C permit in Switzerland: requirements and how to switch from B to C
When you can move from a B to permanent residence, what your canton checks, what it costs and how long it takes in seven cantons.
In short
Most people can switch from a B to a C permit after ten years, the last five on an unbroken B, if they are integrated. Many European, US and Canadian citizens qualify after five years; others can apply early with B1 spoken skills. You apply through your commune or canton; a permit service or lawyer can prepare the file.
When can you switch from a B to a C permit?
The standard rule is ten years in Switzerland on an L or B permit, the last five without a break on a B. You must also be integrated and have no grounds for revocation. The C is not automatic: unless you have a legal right to it, the canton may grant it, and you usually have to apply.
The rule is in Art. 34 of the Foreign Nationals and Integration Act (AIG), and SEM, the State Secretariat for Migration, sets the earliest date from which your canton may grant the C (AIG, checked ) (SEM, checked ). For all permit types side by side, see B, L and C permits explained; for the B permit itself, B permit requirements.
- First five years: any L or B counts, including study. Breaks may not be longer than the stay before them, or two years in total (SEM directives, checked ).
- Last five years: a B without a break. Temporary stays such as study or medical treatment don’t count, but study years do once you have then held a lasting B for two years (AIG, checked ).
- Not counted: time on an N or F permit (asylum, provisional admission) and, in Geneva, a B for a posting by a foreign employer (Canton of Geneva, checked ).
Which years count towards a C permit
| Your stay | Towards ten years | Towards the last five |
|---|---|---|
| B permit for work or family | Yes | Yes |
| L permit | Yes | Only if the stay was lasting, e.g. an open-ended contract |
| B permit for study | Yes | Only after two more unbroken years on a lasting B |
| N or F permit | No | No |
AIG Art. 34; SEM directives on the AIG, section 3.5.2; Canton of Geneva.
Which nationalities can get a C permit after five years?
Citizens of 11 countries with a settlement agreement, including Germany, France, Italy and Austria, have a right to a C after five years’ regular, uninterrupted residence. Citizens of 13 more, including the UK, the USA and Canada, can be granted it after five years without a right. Everyone else waits ten years or uses the early route.
The five-year rule comes from older bilateral treaties and, for the USA and Canada, memoranda of understanding from 1995 and 2003 (SEM, checked ) (SEM directives, checked ). Nationals of the other EU states, such as Poland or Romania, follow the ten-year rule (Canton of Basel-Stadt, checked ).
Integration and language apply in every group: since a 2022 Federal Supreme Court ruling, agreement nationals must prove their language level too (SEM directives, checked ). Zurich and Zug still waive the certificate for German, Austrian and Liechtenstein nationals (Canton of Zurich, checked ) (Canton of Zug, checked ). See also our guides for people moving from the USA and the UK.
When each nationality can get a C permit
| Nationality | Earliest C | Right or discretion |
|---|---|---|
| Austria, Belgium, Denmark, France, Germany, Greece, Italy, Liechtenstein, Netherlands, Portugal, Spain | After 5 years | Right (settlement agreement) |
| Andorra, Finland, Iceland, Ireland, Luxembourg, Monaco, Norway, San Marino, Sweden, Vatican City, United Kingdom | After 5 years | The canton decides |
| USA, Canada | After 5 years | The canton decides |
| All other nationalities, including other EU states | After 10 years, or 5 on the early route | The canton decides |
SEM directives on the AIG, sections 0.2.1.3 and 3.5.2, as of 15 June 2026.
Is there a fast track to a C permit after five years?
Yes. Anyone can ask for an early C after five years without a break on a B permit, if they are integrated, have no grounds for revocation and speak the local language at B1, with A1 in writing. It is the canton’s decision, not a right, and nobody checks it for you: you have to apply.
