Your 90-day financial checklist for moving to Switzerland
Do these twelve things, in this order, in your first 90 days in Switzerland. It covers registration, bank account, mandatory health insurance, withholding tax, pillar 3a and the small insurances landlords expect - the foundation everything else you read about Swiss personal finance sits on. Figures hedged as of 2025.
The companion to Just arrived and Settling in - the do-this-in-this-order version. We link out to the relevant service hubs for the why and the detail.
Land, register, get the essentials in place
The legal and admin foundation. Most of what follows in months 1 - 3 depends on these four items being done.
- 01
Register at your commune (Gemeinde / commune)
Federal rule: register at the Einwohnerkontrolle / contrôle des habitants of your commune within 14 days of arrival and before starting work. Bring passport, rental contract, employment contract, marriage and birth certificates (apostilled where required) and a passport photo. You receive an Anmeldebestätigung (registration confirmation) - this unlocks almost every next step.
- 02
Sort your residence permit basics
Your employer files the work-permit request; the commune triggers the residence-permit (Ausweis B / L / C / G) process when you register. EU/EFTA nationals get a permit quickly; non-EU nationals need their employer's quota approval first. Keep a copy of your permit decision letter - some banks accept it before the physical card arrives.
- 03
Get a Swiss mobile number and a clear postal address
A Swiss mobile number speeds up bank, insurance and authority sign-ups. Prepaid SIMs (Salt, Sunrise, Swisscom, Yallo, Wingo) work without a Swiss bank account; postpaid contracts run a ZEK check. Make sure your name is on the letterbox - Swiss post will not deliver to an unlabelled box.
- 04
Open a Swiss bank account
Once you have your Anmeldebestätigung, you can open a CHF salary account. Neobanks (Yuh, Neon, Zak) onboard in a day; traditional banks (UBS, cantonal banks, PostFinance, Migros Bank) are slower but stronger for mortgages and multi-currency. As of 2025 most providers complete onboarding online with a video ID step. See the finance hub for how to choose.
Lock in health insurance, payroll and tax
The biggest avoidable mistake new arrivals make is missing the 3-month health-insurance deadline. Do this block before week six.
- 05
Choose mandatory health insurance (KVG / LAMal)
Basic insurance is mandatory and benefits are identical by law across insurers - only price and service differ. Enrol within 3 months of taking up residence and cover backdates to your arrival date. Compare premiums (they vary sharply by canton and age), pick a deductible (Franchise) and a model (Standard, family doctor, HMO, Telmed). Use the premium comparison tool below.
- 06
Set up your salary account, standing orders and eBill
Give your employer the IBAN of your new CHF account so the first payslip lands cleanly. Set up Dauerauftrag (standing orders) for rent, and activate eBill in your e-banking so health-insurance, telecom and utility invoices arrive electronically. Set up TWINT in the same week - you will need it constantly.
- 07
Check your withholding-tax tariff (Quellensteuer)
If you hold a B, L or G permit (or a C permit but your spouse does not) your employer deducts tax at source. Confirm the tariff code on your first payslip matches your real family situation - wrong marital status or child allowances are the most common error and they cost real money each month. The taxes hub explains the codes.
Optimise tax, protect the household, plan ahead
With the basics running, the second half of your first 90 days is about not leaving money on the table - and protecting what you have built.
- 08
Open and fund pillar 3a
Pillar 3a is the single biggest legal tax deduction available to most employees. As of 2025 the cap is around CHF 7,258 for employees with a pension fund. Any contribution before 31 December reduces that year's taxable income; even a partial contribution counts. Use a low-cost pillar 3a investment account if you have a long horizon, a savings account if you may withdraw soon.
- 09
Decide on NOV / ordinary tax assessment
If you are taxed at source and earn under CHF 120,000, you can file a request for ordinary tax assessment (Nachträgliche ordentliche Veranlagung) by 31 March of the following year to claim pillar 3a, pillar 2 buy-ins, commute costs and other deductions. Above CHF 120,000 it happens automatically. Decide now so you keep the right paperwork.
- 10
Build a household budget in CHF
Swiss take-home pay looks high but rent, health insurance, taxes, and pension contributions absorb a meaningful share quickly. Map fixed costs (rent, KVG, transport, childcare) against net income, leave a buffer for the annual tax bill if you are not at source, and only then size savings and investing.
- 11
Take out personal liability and household contents insurance
Personal liability (Privathaftpflicht) is required by almost every Swiss landlord; household contents (Hausrat) covers your belongings against fire, water and theft. Often bundled together and inexpensive - a few hundred francs a year as of 2025. Add legal protection (Rechtsschutz) if you anticipate tenancy or employment disputes.
- 12
Plan your next steps (pension, investing, property)
By day 90 you have data: a real Swiss payslip, a clear tax position and a working budget. That is the right moment to plan voluntary pillar 2 buy-ins, an investment strategy in CHF, and - if it is on your horizon - a realistic timeline for buying property in Switzerland. The investments and finance hubs go deeper.
Common questions about the first 90 days
Do I really need to register at the commune within 14 days?
When does the 3-month deadline for health insurance actually start?
Should I open pillar 3a in my first year?
What is an NOV / tax recalculation request and do I need one?
Is this checklist a substitute for advice?
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