Only a handful of third-country citizens have received the so-called ‘golden visa’, which enables them to live in Switzerland — but their number has grown.
If you are not a citizen of the European Union or EFTA (Norway, Iceland, and Liechtenstein), your odds of being allowed to live in Switzerland are slim.
Unless, of course, you have very deep pockets, in which case, your chances improve vastly.
That’ because the Swiss are very pragmatic people, especially when it comes to making money.
A little known (except to the financially astute) and rarely used Article 30 of the Federal Aliens Act sets out exemptions from the regular, strict admission requirements.
It enables foreigners from third nations to move to Switzerland — but only if they are sufficiently wealthy to live here without having to work or resort to welfare benefits.
The law states that in cases of “important public interests” — that is, plenty of money in state coffers— cantons can grant citizens of third countries permissions to settle on their territories with a B residence permit.
These are the so-called “golden visas”, a term used to describe residency based on investment in local economy.
Advertisement
Few but mighty
In 2024 Switzerland issued 496 such permits.
While this may not be a huge number, it was 92 more individuals than in 2023.
Russian citizens top this very exclusive list — 94 of them benefited from a golden visa,
Next are Chinese nationals (51), British (49), and US (38).
How much they had paid for the privilege of living in Switzerland depends on the canton where they settled..
But the most expensive canton is Zurich, where a minimum lump sum is 1 million francs.
in Geneva, the cost is roughly 313,000 francs in tax revenue per year, and 415,000 in Vaud.
Obwalden, on the other hand, is among the most ‘affordable’ cantons — a mere 250,000 francs can buy you a residency permit.
READ ALSO: How wealthy foreigners can ‘buy’ Swiss residency
Have you managed to get a golden visa for Switzerland? We’d love to hear from you. Email us at news@thelocal.ch