It is set out in Art. 34 para. 4 AIG and Art. 62 VZAE (AIG, checked ) (VZAE, checked ). Since 1 February 2023 the canton decides without SEM’s approval, and it does not have to consider an early C unless you ask for one (SEM directives, checked ).
Cantons check for a clean criminal record, no debt enforcement or tax arrears, respect for constitutional values, a job not under notice or proof you support yourself, and the integration of family members over 12 (SEM directives, checked ) (VZAE, checked ). Zug generally takes early applications from couples and parents only as a joint family application (Canton of Zug, checked ).
What are the language requirements for a C permit in Switzerland?
You need the national language spoken where you live, not English: at least A2 spoken and A1 written for a regular C, B1 spoken and A1 written for an early C. You prove it with a recognised certificate, such as the fide language passport, unless it is your mother tongue or you studied in that language.
The levels are set in Art. 60 and 62 VZAE: German in Zurich, Basel and Zug, French in Geneva and Vaud, Italian in Ticino; in Bern, the language of your district (VZAE, checked ) (City of Bern, Einwohnerdienste, Migration und Fremdenpolizei, checked ). You need no certificate if it is your mother tongue, you went to compulsory school in that language for at least three years, or you attended upper-secondary or tertiary education in it, in Switzerland or abroad (VZAE, checked ) (SEM directives, checked ).
Otherwise, bring a certificate from SEM’s list of recognised tests: Zurich names telc, Goethe, ÖSD, SDS, TestDaF and fide, Vaud fide and DELF (Canton of Zurich, checked ) (Canton of Vaud, checked ). The fide test covers A1 to B1; its format, fees and test centres are in the fide test guide (fide, checked ). Courses: language schools.
-
Regular C
A2 / A1
spoken / written, in the national language where you live.
-
Early C
B1 / A1
spoken / written, for the five-year route under Art. 34 para. 4 AIG.
How do you apply for a C permit, and what does it cost?
Where you have a right to a C, some cantons check it when your B is due for renewal; otherwise you apply at your commune or the cantonal migration office. Expect to provide ID, proof of work and income, a debt-enforcement extract and a language certificate. Cantons charge CHF 115 to CHF 147, card included.
Federal law caps the fee for granting a C at CHF 95, plus CHF 22 for the biometric card and CHF 20 for biometric data, or CHF 10 and CHF 15 for an EU/EFTA citizen’s card; a refusal can be billed at cost (GebV-AIG, checked ). The card is reissued every five years for up to CHF 65 plus the card (GebV-AIG, checked ) (VZAE, checked ).
Applying for a C permit, step by step
-
Months before
Confirm your earliest date
Ask the cantonal migration office; gaps, study years or a year abroad can move it.
-
Before you apply
Get the language certificate
A2 spoken and A1 written for a regular C, B1 spoken for an early C, unless you are exempt.
-
Before you apply
Order the extracts
Debt-enforcement extracts for each recent commune and, where asked, proof of no social assistance.
-
On or just before your date
Submit the application
At your commune, by post, email or online, depending on the canton.
-
After the decision
Biometric data and the new card
Give a photo and, as a non-EU citizen, fingerprints; the card comes by post.
Documents for a C application
0 of 6 done
Your ticks are saved in this browser only.
How do Zurich, Zug, Basel, Bern, Geneva, Vaud and Ticino handle C permit applications?
Federal law sets the rules and each canton runs the procedure. Zurich wants you at your commune in person, Basel takes post or email, Zug its own forms N and NV, and Geneva checks treaty nationals at renewal. Only Geneva publishes a processing time: twelve months for an early C. Fees run from CHF 115 to CHF 147.
- Zurich: in person only, at your commune’s residents’ office, with debt-enforcement and social-services records for the last three years (Canton of Zurich, checked ). The City of Zurich says the canton’s review can take a few weeks (City of Zurich, Personenmeldeamt, checked ). See permit specialists in Zurich.
