Should Hungarians move to Switzerland alone or as a couple?

What registration deadlines should we be aware of when arriving in Switzerland?

When moving to Switzerland, you must register with the municipality of residence within 14 days of arrival. Work may only be started after registration. Under the rules applicable in 2026, when moving to Switzerland from abroad for the first time, you must appear in person at the local office.

The registration requirement (Meldepflicht, Anmeldung) is not merely an administrative formality. It initiates registration in the local register and is also linked to the residence permit (Ausländerausweis, Aufenthaltsbewilligung).

Registration is carried out at the Gemeinde, or at the local residents' registration office known as the Einwohnerkontrolle. The office's exact name may vary from one municipality to another, but its role is the same: to register the residence and stay of a person arriving in Switzerland.

Which deadline applies to both members of a couple?

A 14-day deadline applies to both individuals moving to Switzerland. Even if both partners move into the same apartment, registration and entry in the register are handled separately for each person.

The practical order is as follows:

1. Arranging your residential address: an actual Swiss residence is required, which can be provided to the local authority.

2. In-person registration at the Gemeinde or Einwohnerkontrolle office: this cannot be handled exclusively online when arriving from abroad for the first time.

3. Employment may only begin after registration: this should be taken particularly seriously if one partner arrives with a Swiss employment contract already signed.

4. Arranging the residence permit: different legal grounds and procedures may apply to spouses and unmarried partners.

5. The mandatory health insurance must be taken out: this must be done within three months of registration.

The registration fee per person is typically between 20–100 CHF in 2026. The amount varies by canton and municipality, so it is advisable to check the specific Gemeinde fee schedule in advance.

Can a change of address be handled online?

When moving within Switzerland, the change of address may also be reported online via the eUmzugCH portal. However, this is not the same as moving to Switzerland from abroad for the first time.

When establishing residence in Switzerland for the first time, a personal appearance at the local municipal authority is required. A couple should therefore not assume that a previous online moving procedure within Switzerland can also be used when arriving from abroad.

How can a spouse or unmarried partner obtain a residence permit?

A spouse may obtain residence rights through family reunification, whereas an unmarried partner is not automatically eligible for the same procedure. In the case of the spouse of an EU/EFTA citizen, family reunification (Familiennachzug) under the FZA may apply, while a cohabiting partnership (Konkubinat) is assessed individually by the canton.

The difference between these two situations can be crucial if only one partner has an employment contract or an existing basis for residence in Switzerland.

What does family reunification mean for a spouse?

Family reunification (Familiennachzug) means that the spouse of an EU/EFTA citizen living in or moving to Switzerland may join them on the basis of their family relationship. According to the research dossier, spouses of EU/EFTA citizens are entitled to this under the FZA, the Agreement on the Free Movement of Persons.

For the spouse, this is not merely an opportunity to live together. A spouse arriving through family reunification receives an automatic right to work. This is particularly important where one partner secures a job in Switzerland first, while the other only begins looking for work after the move.

Marriage is therefore a legally stronger category in Switzerland from an immigration perspective than unmarried cohabitation. This is not a value judgement about different living arrangements, but a consequence of the rules governing family reunification.

Why is it riskier to move as an unmarried partner, in a Konkbinat arrangement?

An unmarried partnership (Konkubinat) is not automatically recognised in Switzerland at the federal level as a basis for family reunification. As a result, an unmarried partner’s move to Switzerland cannot be handled as if they were a spouse.

The unmarried partner’s entry and residence case may fall under cantonal jurisdiction and may require an individual hardship assessment. In this context, the term hardship permit (Härtefallbewilligung) may arise, but the procedure, required documentation and administrative practice may vary from canton to canton.

According to the dossier, when admitting an unmarried partner, the canton may request:

• *A written guarantee (Garantieerklärung):* the partner living in Switzerland or settling there may assume financial responsibility for their unmarried partner.

• Proof of a marriage-like cohabitation lasting several years: a relationship alone or an intention to build a future together may not necessarily be sufficient.

• A long-term commitment to provide support: according to the dossier, the guarantee may generally be valid for five years.

• Presentation of individual circumstances: since there is no automatic federal entitlement, the canton may examine the specific life situation.

Unmarried partners should therefore be particularly cautious about basing their relocation plans solely on the assumption that “we will just register together”. If one partner does not have their own employment contract or another independent basis for residence, the unmarried partner's case must be clarified with the competent authority in the destination canton before moving.

Can the Swiss landlord prohibit our partner from moving in with us?

As a general rule, the landlord or property manager may not prohibit a tenant's spouse or unmarried partner from moving into the apartment, even if the tenancy agreement was originally in only one person's name. An exception may apply in the case of overcrowding (Überbelegung).

The right to move in and the issue of a residence permit are two separate matters. The fact that the landlord cannot prohibit shared accommodation does not remove the unmarried partner's obligation to regularise the legal basis for their stay in Switzerland.

