Removals UK to Switzerland

Switzerland occupies a position in this international removals series that makes it the most administratively distinct destination in Europe after Norway. Switzerland is neither an EU member state nor a member of the European Economic Area (EEA).

It maintains its sovereignty over customs, taxation, residency and immigration with exceptional rigour through bilateral agreements with the EU rather than integrated membership. The Swiss Zoll (Eidgenössische Zollverwaltung), the Federal Customs Administration, is widely regarded as the most procedurally precise customs authority in Europe. Unlike EU member states where Transfer of Residence customs declarations are processed with some administrative flexibility, the Swiss Zoll's approach to documentation is consistently strict: only original documents are accepted (not copies or PDFs), the inventory must be submitted in one of Switzerland's four official languages (German, French, Italian or Romansh), and Form 18.44 must bear an original signature. Any deviation from these requirements will result in the shipment being held at the Swiss border.

Switzerland also presents an important distinction from every EU country in this series in terms of VAT liability. Swiss MWST/TVA/IVA (Mehrwertsteuer / Taxe sur la valeur ajoutée / Imposta sul valore aggiunto), Switzerland's federal VAT, known by different abbreviations in the German, French and Italian-speaking regions, is 8.1% as of January 2024 (raised from 7.7%). This is dramatically lower than every EU country in this series: Denmark 25%, Sweden 25%, Norway 25%, Italy 22%, Portugal 23%, Spain 21%, Netherlands 21%, France 20%, Austria 20%, Germany 19%, Luxembourg 17%. The low Swiss VAT rate means the financial exposure on a failed Transfer of Residence application is comparatively modest: on a £60,000 declared household at the current rate, the MWST liability is approximately £4,860. However, Switzerland's strict documentation requirements mean that failures are more frequently caused by administrative non-compliance than by customs value disputes.

For the full international removals overview, see our international removals page. For AIM accreditation details, visit our About Us page.

Swiss Zoll Customs Clearance: Form 18.44, Original Documents Only and the T1 Transit Declaration

Form 18.44 is Switzerland's specific Transfer of Residence declaration for duty-free import of household goods, the Eidgenössische Zollverwaltung's mandatory customs form for international movers establishing Swiss residence. The Swiss Zoll does not accept copies or PDF prints of Form 18.44: only original documents with original wet signatures are processed. This is the single most operationally critical distinction between Swiss and all EU-country customs clearance in this series.

Form 18.44 (Umzugsgut / Effets de déménagement / Masserizie) is Switzerland's Transfer of Residence customs declaration, the equivalent of Germany's Form 0350, France's Cerfa 10070*01, Italy's Dichiarazione di Libero Ingresso, Denmark's Form 12024 and Norway's RD-0030E, but governed by Swiss federal customs law rather than EU or EEA frameworks.

The form declares the mover's personal details, the Swiss destination address, a confirmation that all goods have been owned and in personal use for at least six months, and a commitment not to sell or transfer the goods within 12 months of import. It must be completed in German, French, Italian or Romansh, the Zoll does not process English-language versions. RMV prepares Form 18.44 in the appropriate Swiss language for your destination canton and submits the original at the point of Swiss border crossing.

Two related forms exist for specific mover categories: Form 18.45 is the Swiss customs declaration for returning Swiss nationals importing household goods, British nationals who previously held Swiss residency and are returning will use 18.45 rather than 18.44. Form 18.46 is used for inheritance goods, gifts and certain other non-standard transfer categories. RMV's pre-move assessment identifies the correct form category for each mover at the survey stage.

Because Switzerland is not in the EU, goods travelling from the UK to Switzerland must transit through EU countries (France, Germany or Austria, depending on route) en route to the Swiss border. Under post-Brexit rules, this requires a T1 External Transit Declaration covering the EU leg of the journey, identical in purpose to the T1 required for Norway. The T1 is issued at the UK port of departure and surrendered at the Swiss customs post. Without a valid T1, the shipment cannot legally transit through EU territory to reach Switzerland. RMV manages T1 transit documentation as standard on all UK-to-Switzerland bookings.

Documents Required for Removals to Switzerland from the UK

The following documents are required for Swiss Zoll customs clearance and Transfer of Residence duty-free relief. The Zoll requires original documents with original wet signatures, copies, scans and PDFs are not accepted. RMV provides all forms with completion guidance and manages all original document submission.

