Pass-Atlas
Schweiz

Pass-Atlas

Schweiz travel, immigration and PR

Switzerland is Schengen but not EU: 90/180 for short stays, cantonal-quota B permits to live, and C settlement whose years depend on nationality.

ReisenEinwanderung

Openness rank

#92

Entry openness

93

Visumfrei

93

Briefing updated

2026-09

Länderprofil

Hauptstadt

Bern

Bevölkerung

9.1 million

Fläche

41,290 km²

Währung

Swiss franc CHF

Sprache

French, Italian, Swiss German

Zeitzone

UTC+01:00

Im Ausland geboren

2.8 million · 2024

Migrantenanteil

31.1%

Ethnische Gruppen · 2020

  • Swiss69.2%
  • other16.7%
  • German4.2%
  • Italian3.2%
  • Portuguese2.5%
  • French2.1%
  • Other2.1%

Im Ausland Geborene: UN-Migrantenbestand über die Weltbank (meist 2024). Ethnische Gruppen folgen den veröffentlichten Kategorien des Landes. Die meisten Staaten erheben keine Hautfarbe. Nur Richtwerte.

Visa und EinwanderungswegeVisa-freie ListeUnterlagen und PassfotosVisa siteImmigration site

Für wen dieser Ratgeber ist

For Alpine trips, high-salary hires of Swiss firms, and families comparing B and C permits.

Einreise und Aufenthalt

Schengen 90/180 applies. Chinese passports file a Schengen visa with Switzerland as main destination when relevant. Visitors cannot work. Cross-border commuters use a G permit.

Arbeiten und Wohnen

Third-country work needs a cantonal labour-market test and a quota; B permits are employer-tied. EU/EFTA nationals have a looser regime. Study and family rules vary by canton.

Niederlassung und Staatsangehörigkeit

A C permit is often about ten years for third-country nationals, five for some treaty countries. C is not a passport. Naturalisation needs longer residence, language and a communal decision or review. Confirm with SEM.

Time to PR：Faster for EU/US/CA (~5 years); others often 10

Einreise beliebter Pässe

FAQ

Is a Swiss B permit PR?

No. B is time-limited and usually tied to an employer or family. C is the settlement permit.

Does a Schengen visa let you work in Switzerland?

No. Short stays have no work right. Employment needs a cantonal work/residence permit.

Does a Chinese passport need a visa?

On this site’s matrix the result is “Visum erforderlich”. confirm length of stay with the destination. The port and mission are authoritative.

Does a US passport need a visa?

On this site’s matrix the result is “Visumfrei”. typical stay on the matrix is 90 days. The port and mission are authoritative.

Verwandte Ratgeber

Handbooks summarise public sources so you can cross-check the visa matrix and policy playbooks. They are not legal advice. Quotas, stay lengths and visa-free lists move — confirm with the destination government and its missions before you travel or file.