Atlas des passeports
Suisse

Atlas des passeports

Suisse 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.

VoyageImmigration

Openness rank

#92

Entry openness

93

Sans visa

93

Briefing updated

2026-09

Fiche pays

Capitale

Bern

Population

9.1 million

Superficie

41,290 km²

Monnaie

Swiss franc CHF

Langue

French, Italian, Swiss German

Fuseau

UTC+01:00

Nés à l’étranger

2.8 million · 2024

Part de migrants

31.1%

Groupes ethniques · 2020

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

Nés à l’étranger : stock de migrants de l’ONU via la Banque mondiale (surtout 2024). Les groupes ethniques suivent les catégories publiées de chaque pays. La plupart ne recensent pas la couleur de peau. Indicatif seulement.

Visas et voies d’immigrationListe d’exemption de visaDossiers et photo d’identitéVisa siteImmigration site

À qui s’adresse ce guide

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

Visiter et durée de séjour

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.

Travail et résidence

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.

Résidence permanente et nationalité

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

Entrée des passeports populaires

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 “Visa requis”. 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 “Sans visa”. typical stay on the matrix is 90 days. The port and mission are authoritative.

Guides connexes

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.