• Passport copy, identity for the Zoll declaration package
• Form 18.44 original, Switzerland's Transfer of Residence declaration (or Form 18.45 for returning Swiss nationals); must be the original signed document, completed in German, French, Italian or Romansh; no copies or PDF prints accepted by the Zoll
• Anmeldebestätigung (registration confirmation), confirmation of registration at the Swiss address from the Gemeinde (municipal office) or Einwohnerkontrolle; serves as the Zoll's proof of established Swiss residence
• Swiss residence permit, Permit B (initial residence permit, typically issued for one year, renewable) or Permit C (long-term settlement permit, issued after 5–10 years) as proof of right to reside in Switzerland; required with the Form 18.44 submission
• Itemised inventory (Inventarliste / inventaire / inventario), detailed list of all goods being imported, completed in German, French, Italian or Romansh; listing item description, quantity and estimated second-hand value
• Proof of prior UK or non-Swiss residence, council tax bills, bank statements or employer letters confirming residence outside Switzerland for the period preceding Swiss establishment
• Self-declaration confirming goods have been owned and in personal use for at least six months and will not be sold or transferred within 12 months of import into Switzerland
• Signed customs agent authorisation, allowing RMV to act as direct representative with the Zoll for your consignment
• T1 External Transit Declaration, EU customs transit document required for goods transiting through France, Germany or Austria en route to the Swiss border; issued at UK port of departure
• CMR cargo movement form, provided by the driver at UK collection

All packing materials for a Switzerland move are available through our Packing Shop.

Swiss Residence Permits for British Nationals: Permit B, Permit C and the AHV

Since Brexit, British nationals moving to Switzerland require a Swiss residence permit under Switzerland's bilateral agreements with the UK. Permit B (Aufenthalts-Bewilligung / autorisation de séjour / permesso di dimora) is the standard initial residence permit for employed or self-employed British nationals, valid for one year and renewable. Permit C (Niederlassungs-Bewilligung / autorisation d'établissement / permesso di domicilio) is the permanent settlement permit issued after 5–10 years of continuous residence.

British nationals employed in Switzerland since 1 January 2021 are covered by the UK–Switzerland Citizens' Rights Agreement, which protects the residence rights of British nationals already residing in Switzerland before Brexit and provides a framework for new arrivals under Switzerland's standard immigration rules.

British nationals arriving after Brexit apply for Permit B at the cantonal Migrationsamt (Migration Office) with an employment contract or self-employment evidence. The Anmeldebestätigung (municipal registration confirmation) from the Gemeinde or Einwohnerkontrolle is issued after registering the Swiss address and is required for the Form 18.44 Zoll submission.

The AHV (Alters- und Hinterlassenenversicherung), Switzerland's state old-age and survivors' insurance, assigns every employed or self-employed person in Switzerland an AHV number, which functions similarly to the UK's National Insurance number and is required for Swiss payroll, tax returns, pension contributions and healthcare administration. British nationals employed in Switzerland apply for an AHV number through their employer or the cantonal AHV compensation office upon arrival. The AHV number is not required for the Zoll customs declaration but is an important early administrative step for employed movers.

Switzerland's Cantons: Where British Professionals Move and Why

Switzerland's 26 cantons are the most functionally distinct subnational units of any country in this series. Each canton has its own tax regime (cantonal income tax rates vary by up to 300% between the lowest and highest), its own official language, and its own administrative processes alongside the federal framework. The canton of destination shapes the tax implications, language requirements for documents and specific municipal registration procedures.

Zurich (Zürich), Finance, Tech, UBS, Credit Suisse and Zurich Insurance

Zurich is Switzerland's largest city and its primary financial and corporate centre. The anchor employers for British professionals are well-established: UBS (global headquarters on Bahnhofstrasse), Zurich Insurance Group, Swiss Re, Julius Bär, Vontobel, and a growing cluster of technology companies including Google Switzerland (Zurich's office is Google's largest engineering hub outside the US), Microsoft Switzerland, and dozens of fintech and blockchain companies attracted by the Crypto Valley ecosystem that extends south from Zurich into the canton of Zug. ETH Zurich, the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology, is consistently ranked among the top five universities in the world and draws British academics, doctoral researchers and postdoctoral scientists across engineering, mathematics, physics, computer science and architecture. Zurich's Kreis 4 and Kreis 5 (Langstrasse and Züri-West) have compact apartments with the staircase access constraints typical of 19th-century European city centre buildings.

Our removals service covers full-load and part-load Zurich deliveries; our storage service bridges UK and Zurich rental or property purchase timelines.

Geneva (Genève), UN, WHO, ICRC and International Organisations

Geneva is the most internationally distinctive city in this entire series. The United Nations European Headquarters (Palais des Nations), the World Health Organization (WHO), the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), the World Trade Organization (WTO), the International Labour Organization (ILO), the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), CERN (the European Organisation for Nuclear Research, based at Meyrin on the Geneva–France border) and over 200 other intergovernmental and non-governmental organisations are based in Geneva, making it the world's pre-eminent centre for multilateral diplomacy and international law outside New York. British nationals moving to Geneva for UN system roles, WHO positions, diplomatic postings, CERN research fellowships or NGO work represent a consistently high-volume and high-value professional relocation segment.

