Which permit do I need for Switzerland?
Which permit you need depends on three things: your nationality, the purpose and the length of your stay. Thanks to free movement, EU/EFTA nationals usually have an entitlement; people from other countries are admitted to work only as qualified workers and within quotas. The finder shows you the right permit and the law articles behind it.
🔒 The result is worked out in your browser only. Nothing is stored or sent.
Every route at a glance
| Plan | EU/EFTA | United Kingdom | other countries |
|---|---|---|---|
| Visit up to three months | No permit none needed | No permit none needed | No permit none needed |
| Work under three months, qualified | Online notification none needed | L permit discretion | L permit discretion |
| Work of three to twelve months, qualified | L permit entitled | L permit discretion | L permit discretion |
| Work of a year or more, qualified | B permit entitled | B permit discretion | B permit discretion |
| Cross-border commuter | G permit entitled | G permit possible | G permit possible |
| Family of a Swiss citizen | B permit entitled | B permit entitled | B permit entitled |
| Family of a C permit holder | B permit entitled | B permit entitled | B permit entitled |
| Family of a B permit holder | B permit discretion | B permit discretion | B permit discretion |
| Education | B permit entitled | B permit possible | B permit possible |
| Retirement, from 55 with ties to Switzerland | B permit entitled | B permit discretion | B permit discretion |
| Living without working | B permit entitled | No permit unlikely | No permit unlikely |
Discretion means: no entitlement, the canton decides. Family: the person in Switzerland is not an EU/EFTA national.
Work permits in Switzerland: rules, priority, quotas →
Family reunification in Switzerland: who, when and on what conditions →
B permit: the residence permit →
C permit: the settlement permit →
L permit: the short-term residence permit →
G permit: the cross-border commuter permit →
All permits compared →
Moving to and from Switzerland →
Sources: FSO: demographic balance and permanent resident population by permit type · FNIA · VZAE · SCA · SEM · SEM EU/EFTA · SLI-2026-10-10.39
Frequently asked questions
Which permit do I need for Switzerland?
It depends on your nationality, the purpose and the length of your stay. Staying longer than three months or working here usually needs a permit; for work by EU/EFTA nationals of under three months per calendar year, the online notification is enough.
Does the finder store my answers?
No. The result is worked out in your browser only; nothing is stored or sent.
Is the result binding?
No. The finder summarises the laws and federal pages. The cantonal migration office decides on your permit.
Does the finder cover the asylum procedure?
No. The N, F and S permits are not a route anyone chooses. Figures and explanations are on the page about all permits.
Information, not legal advice. The laws and the decision of the cantonal migration office are authoritative.
All content is purely informational and constitutes no financial, investment, insurance, pension, tax or legal advice, and no recommendation for decisions. No advisory or client relationship is created. Consult licensed professionals for decisions. Beta: errors are possible and all information is provided without guarantee. Privacy: Google Analytics only with your consent; otherwise only cookieless, aggregated statistics; no advertising, no data sales.