Geneva & Switzerland relocation guides
Practical guides for moving to, living in and leaving Switzerland.
Curated, experience-based guidance for executives, private bankers and international families relocating to Geneva, Vaud and other Swiss cantons. From housing and schools to banking, insurance and departure.
Use these guides alongside your RelocateSwiss planner, services and private client space for a structured, low-stress move.
How to use these guides with RelocateSwiss
- 1. Read the guide relevant to your phase (arrival, housing, schools, etc.).
- 2. Use the planner to structure dates, canton, family and services.
- 3. Select the services you want in the catalogue.
- 4. We turn it into a concrete action plan and private client timeline.
You don't need to have everything figured out. The guides are here to give you context; our team turns this into an operational plan.
Core relocation guide themes.
We organise our guides around the key decisions and risks you face when moving to or from Switzerland – especially in the Geneva and Lake Geneva area.
Arriving in Switzerland
Practical checklists for your first 30–90 days: permits, address registration, health insurance deadlines, bank accounts and key local registrations.
- • What to do in the first 10 days
- • What must be done in person vs. online
- • Typical timelines by canton
Housing & neighbourhoods
Guidance on how the Geneva and Vaud rental markets work, régies, dossiers, rent expectations and neighbourhood profiles.
- • Understanding régies and application files
- • Typical rent ranges by number of rooms
- • Commuting considerations (banks, schools, airport)
Linked with your Housing Search service and client housing shortlist.
Schools & education
Overview of public, private and international schooling options around Geneva, including curriculum choices and visit planning.
- • Swiss vs. international systems
- • IB, French, British and Swiss maturité routes
- • How we schedule school visits for you
See also: Schools overview page.
Banking & daily accounts
Context on opening Swiss accounts, private banking vs. retail, multi-currency usage and how we coordinate appointments if requested.
- • Documents typically requested by banks
- • Timelines to get operational
- • Daily banking vs. private banking relationships
Insurance & protection
How Swiss health, household, liability and car insurance work for expats, and how this integrates with your global situation.
- • Understanding LAMal and complementary cover
- • Typical requirements from landlords
- • Aligning cover with your move timing
More detail on the Insurance page.
Departure from Switzerland
Checklists and timelines to close your Swiss chapter cleanly: de-registration, contracts, deposit recovery and car scenarios.
- • When to inform régies and providers
- • How inspections and cleaning standards work
- • Managing utilities, insurance and car exit
See also the Departure page.
Integrated with your digital planner & client space.
The guides give you clarity; the RelocateSwiss planner and private client space turn this into concrete steps, dates and itineraries.
1. Planner
Capture your move type, canton, family and timing. This anchors everything we plan together.
Open the planner →2. Services & package
Use the services catalogue to choose arrival, housing, schooling, insurance and departure support.
Design your package →3. Private client space
Once you're onboarded, you see your personalised timeline, school & bank visits, housing shortlist and documents in one place.
This is where we turn guide concepts into concrete appointments, itineraries and confirmations.
Use the guides as a starting point – we build the plan with you.
Share your situation and we will combine these guides with concrete services and a private digital roadmap for your move to or from Switzerland.