Geneva also hosts significant private sector employers: Rolex, Richemont (Cartier, IWC, Piaget), Pictet Group, Lombard Odier, and the commodities trading houses (Glencore, Trafigura, Gunvor and Vitol all have substantial Geneva-area presences). Geneva canton has the highest cantonal income tax rates in Switzerland; many international organisation employees benefit from diplomatic or international civil servant tax exemptions that alter the standard personal tax calculation.

Basel (Basel-Stadt), Novartis, Roche and the Pharmaceutical Capital of the World

Basel is the global headquarters of the pharmaceutical and life sciences industry. Novartis (global HQ at the Novartis Campus, St. Johann), Roche (global HQ at the Roche Tower, Grenzacherstrasse), Lonza, Clariant and dozens of pharmaceutical, biotechnology and chemical companies are based in the Basel area, many in the Dreiländereck (the three-country corner where Switzerland, Germany and France meet).

British scientists, clinical researchers, regulatory affairs professionals and pharmaceutical executives relocating to Basel for Novartis or Roche represent a specialist but high-volume consistent professional segment. Basel's compact city centre, the Art Basel international art fair's global profile, and Basel's direct connections to both Germany (via the Rhine crossing) and France (Alsace) make it a cosmopolitan destination with a strong international professional community.

Zug, Crypto Valley, Holding Companies and Switzerland's Lowest Cantonal Tax Rate

Zug is the most financially distinctive canton in Switzerland, and arguably in Europe. Its cantonal income tax rate is among the lowest in Switzerland (significantly below Geneva and Bern) and its corporation tax rate has historically been the lowest in the country, making it the preferred domicile for Swiss holding companies, family offices and, in recent years, cryptocurrency and blockchain foundations. Zug's Crypto Valley, a term coined around 2013–15 to describe the concentration of blockchain and distributed ledger companies in the canton, hosts the Ethereum Foundation, Cardano Foundation, Solana Foundation, Polkadot and dozens of other major blockchain organisations alongside traditional Swiss financial and commodity trading businesses. British fintech professionals, blockchain engineers, fund managers and holding company directors moving to Zug are a growing segment. The town of Zug is 23 minutes from Zurich by rail; many Zug residents commute to Zurich for office-based roles while maintaining Zug domicile for tax purposes.

Our man and van service handles smaller Zug apartment and studio moves efficiently, particularly for single professionals relocating for blockchain or fintech roles.

Lausanne and Bern, Olympic Capital and Federal Capital

Lausanne, on the shores of Lake Geneva in canton Vaud, is the headquarters of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and hosts a high concentration of international sports governing bodies alongside the University of Lausanne (UNIL) and EPFL (Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne), Switzerland's second federal technical university and a major draw for British engineers and scientists in the fields of robotics, energy and materials science. Bern is Switzerland's federal capital and the seat of the Swiss parliament, the Federal Council and federal administrative bodies. Bern's international profile is more administrative than corporate, drawing British diplomats, EU liaison officers and federal institution employees.

Lugano, Ticino, Italian-Speaking Switzerland and Asset Management

Lugano, in the Italian-speaking canton of Ticino, is Switzerland's third financial centre and its southernmost major city, approximately 45 minutes by rail from Milan's Malpensa airport. Lugano's asset management and private banking sector (BSI, Banca del Ceresio, CBH Compagnie Bancaire Helvétique) draws British finance professionals, and the city's Italian-language environment, Lake Lugano setting and proximity to the Italian Lakes make it a lifestyle relocation choice for British nationals who want Swiss financial and administrative stability combined with an Italian cultural environment. Lugano customs documentation must be completed in Italian rather than German or French, a practical difference that affects inventory preparation for Ticino-destined shipments.

UK to Switzerland Removals: Door-to-Door Transit Times from London

Estimated door-to-door transit times for UK-to-Switzerland removals from London, including T1 EU transit clearance and Swiss Zoll customs clearance at the Swiss border. The standard road route from London passes through France (Channel Tunnel or Calais), then either eastern France to Basel, or through Germany via the Rhine valley.

