Swiss residence permit calculator
for company founders
An EU or EFTA passport holder who sets up or buys a genuinely active Swiss company receives a five-year B residence permit, with no economic-interest test. UK, US and other non-EU founders are assessed case by case: the company alone does not grant a permit, and the authorities weigh whether it genuinely benefits Switzerland. The figures below are drawn from our own casework in Zug, not generic estimates. Permit processing at the cantonal migration office currently runs to about three months, for EU and non-EU applicants alike, once the company and the application are in order.
Swiss residence permit through your own company: five-year EU/EFTA permit, non-EU assessed case by case
Figures from our own Zug casework: what the permit and the company behind it actually cost.
- EU/EFTA passport
- 5-year B permit
- UK / US / other
- Assessed case by case
- Swiss-resident director
- CHF 4,900 / year
- Registered address
- CHF 1,800 / year
- Permit processing (Zug)
- About 3 months
- Shelf AG ready
- About 2 weeks
A Swiss residence permit through your own company
The figures that shape the budget and the timeline, from our own casework in Zug.
Permit processing
Indicative time at the Zug migration office once the application is filed, for EU and non-EU applicants alike.
EU/EFTA B permit
The residence permit an EU or EFTA national receives once their Swiss company is genuinely active, with no economic-interest test.
AG share capital
The statutory minimum for an AG, at least CHF 50,000 paid in to register. It stays in the company as your own working capital.
Ready-made AG
Roughly how long it takes to transfer a clean, never-traded shelf company into your name from our weekly list.
From decision to a permit in hand
A deliverable-driven sequence. The company can be ready in about two weeks (shelf) or six to eight weeks (new); the permit itself is the longer step.
- Day 0
Decision and documents
Confirming the route (EU/EFTA, or assessed case by case), the company choice, and gathering identity and source-of-funds documents.
- Week 2 or 6–8
Company on the register
A ready-made AG transfers into your name in about two weeks; a new AG takes roughly six to eight weeks to register.
- Week 3
Permit application filed in Zug
The residence-permit application goes to the cantonal migration office once the company exists.
- About 3 months
Permit decision
Indicative processing time at the Zug migration office, from our own casework, for EU and non-EU applicants alike.
- After the permit
Family reunification, if applicable
Once you hold the permit, a spouse and children can follow through family reunification.
What will your permit and first year cost? Answer nine questions.
Real figures from our own casework, not numbers scraped off the internet. Work out the budget and the timeline for your route, EU/EFTA or assessed case by case, in about two minutes.
Step 1 of 10 · Citizenship
Which passport do you hold?
This decides how the permit works.
Step 2 of 10 · Family
Are you moving on your own or with family?
This does not change the permit budget. Family members follow later, through family reunification.
Step 3 of 10 · Company
The company itself
Register a fresh AG, or take over a ready-made one.
See the companies available this week: Swiss shelf companies →
Step 4 of 10 · Business
The business
This helps your adviser and, for non-EU passports, the permit case. It is not turned into a fee here.
Step 6 of 10 · Housing
Where will you live?
Only counted if you rent. Rough Zug-area market rents.
Step 7 of 10 · Insurance
Health insurance
Mandatory in Switzerland. Rough monthly premium for the main applicant.
Step 8 of 10 · Office & address
Office and registered address
Every Swiss company needs a registered address; a physical office is your choice.
Step 9 of 10 · Advisor
What would you like to go through with an adviser?
Pick any. We prepare these before we call you.
Step 10 of 10 · Talk to an adviser
Last questionYour figures are ready. Would you like to talk your case through with an adviser?
One answer, then your estimate appears on this screen.
Your estimate
Plus the AG share capital
CHF 100,000, of which at least CHF 50,000 is paid in to register. This is your own money: it stays in the company as working capital, not a fee to us.
How it runs, and how long
Bookkeeping is a separate matter. It runs from CHF 150 per hour and depends on your transaction volume; we scope it precisely on the call.
After the company starts operating there are further running costs: annual accounts, VAT where it applies, social insurance, and an audit if you cross the legal thresholds. We walk you through all of them before you commit.
How the permit works, and why the passport matters
EU/EFTA nationals. Under the free-movement agreement you may live in Switzerland and run your own Swiss company. Once you can show a genuinely active business (an entry in the commercial register, real activity, recognition by the social-security compensation office and proof of means) you receive a five-year B residence permit. There is no economic-interest test.
UK, US and other non-EU nationals. Owning or buying a Swiss company does not by itself grant a permit. The canton and the federal authorities look at whether the business genuinely benefits Switzerland: a real plan, substance, activity. Permits are granted case by case and are not automatic. We assess whether your case is realistic before you spend anything, and say so plainly if it is not.
What goes into the budget
- Company setup. Notary, commercial-register and paperwork for a new AG, or the price of a ready-made company from our weekly list.
- A Swiss-resident director. Required by law; we provide one for CHF 4,900 a year.
- A registered address. CHF 1,800 a year on our domicile, or your own office.
- Share capital. An AG is CHF 100,000, of which at least CHF 50,000 is paid in to register. This is your own money and stays in the company as working capital, not a fee to us.
- Living costs. Housing and mandatory health insurance, where you do not already have them.
- Bookkeeping. Scoped separately, from CHF 150 an hour, because it depends on how much the company actually does.
Swiss residence permit: FAQ
01Can I get a Swiss residence permit by opening a company?
02How long does it take?
03How much money do I need?
04Is it different for UK and US citizens?
05Do I still need a Swiss-resident director once I live in Switzerland?
06Can my family move with me?
07Is a ready-made shelf company faster than registering a new AG?
08What happens to the details I enter in the calculator?
What clients say
Rated 5.0 / 5 from 38 reviews on Google. Read them on Google →
“Perfekter Service! Wir wollten eine AG in der Schweiz übernehmen und hatten kaum Zeit – innerhalb weniger Tage war alles organisiert, inklusive Notar, Handelsregister und Bank.”
“We consulted Goldblum and Partners for structuring our crypto project under Swiss law. Their team was clear about the threshold between non-custodial and financial-intermediary status.”
“Équipe sérieuse. La documentation AML fournie était claire et adaptée à notre activité crypto. Je recommande.”
“Professionisti veri. Conoscono bene la legge svizzera e si sono occupati di ogni aspetto del passaggio azionario.”
Talk it through with a partner
Send us your passport and the company plan. A partner confirms whether the case is realistic, the budget, and the Zug timeline, before you spend anything.
