Swiss bank account for non-residents

Who can open one

Swiss banks accept non-resident clients (individuals and companies) from most jurisdictions. Each bank assesses the applicant on source of wealth, source of funds, the purpose of the account and the risk the relationship carries. Nationality alone rarely decides the outcome; the quality of the file does. The same logic runs through our other Swiss banking guides: prepare the evidence first, then choose the bank.

Minimum deposits by bank segment

Swiss banks set their own minimums, so the realistic figure depends on the segment you approach rather than on a published rule. The ranges below hold as of June 2026; for a bank-by-bank view, see our comparison of 36 Swiss banks, from online options like CIM Bank to private banks like Pictet.

Account types span current and savings accounts, multi-currency and investment accounts, and corporate accounts for an operating company. Online platforms onboard fully by video; tier-one private banks often still want one meeting or a notarised power of attorney.

Which Swiss banks open accounts for non-residents

These are Swiss banks that work with international clients, grouped by segment. Each links to its own profile with the detail, languages and onboarding route. Minimums are the segment norm as of June 2026, not a published per-bank figure. Retail, cantonal and cooperative banks (PostFinance, Migros Bank, the cantonal banks) are built around clients resident in Switzerland and are not a realistic route for a non-resident, so they are left out here.

This is a selection across the three segments a non-resident realistically uses. For the full picture, our comparison of 36 Swiss banks covers each one by type, head office and whether it accepts international clients.

How to open a Swiss bank account: step by step

1. Choose the segment that fits. An online bank (remote, low minimum) for straightforward multi-currency banking; a universal bank for a business or trading dimension; a private bank for wealth management from CHF 500,000 upward. The segment, not the brand, sets the minimum and the onboarding route.
2. Assemble the source-of-funds file. Passport, proof of address, and a documented trail for where the money came from — tax returns for the last two to three years, a sale or employment agreement, dividend or inheritance records. This is the single biggest factor in approval.
3. Apply and complete identification. Online banks identify you by video; universal and private banks take the application remotely or in a meeting, sometimes on a notarised power of attorney so you need not travel.
4. Pass the compliance review. The bank verifies the source of funds and runs its onboarding checks. This is where a thin file stalls; a complete one moves. Expect roughly four to eight weeks end to end.
5. Fund and activate. Once approved, you transfer the opening deposit and receive e-banking, cards and, at most banks, multi-currency accounts.

Fintech and e-money alternatives

Swiss fintech accounts such as Neon, Yuh and Zak are cheaper and open faster, but they run on a Swiss banking partner and generally require Swiss residence, so they are rarely open to a non-resident. Cross-border e-money accounts such as Wise or Revolut give you a multi-currency IBAN without residence, but they are payment institutions, not Swiss banks: balances sit outside Swiss deposit protection and they do not provide the Swiss banking relationship or credit standing a company or private-banking client needs. For a genuine Swiss account under Swiss deposit protection, the routes above remain the ones that apply.

The source-of-funds file

A documented source of funds is the core of every Swiss application. Expect to evidence how the money was earned or acquired (employment, a business sale, dividends, inheritance or investment proceeds) with records a compliance officer can rely on: tax returns for the last two to three years, sale or employment agreements, and statements that form a clear trail from origin to today's holdings. A thin or inconsistent file is the most common reason an account stalls. This is the part we build for clients who use our account-opening service.

Documents you will need

Personal applicants submit a standard pack; a company adds its corporate records on top.

• Certified passport copy (an apostille may be required, depending on your jurisdiction).
• Proof of residential address less than three months old.
• Source-of-wealth evidence: tax returns, sale agreements, employment or dividend records, inheritance or investment statements.
• CV and the tax identification number from your country of residence.
• For a company: a commercial-register extract under 12 months old, articles of association, the shareholder register with UBO disclosure, directors' passports, the last financial statements and source-of-funds proof.

Where the account sits behind an operating entity, the bank also checks economic substance, one reason account opening and company formation are best planned together.

Fees a non-resident should expect

Swiss banks price non-resident accounts above domestic ones because the compliance load is higher. As of June 2026, monthly maintenance typically runs from a few francs at a universal bank to several hundred at a private bank, with a non-resident surcharge often in the CHF 25 – 100 range. International wires usually cost CHF 5 – 50 outgoing, and some banks levy an account-activation charge. Confirm the fee schedule in writing before you fund the account.

Tax reporting: CRS, AEOI and FATCA

Switzerland has reported account data under the Common Reporting Standard since 1 January 2017. The Federal Tax Administration exchanges information each year with around 108 partner jurisdictions, and only non-residents' data is sent abroad. From 2026 crypto-asset accounts come into scope under the Crypto-Asset Reporting Framework, with the first exchange due in 2027. US citizens are reported separately under FATCA. Banking confidentiality still protects you from private third parties (unauthorised disclosure is a criminal offence) but it has not shielded accounts from your own tax authority since 2017.

Deposit protection

The Swiss deposit-insurance scheme, esisuisse, protects deposits up to CHF 100,000 per client per bank if a member bank fails. Because the limit is per bank, clients holding larger balances often spread them across institutions to keep more of the balance inside the guarantee.

When a non-resident cannot use the standard process

A non-resident does not use the ordinary retail process in a few specific cases. US citizens face FATCA reporting that leads many Swiss banks to decline retail US-person relationships, leaving a small group of specialist banks. Russian nationals have been restricted since 2022: Switzerland blocks deposits above CHF 100,000 from Russian persons unless they hold a Swiss or EU residence permit or dual citizenship, and major banks have requested a Swiss permit since March 2023. Funds with any sanctioned connection, and politically exposed persons, trigger enhanced due diligence or refusal. In each of these cases the question is structural, not procedural — speak to an adviser before approaching a bank.

How long it takes

A complete application typically takes four to eight weeks from submission to an active account, and longer where the compliance review asks for more. The bank is rarely the bottleneck; the time goes into assembling a file that answers the source-of-funds question before it is asked.