the exact rule can vary by municipality or canton (ch.ch). At the counter, people usually bring an ID document, the residence or work permit and proof of health insurance.
Why start here? Because the registration creates your official address. Providers of utilities, and the body that collects the radio and TV fee, rely on registers that are linked to the municipality. If you register first, many later steps become simple. If you have not yet sorted a permit, the permit finder explains the two regimes, one for EU/EFTA citizens and one for citizens of other countries.
Health insurance has its own rule. Basic health insurance is compulsory for people living in Switzerland, to be taken out at the latest three months after taking up residence. If the deadline is met, cover is retroactive to the date of arrival (FOPH). It is worth thinking about it at the same time as your phone and power, even though it is a different system.
Mobile phone: getting a Swiss number
A Swiss number is useful almost immediately. Landlords, schools, doctors, delivery drivers and many banking apps expect a local number.
Before you arrive
- Keep your foreign SIM or eSIM working for the first days, so that you can still receive verification codes from your home bank.
- Check whether your current handset is unlocked. A locked phone cannot take a Swiss SIM.
- Keep a photo of your passport and, if you have it, your permit. Operators ask for identity when you buy a plan.
Prepaid, subscription or both
The choice is the same as in many countries. Prepaid is flexible and has no long commitment, which suits the first weeks while your address and permit are still being sorted. A subscription is usually cheaper per month over time but may come with a minimum term and a notice period, so it is worth reading the cancellation conditions before signing.
A family often mixes the two: a subscription for the working adult, prepaid cards for teenagers or for the first month. Swiss operators sell both in shops and online, and a comparison of plans is easy to find. Registration of the SIM against an identity document is part of the process.
Roaming and your old number
Many newcomers keep their home number for banking and family contacts. If you do, check how your home plan treats roaming in Switzerland, which is outside the EU for most roaming schemes. A second number or a dual-SIM phone is a simple solution.
Internet and TV at home
In a rented flat, the connection is often already installed in the wall. Activation is then a matter of choosing a provider and booking a date. Because activation can take some time, ordering as soon as you have the lease date is a good habit.
Ask the landlord or the property manager which connection types the building has, and whether a cable outlet is included in the rent. The ancillary-costs statement sometimes covers a basic cable connection, which is a point to clarify before you take out a separate TV package.
If you arrive with a temporary stay, a mobile hotspot can bridge the gap. It is a practical way to avoid a long wait with no home connection.
Electricity: how it works for tenants
In Switzerland, electricity is usually supplied by a local utility that serves your area. For most tenants the choice of supplier is not a big decision. What matters is knowing how your building handles it.
Typical situations:
- The utility bills you directly. You register your name and move-in date, and give the meter reading from the day you move in.
- The landlord includes it in the ancillary costs. Common in older or shared buildings, where a monthly advance payment is part of the rent.
- A shared or sub-metered setup. Usually explained in the lease.
On arrival day, photograph the meter and write the reading in the handover report. It protects you if there is ever a dispute about consumption before your arrival. The same habit helps when you leave and need to close the account.
The sockets also differ from those in the UK, the US or India. Swiss plugs have their own shape, and adapters are cheap and sold everywhere. Family members who bring expensive devices often check voltage compatibility before they ship them. A plug adapter in the hand luggage solves the first night.
For a sense of how household bills fit into a monthly budget, see the cost of living in Switzerland, and if you are weighing a move from home, the comparisons with the UK and the US add useful context.
Post: getting your letters
Mail in Switzerland is reliable, and most buildings have a mailbox per flat. Two details catch newcomers out.
First, the name on the mailbox. Postal workers deliver to the name shown on the box, so a new tenant needs a label with the surname, and, for a couple with different surnames, both. An unlabeled box can mean returned letters, including important ones from the migration office or the insurer.
Second, the sender sees your address only if you give it. After registering with the municipality, update your address with your employer, your school, your doctor and your bank. Official letters from authorities are often sent by post, and some need a signature at the post office, so a collection slip in the box should not be ignored.
If you want letters from your old home to follow you, the national postal service offers forwarding and temporary address changes. Check conditions with the service itself.
The radio and TV fee
Switzerland charges a household fee for radio and TV, whether or not you own a TV. It is paid per household, not per person or per device, so a family of five pays the same as a single person living alone.
In 2026, the fee is CHF 335 per household per year (OFCOM). A reduction has been decided: CHF 312 from 2027 and CHF 300 from 2029 (OFCOM). Because these figures come from press reports and are due to be confirmed, it is wise to check the current amount on the federal office's website before budgeting.