- Zug: forms N (regular) or NV (early) by post or online, at the earliest three weeks before you qualify; your commune’s tax, debt-enforcement and social offices fill in the back (Canton of Zug, checked ). See Zug specialists.
- Basel-Stadt: the Migrationsamt’s form by post, email or contact form, with your contract and last three payslips (Canton of Basel-Stadt, checked ). See Basel specialists.
- Bern: at your commune’s residents’ office; the City of Bern takes the form by email or post and accepts only German certificates (Canton of Bern, Migrationsdienst, checked ) (City of Bern, Einwohnerdienste, Migration und Fremdenpolizei, checked ). See Bern specialists.
- Geneva: the OCPM checks spouses of Swiss and C holders and the 11 agreement nationals at B renewal; others post form Y with documents under three months old (Canton of Geneva, checked ). See Geneva specialists.
- Vaud: at your commune’s contrôle des habitants, which passes the file to the SPOP; nationals of French-speaking countries need no French certificate (Canton of Vaud, checked ). See Lausanne specialists.
- Ticino: online to the Ufficio della migrazione at least 14 days before your B expires (Canton of Ticino, Sezione della popolazione, checked ). See Lugano specialists.
C permit fees and processing times in seven cantons
| Canton | EU/EFTA | Non-EU | Published processing time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Zurich | 127 | 144 | None; the City of Zurich says a few weeks |
| Zug | No amount; federal cap 120 | No amount; federal cap 137 | None |
| Basel-Stadt | 120 | 137 | None |
| Bern | 115 | 137 | None |
| Geneva | 120 | 137 | Early C: 12 months; regular C: none |
| Vaud | No amount; federal cap 120 | No amount; federal cap 137 | None |
| Ticino | 115 | 147 (incl. 10 postage) | None; a reminder is possible after 30 days |
Totals of the permit, card and photo or biometric fees each canton publishes, checked 21 October 2026 (Zurich via the City of Zurich, Basel Migrationsamt, Bern BSG 122.26, Geneva OCPM table of 28 January 2026, Ticino permit page). There is no separate fee for an early C. Zug and Vaud publish no amounts, so the federal maximums in GebV-AIG Art. 8 apply.
What changes when you switch from a B to a C permit?
Your right to stay no longer has an end date or conditions. You can take any job or work for yourself anywhere in Switzerland, move canton unless there are grounds for revocation, and stop paying tax at source from the month after the C is granted. It is also the permit you need for Swiss citizenship.
- Work and canton: any employed or self-employed work anywhere, and a right to move canton unless there are grounds for revocation (AIG, checked ).
- Tax: employees without a C are taxed at source (DBG, checked ). With the C you file an ordinary return for the whole year, and tax already withheld is credited (QStV, checked ).
- Family: your spouse and children under 18 have a right to join you if the conditions are met (AIG, checked ).
- Citizenship: naturalisation needs a C and ten years’ residence, three of them in the last five (BüG, checked ). See Swiss citizenship and naturalisation specialists.
The card is reissued every five years: hand it in between three months and 14 days before it expires (VZAE, checked ).
B or C permit for non-EU/EFTA nationals
| B permit | C permit | |
|---|---|---|
| Validity | Limited, renewed | No time limit |
| Self-employment | Needs approval | Free |
| Moving canton | Entitled unless unemployed or grounds to revoke | Entitled unless grounds to revoke |
| Tax at source | Yes, unless married to a Swiss or C holder | No |
| Spouse and children | At the canton’s discretion | A right, if conditions are met |
| Naturalisation | Not possible | After 10 years’ residence |
AIG Art. 34, 37, 38, 41, 43 and 44; DBG Art. 83; BüG Art. 9.
Can you lose a C permit?
Yes. It lapses if you deregister abroad or live abroad for six months, unless you ask beforehand to keep it for up to four years. The canton can also revoke it on serious grounds, or downgrade it to a B if you no longer meet the integration criteria.