• Basel (Basel-Stadt), full load 2–3 days; part load 4–6 days
• Zurich (Zürich), full load 2–3 days; part load 4–6 days
• Zug, full load 2–3 days; part load 4–6 days
• Bern, full load 2–3 days; part load 4–6 days
• Lucerne (Luzern), full load 2–3 days; part load 4–6 days
• Winterthur / St. Gallen, full load 2–3 days; part load 4–7 days
• Lausanne (Vaud), full load 2–3 days; part load 4–6 days
• Geneva (Genève), full load 2–3 days; part load 4–6 days
• Valais / Sion, full load 3–4 days; part load 5–7 days
• Lugano / Ticino, full load 3–4 days; part load 5–8 days (requires Alpine route or Gotthard road tunnel)

For Switzerland-specific guides, Form 18.44 completion instructions, Permit B application steps and 2026 relocation checklists, visit our blog.

Frequently Asked Questions, Removals to Switzerland from the UK

What is Form 18.44 and why are originals required?

Form 18.44 (Umzugsgut / Effets de déménagement / Masserizie) is the Swiss Zoll's Transfer of Residence declaration for duty-free import of household goods. It is Switzerland's equivalent of Germany's Form 0350 or Norway's RD-0030E, but uniquely strict in one respect: the Eidgenössische Zollverwaltung accepts only original documents with original wet signatures, not copies, scans or PDFs.

This is the most operationally critical distinction between Swiss and EU-country customs clearance in this series. RMV prepares Form 18.44 in the appropriate Swiss language for your destination canton (German for Zurich, Zug, Basel, Bern; French for Geneva, Lausanne, Neuchâtel; Italian for Lugano and Ticino), ships the original form ahead of the consignment and submits it with the Zoll at the Swiss border crossing.

What is Swiss MWST and what is the rate?

Swiss MWST (Mehrwertsteuer / TVA / IVA) is Switzerland's federal VAT, currently 8.1% following the January 2024 rate increase from 7.7%. This is the lowest VAT rate of any country in this series by a significant margin, well below Denmark and Sweden (both 25%), Norway (25%), Italy (22%), Portugal (23%), Spain (21%), Netherlands (21%), France (20%), Austria (20%), Germany (19%) and Luxembourg (17%).

On a £60,000 declared household, a failed Transfer of Residence application results in a MWST liability of approximately £4,860, the lowest financial exposure of any country in this series. However, Switzerland's stricter documentation standards (original forms, original signatures, Swiss-language inventory) mean administrative failures are more common than in EU countries.

What is the T1 transit document and why is it needed for Switzerland?

Switzerland is not in the EU or EEA. Goods travelling from the UK to Switzerland must transit through EU member states (France, Germany or Austria) en route. Under post-Brexit rules, a T1 External Transit Declaration is required to cover the EU leg, exactly as it is for Norway.

The T1 is issued at the UK port of departure and surrendered at the Swiss customs post. This is the same requirement as Norway in the previous entry in this series, and contrasts with all EU-destination routes (France, Germany, Italy, Spain, etc.) where no T1 is required. RMV manages T1 documentation on all UK-to-Switzerland bookings.

What is Permit B and how does it relate to my removal?

Permit B (Aufenthalts-Bewilligung) is Switzerland's standard initial residence permit for foreign nationals in employment or self-employment, typically valid for one year and renewable. It is required alongside Form 18.44 as proof of your legal right to reside in Switzerland for the Zoll's Transfer of Residence customs assessment. Permit B is applied for at the cantonal Migrationsamt (Migration Office) in the canton of your Swiss address, with your employment contract or self-employment evidence. British nationals covered by the UK–Switzerland Citizens' Rights Agreement (those who established Swiss residency before January 2021) hold their existing permits, which remain valid.

What is the Anmeldebestätigung and when do I need it?

The Anmeldebestätigung (registration confirmation) is the document issued by the Swiss Gemeinde or Einwohnerkontrolle (municipal population register) confirming that you have registered at your Swiss address. It is Switzerland's equivalent of Spain's Empadronamiento, Germany's Anmeldebestätigung and Italy's Iscrizione Anagrafica, the municipal-level residency confirmation that supports the Zoll's Transfer of Residence assessment. You register at the Gemeinde within 14 days of establishing your Swiss address, with your passport and rental contract or property deed. The Anmeldebestätigung is then submitted with Form 18.44 and Permit B as part of the complete Zoll documentation package.

Your Complete UK-to-Switzerland Moving Solution

RMV Storage & Removals provides end-to-end removals from the UK to Switzerland, from pre-move survey and Form 18.44 preparation in the appropriate Swiss language through T1 transit management, Swiss Zoll customs clearance with original documents and door-to-door delivery to any Swiss canton from Geneva to Lugano, Basel to St. Gallen, Zurich to Zug.

Our removals service manages the full physical move and original document transit; our storage service bridges UK and Swiss property completion or rental start timelines; our man and van service handles smaller Zurich, Zug and Lausanne apartment moves; our handyman service provides furniture assembly at your Swiss address.

All packing materials are available through our Packing Shop.