There is usually nothing to apply for. The collection body, Serafe, takes the addresses from the municipal registers, so the first invoice arrives by post once you are registered. If the invoice does not come, it is most often because the registration has not yet reached the register, or because the letter went to a mailbox with no name on it. Contact the collection body through its official website.
Flatmates are treated as one household when they share a flat, which is a common question for students and young professionals. How exactly the rules apply to a specific living arrangement is a question for the fee body.
A short checklist
- Photograph the electricity meter and note the reading in the handover report
- Put the family's surnames on the mailbox
- Register with the municipality
- Buy or activate a Swiss SIM, and keep the home number for banking
- Book the internet activation date as soon as the lease date is known
- Agree with the landlord how electricity is billed
- Watch for the first radio and TV fee invoice
- Update your address with employer, school, bank and doctor
A personalized version of this list is available in the moving checklist tool. If you would rather have help with all this, the request form lets you describe your move, and a relocation company that fits your needs can get in touch. A partner joining you may also be interested in support for partners and families.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need a Swiss phone number right away?
It is very useful from the first days, because landlords, schools and many apps ask for a local number. Many people keep their foreign SIM for the first week and buy a Swiss prepaid card on arrival.
Can I use my home phone in Switzerland?
Yes, if it is unlocked. A locked handset only works with the SIM of its original operator. Check this before you leave.
Is prepaid or a subscription better for newcomers?
Prepaid offers flexibility while your address and permit are being sorted. A subscription often costs less over time but can come with a minimum term, so read the cancellation conditions first.
Does a SIM card need identity documents?
Yes. Operators register the SIM against an identity document, so bring your passport or ID card.
Can I keep my foreign number?
Yes, and many people do for banking and family contacts. Check your home plan's roaming conditions for Switzerland, or use a dual-SIM phone.
Will my phone work for roaming in Switzerland?
It depends on your home operator. Switzerland is not part of the EU roaming scheme, so some plans treat it differently. Ask your operator before you travel.
How long does it take to get internet at home?
It depends on the building and the provider. Activation can take some days or longer, so ordering as soon as the lease date is known is a good habit.
Is a TV or cable connection included in the rent?
Sometimes. The ancillary-costs statement in the lease can include a basic cable connection. Ask the landlord or property manager.
Who supplies electricity in Switzerland?
Usually a local utility that serves your area. For most tenants the supplier is set by the location, and the key question is whether you are billed directly or through the landlord.
What if my landlord includes electricity in the rent?
Then there is usually a monthly advance payment within the ancillary costs, and an annual statement. The lease explains how it works.
Do I need to read the meter when I move in?
It is a good habit. Photograph it and note the reading in the handover report, which protects against disputes later.
Will my electrical devices work in Switzerland?
Swiss sockets have their own shape, so an adapter is needed. Voltage compatibility depends on the device, so check the label on the charger or appliance before shipping.
Do I pay the radio and TV fee if I have no TV?
Yes. The fee is charged per household, whether or not you own a TV or radio.
How much is the radio and TV fee?
In 2026, it is CHF 335 per household per year (OFCOM), with a reduction decided to CHF 312 from 2027 and CHF 300 from 2029 (OFCOM). Check the current figure on the official website.
Do I have to apply for the radio and TV fee?
No application is needed in the usual case. Serafe takes the addresses from the municipal registers, so the invoice follows your registration.
I registered but received no fee invoice. Why?
Often the registration has not yet reached the register, or the letter did not reach a mailbox that lacked a name label. The collection body's official website explains how to get in touch.
Do flatmates pay one fee or several?
People sharing a flat are generally treated as one household. For a specific arrangement, ask the fee body.
Does the fee depend on income or family size?
The fee is one per household, so family size does not change it. Questions about special cases go to the collection body.
How soon do I register with the municipality?
The information on the Swiss authorities' portal gives 14 days, though this can vary by municipality or canton (ch.ch). Check with yours.
What do I bring to the municipal office?
Usually an ID document, the residence or work permit and proof of health insurance. Your municipality's website lists the exact items.
When does health insurance need to be in place?
Basic health insurance is compulsory and is to be taken out at the latest three months after taking up residence. When the deadline is respected, cover is retroactive to the date of arrival (FOPH).
What if I have a car as well?
Vehicles bring their own steps. See bringing your car to Switzerland for how that works.
Where do tax questions fit in?
They are a separate topic. The guide to your first Swiss tax return explains the general rules, and a specialist can look at an individual situation.
Why does my mail come back to the sender?
Usually because the name on the mailbox does not match the address label. Add every surname living in the flat.