- Abroad: ask before the six months are up; short visits back don’t reset the clock (VZAE, checked ).
- Returning: after at least ten years with a C and no more than six abroad, it can be granted again (VZAE, checked ).
- Revocation: false statements by you or your representative, a long custodial sentence, a serious breach of public order, lasting dependence on social assistance or an abusive attempt to obtain citizenship (AIG, checked ).
- Downgrade: a C replaced by a B (Rückstufung) can be regained after five years at the earliest (AIG, checked ).
Immigration lawyers
Gaggini & Partners
Immigration lawyers · LuganoLugano law and notary firm advising on residence and work permits, Swiss citizenship procedures and tax aspects of relocating to Ticino.
Checked by our editors · not yet confirmed by the business.
Is this your business?Immigration-Lawyer.ch
Immigration lawyers · ZürichZürich attorney practice focused on Swiss migration law: B/C permits, work permits, family reunification, naturalisation and appeals against immigration decisions in all cantons.
Checked by our editors · not yet confirmed by the business.
Is this your business?Legal XII Tables Avocats
Immigration lawyers · ZürichZürich law firm assisting individuals and companies with entry and residence of foreign nationals, permits, family reunification, naturalisation and asylum matters.
Checked by our editors · not yet confirmed by the business.
Is this your business?Who can handle your C permit application for you?
You stay the applicant, and some cantons, such as Zurich, want you at the counter yourself. A permit service or immigration consultant can check your dates, gather the extracts and prepare the file; an immigration lawyer can argue an early C or a gap in your residence, and represent you if the canton refuses or plans a downgrade.
Outside help is most common for an early C, gaps in residence, past debt enforcement or social assistance, and refusals or downgrades. The law treats false statements from your representative like your own (AIG, checked ).
This guide explains how the rules work; it is not legal advice. Our directory lists permit application services, immigration consultants, immigration lawyers and lawyers and notaries.
Permit application services
Premium and Featured listings are paid and shown first
Prime Relocation
Full-service relocation · ZugPrime Relocation is a family-owned relocation agency in Zug, founded in 2006, helping expats, families and HR teams with home search, permits, temporary housing, schools and settling in.
ReloNest
Destination services · ZürichReloNest is a Zurich-based relocation company, founded in 2023, that provides home search, school search, permits and settling-in help through consultants in nine Swiss cities.
Auris Relocation
Full-service relocation · ZürichAuris Relocation is a Swiss relocation and global mobility firm with nine offices from Geneva to Lugano, handling permits, home search, schools and moves for companies and families.
What else do people ask about the C permit?
Is a C permit the same as permanent residence in Switzerland?
Yes, in practice. The C, or settlement permit, has no time limit and no conditions. The card is reissued every five years for control, and the permit can still lapse or be revoked.
How long does it take to get a C permit?
Most cantons publish no processing time. Geneva gives twelve months on average for an early C, and the City of Zurich says the canton’s review can take a few weeks. Zug takes applications from three weeks before you qualify, and Ticino wants them at least 14 days before your B expires.
How much does a C permit cost?
Federal law caps the fee for granting a C at CHF 95, plus the card and the photo or biometric data. With these, cantons charge an adult CHF 115 to CHF 147: for example CHF 120 or 137 in Geneva and Basel, and CHF 127 or 144 in Zurich, for EU/EFTA and other citizens.
Can I get a C permit after 5 years as a US or UK citizen?
Possibly. US, Canadian and UK citizens can be granted a C after five years’ regular, uninterrupted residence, but not as a right. You still need to be integrated and show A2 spoken and A1 written.
Do I need to speak German for a C permit in Zurich?
Yes, A2 spoken and A1 written; English does not count. You are exempt if German is your mother tongue, you were schooled or studied in German, or you are a German, Austrian or Liechtenstein national.
Do I still pay withholding tax with a C permit?
No. Tax at source stops from the month after the C is granted, and you file an ordinary tax return for that whole year.