When must the landlord or property manager be notified?

The partner's move-in must be reported to the accommodation provider or landlord no later than within three months. According to the dossier, failure to provide notification may result in extraordinary termination.

The prudent approach is not to wait until the end of the three-month deadline. It is advisable to notify the landlord in writing of the partner's move-in, as this makes it possible to prove later that the tenant fulfilled their duty to inform.

What does apartment overcrowding mean?

Overcrowding (Überbelegung) is a situation in which the size or number of rooms in an apartment cannot be considered appropriate in relation to the number of occupants. As a rule of thumb, the dossier refers to the principle of “number of rooms plus one person”.

However, this is not a statutory formula that automatically applies to every situation. The characteristics of the property and the specific tenancy situation may also matter. A couple should therefore not rely solely on the fact that only one person was originally named in the contract: the actual capacity of the property must also be considered.

How much time do we have to arrange mandatory Swiss health insurance?

Mandatory Swiss basic health insurance must be taken out within three months of registration. Mandatory basic insurance falls under the KVG (Health Insurance Act) system and is a separate insurance matter for every person living in Switzerland.

There is no family health insurance in Switzerland that automatically covers a spouse, cohabiting partner and children under a single contract. Both members of a couple, as well as every child, need their own separate policy.

Why is it not enough for only one partner to take out insurance?

Marriage does not result in a joint health insurance contract. Nor does cohabitation. The insurance obligation is tied to the individual, so despite sharing a household, each family member or partner is registered as a separately insured person.

This is important for financial planning. In their relocation budget, a couple must account not for a single “family insurance” item, but for at least two separate basic insurance policies. Specific premiums may vary by canton, place of residence and insurance model; current premiums should be checked based on the chosen place of residence.

What happens if one partner arrives later?

If the partners do not move to Switzerland on the same day, their obligations and administrative deadlines may also differ. The three-month deadline must be calculated separately for each person from their own registration date.

It is therefore advisable to track the following separately in the couple’s relocation plan:

• the arrival date of the first partner;

• the arrival date of the second partner;

• the registration date of both individuals;

• the deadline for taking out their own health insurance policy;

• the status of any family reunification or cantonal cohabitation procedure.

What financial and tax differences are involved in living together as a married couple or as cohabiting partners?

Married spouses file a joint tax return, whereas cohabiting partners are taxed separately. Marriage affects AHV, the Swiss old-age and survivors’ insurance (Old-Age and Survivors’ Insurance) rules also have different implications than a cohabiting partnership.

The type of partnership therefore matters not only for the residence permit. It also affects the financial administration of the shared household, taxation and social insurance protection in the event of death.

How are spouses and cohabiting partners taxed?

Spouses are taxed jointly and therefore file a joint tax return. Cohabiting partners, by contrast, are separate taxpayers, so they are taxed separately and file separate tax returns.

The actual financial impact of joint or separate taxation may depend on the canton, municipality, income distribution and the household’s overall circumstances. Consequently, an accurate comparison of the tax burden of marriage and cohabitation cannot be derived solely from whether the tax return is filed jointly or separately.

What does the AHV 150% cap mean for married couples?

AHV is Switzerland’s first pillar, i.e. the state old-age and survivors’ insurance. According to the dossier, a married couple’s combined AHV pension is capped at 150% of the maximum individual pension.

This means that the combined AHV pensions of two married individuals may not exceed 150% of the maximum individual pension. This cap is a specific rule for married people that should be taken into account in long-term retirement planning.

What happens in the event of death in a cohabiting partnership?

According to the dossier, a cohabiting partner is not entitled to an AHV survivor’s pension in the event of death. This is one of the most significant long-term financial risks of cohabitation.

A shared home, shared expenses or long-term cohabitation alone do not have the same social security legal effects as marriage. Cohabiting partners moving to Switzerland should therefore consider not only entry and residence matters, but also the issue of longer-term financial protection.

From a Hungarian perspective, this is also important because a later return to Hungary, insurance periods accrued in several countries or support for family members in Hungary may further complicate the financial situation. Swiss AHV rules and pension-related issues in Hungary cannot simply be treated as a single “shared family” system.

Sources

• Swiss registration requirement, 14-day deadline and deadline for mandatory health insurance —

• Family reunification and right to work for an EU/EFTA spouse under the FZA —

• Cohabitation and individual cantonal assessment —

• Guarantee and cohabitation requirements for accommodating a cohabiting partner —

• A partner moving into a rented property —

• Three-month notification deadline for a partner moving in —

• Overcrowding of the home and the rule of thumb relating to the number of rooms —

• Mandatory individual Swiss health insurance —

• Joint tax returns for spouses and separate tax returns for cohabiting partners —

• AHV cap for married couples and the absence of a survivor's pension for cohabiting partners —

• eUmzugCH and the first in-person registration of a person arriving from abroad —

• Cantonal and municipal differences in registration fees —

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