Moving to Zurich involves a lot of moving parts - literally and bureaucratically. After nine years of living here and helping dozens of friends navigate the process, I've distilled everything into three phases. Print this, bookmark it, screenshot it. You'll thank yourself later.
Before You Leave
- Passport valid for at least 6 months beyond your planned stay
- Signed employment contract and offer letter
- International Driving Permit - get this before you leave your home country, it's much harder afterwards
- Home country debt clearance certificate - some landlords ask for this alongside the Swiss one
- University diplomas and professional certificates - bring the originals, not just copies
- Passport-size photos - biometric, 35x45mm, bring at least 6. You'll need them for registration, transport passes, and various permits
- Apostilled marriage and birth certificates if you're relocating with family
- Research temporary housing - Airbnb, serviced apartments, or short-term sublets for your first 1 to 3 months
- Set up mail forwarding from your current address
- Download the SBB Mobile app - for Swiss train schedules and mobile tickets. You'll use this daily
First Weeks in Zurich
- Register at the Kreisbuero within 14 days - bring your passport and rental contract (even if it's a temporary Airbnb confirmation)
- Open a bank account - ZKB (Zuercher Kantonalbank) and UBS are the traditional options. Neon and Yuh are excellent digital alternatives that can be set up faster
- Choose health insurance within 3 months - this is mandatory and retroactive from your arrival date. Use comparis.ch to compare providers. Don't delay this - the 3-month deadline is strict
- Get a Swiss SIM card - Swisscom has the best coverage, Salt and Yallo are budget-friendly alternatives
- Get your ZVV transport pass - CHF 87 per month for the city zone. If you'll be travelling around Switzerland, consider the Halbtax (half-fare card) at CHF 190 per year
- Start browsing apartments on homegate.ch, flatfox.ch, and immoscout24.ch
Month Two Onwards
- Order your Betreibungsauskunft once you're in the system - you need this for apartment applications
- Build your complete apartment dossier and start applying
- Attend viewings - dress professionally, arrive early, and follow up within 24 hours
- Consider a Halbtax card if you haven't already - CHF 190 per year for half-price trains across Switzerland
- Explore your neighbourhood - find your grocery store, gym, and local cafe. Zurich's 12 Kreise each have their own character
- Join expat communities - Meetup, InterNations, and Facebook groups for expats in Zurich are great starting points
Common Mistakes to Avoid
The biggest mistakes I see people make: skipping temporary housing and trying to secure a permanent apartment from abroad (it almost never works), delaying health insurance registration past the 3-month window, and not having a complete dossier ready before attending apartment viewings. Read more about the catch-22 of Zurich's bureaucracy and why the two-move strategy is essential.
The Full Guide
This checklist is from the free Zurich Relocation Starter Guide - a complete 9-page guide covering the Zurich catch-22, neighbourhood breakdowns with rent prices, your apartment dossier, and this full checklist.
For the complete picture - dossier templates, cover letter templates in German, salary breakdowns, tax optimisation tips, and a detailed 90-day action plan - the premium guide has everything.