Sources
Last checked by the expat-services.ch editorial team
- Fedlex, SR 142.20 Foreign Nationals and Integration Act (AIG/LEI), Art. 34, 37, 38, 41, 43, 44, 58a and 61–63 (in German) (opens in a new tab)
- Fedlex, SR 142.201 Ordinance on Admission, Residence and Gainful Employment (VZAE/OASA), Art. 60–63, 77a–77d and 79 (in German) (opens in a new tab)
- State Secretariat for Migration (SEM) · checked 20 Oct 2026 Directives on the AIG (Weisungen AIG), sections 0.2.1.3 settlement treaties, 3.3.1.3 language skills and 3.5 settlement permit, as of 15 June 2026 (in German) (opens in a new tab)
- State Secretariat for Migration (SEM) Permit C EU/EFTA (settlement permit): earliest date set by SEM, five-year countries (opens in a new tab)
- Fedlex, SR 142.209 Fees Ordinance for the AIG (GebV-AIG), Art. 8: cantonal maximum fees (in German) (opens in a new tab)
- Fedlex, SR 642.11 Federal Act on Direct Federal Taxation (DBG), Art. 83: employees subject to tax at source (in German) (opens in a new tab)
- Fedlex, SR 642.118.2 Tax at Source Ordinance (QStV), Art. 12: switch to ordinary taxation with a C permit (in German) (opens in a new tab)
- Fedlex, SR 141.0 · checked 20 Oct 2026 Swiss Citizenship Act (BüG), Art. 9: formal requirements for naturalisation (in German) (opens in a new tab)
- Canton of Zurich, Migration Office Niederlassungsbewilligung: five-year groups, documents, language certificates, in-person application (in German) (opens in a new tab)
- Canton of Geneva, OCPM Demander un permis C: examen d’office, demande ordinaire et demande anticipée (in French) (opens in a new tab)
- Canton of Geneva, OCPM Délais de traitement moyens des demandes déposées à l’OCPM (in French) (opens in a new tab)
- Canton of Vaud, Service de la population (SPOP) Transformation de l’autorisation de séjour B en autorisation d’établissement C (in French) (opens in a new tab)
- Canton of Basel-Stadt, Migrationsamt Niederlassungsbewilligung (C-Bewilligung): residence periods, requirements and how to apply (in German) (opens in a new tab)
- Canton of Zug, Amt für Migration Aufenthalt und Niederlassung: settlement permit, early grant and language certificate (in German) (opens in a new tab)
- fide Secretariat on behalf of SEM The fide test: levels, parts and language passport (opens in a new tab)
- State Secretariat for Migration (SEM) Entry and visas FAQ: the C visa covers up to 90 days in any 180 (opens in a new tab)
- City of Zurich, Personenmeldeamt Zuzug: Migration Office fees per adult, EU/EFTA CHF 72–127, others CHF 124–144 (in German) (opens in a new tab)
- City of Zurich, Personenmeldeamt Ausländerausweis: C applications, the canton’s review takes a few weeks (in German) (opens in a new tab)
- Canton of Basel-Stadt, Migrationsamt Einreise und Aufenthalt: fees for the C permit and the card (in German) (opens in a new tab)
- Canton of Bern EV GebV-AIG, BSG 122.26, Art. 10: C permit and card fees (in German) (opens in a new tab)
- Canton of Bern, Migrationsdienst Ausweis C: application at the commune (in German) (opens in a new tab)
- City of Bern, Einwohnerdienste, Migration und Fremdenpolizei Niederlassungsbewilligung: by email or post, German certificates only (in German) (opens in a new tab)
- Canton of Geneva, OCPM Taxes et émoluments de l’OCPM: fee table of 28 January 2026 (in French) (opens in a new tab)
- Canton of Ticino, Sezione della popolazione Permesso C: online application and costs (in Italian) (opens in a new tab)