Moving from France to Switzerland: your roadmap

Moving from France to Switzerland: the checklist

The move itself is quickly organised – the formalities in two countries take longer. A clear sequence makes sure nothing is left undone:

• Before: sort out your employment contract, accommodation and notice periods in France
• Before: inform your tax office, CPAM, mutuelle, CAF and insurers
• When you move: declare your household goods at customs
• First days: register with your municipality, apply for your permit
• Within three months: take out Swiss health insurance
• In the first year: register your car, exchange your driving licence, file your French tax return

Before you move: wrapping things up in France

France has no obligation to deregister as Germany does. However, you should inform your tax office (centre des finances publiques), your health insurance fund (CPAM), your mutuelle (supplementary health insurance) and – if you have children – the CAF (family allowance office) that you are moving abroad.

Contracts such as your mutuelle, home or car insurance can generally be terminated early when you move abroad. Cancel them in good time so that you do not pay twice.

Residence permit B, L or C for French nationals

Thanks to the free movement of persons, French nationals with a permanent employment contract or a contract of at least one year generally receive the B residence permit; for shorter contracts, the L permit. After five years, the C settlement permit is generally possible.

Your permit also determines how you are taxed: with a B permit you are usually taxed at source, with a C permit through an ordinary tax return.

Registering with your municipality

In Switzerland, you generally register with your municipality of residence within 14 days of moving – in French-speaking Switzerland at the contrôle des habitants. Bring your passport or identity card, employment contract, tenancy agreement and, for family members, civil status documents.

• Complete your municipal registration and permit application
• Check your AHV/OASI number and payslip with your employer
• Open a Swiss bank account for your salary and rental deposit
• Compare and take out health insurance
• Notify banks, insurers and authorities in your home country of your change of address

Health insurance after the move: three months to decide

Once you live and work in Switzerland, your cover through the Sécurité sociale (French social security) generally ends. You must take out insurance with a Swiss health insurer within three months. If you sign up in time, cover applies retroactively from the date you moved; if you are late, only from the date you join and with a premium surcharge.

Unlike in France, in Switzerland you pay a premium per person, regardless of income. Depending on the canton and your income, premium reductions are available. Choosing the right deductible (franchise) and model – for example with a family doctor or telephone consultation first – is important.

There is no mutuelle in the French sense. Benefits beyond basic health insurance (KVG/LAMal) are covered by supplementary insurance, which is voluntary and usually requires a health check.

Taxes: the year you leave and your first year in Switzerland

For the year you move away, you still file a tax return in France for your income up to the move. In Switzerland, with a B permit you are usually taxed at source; depending on the canton, your income and situation, a tax return may also be required or advantageous.

A subsequent ordinary assessment is compulsory above a certain annual income. On a voluntary basis it often pays off if you contribute to pillar 3a, have high work-related expenses or pay maintenance. The application usually has to be made by the end of March of the following year – after that, the withholding tax deduction stands.

If you keep property or income in France, additional rules apply under the double taxation agreement. Property is generally still taxed in France but must also be declared in Switzerland. We clarify with you what needs to be declared where.

Retraite, AHV/OASI and retirement planning

The pension entitlements you have built up in France are retained. Later on, each country generally pays its own pension for the contribution periods completed there.

In Switzerland, you pay into AHV/OASI from the day you start work and – above a certain salary – into a BVG pension fund. Pillar 3a complements your retirement savings with tax advantages and is particularly worthwhile if you file a tax return.

Family: family allowances, children and school

If you move with children, family benefits in France (for example through the CAF) generally end when you leave. In Switzerland, you receive family allowances through your employer; the amount depends on the canton. Like adults, children must be insured with a health insurer within three months.

Schooling is organised by your municipality of residence. Register your children at the same time as yourself and ask about school start dates, childcare and language courses.

Accommodation and other insurance

For a rented flat, landlords usually ask for a deposit of up to three months' rent in a blocked account and often proof of personal liability insurance. Household contents insurance is generally voluntary, but some cantons require cover for fire damage.

For radio and television, the federal government levies a household fee, which is billed automatically based on your municipal registration. Contracts from France usually cannot be continued – so plan your new policies in good time.

Car, household goods and driving licence

Household goods and a vehicle you have already been using can generally be imported duty-free as removal goods. You then have the vehicle inspected and registered in Switzerland. You exchange your French driving licence for a Swiss one within twelve months.

Common mistakes when moving from France

These points often lead to unnecessary costs:

• Health insurance taken out too late – without retroactive cover and with a premium surcharge
• Mutuelle still being paid although it is no longer of use in Switzerland
• French tax return for the year of departure forgotten
• French property not declared in Switzerland
• Deductible and model chosen without comparison

How PROFINIO supports your move

Your dedicated contact person plans the steps in France and Switzerland with you, compares health insurers before the deadline expires and clarifies taxes in both countries. In the client portal you upload your documents and see what is coming up next. We advise you in French, German, Italian or English.

Frequently asked questions