Tax & finance
expat-services.ch lists 3 hand-checked English-speaking banks in Lausanne: Banque Cantonale Vaudoise (BCV), PostFinance and UBS.
Besides English, they also work in French, German and Italian. Every profile shows the services, languages and contact details, checked by hand before going live. See also Lawyers and notaries in Lausanne.
3 providers
Vaud cantonal bank with English pages for people new to Vaud. Banking packs include a current account and Visa Debit card; accounts open in a branch or in the BCV Mobile app.
Checked by our editors · not yet confirmed by the business.
Is this your business?Swiss Post's bank offering low-cost CHF accounts for Swiss residents, opened online with ID check via video call or at a post office branch; site in English.
Checked by our editors · not yet confirmed by the business.
Is this your business?Major Swiss bank with dedicated English pages for people relocating to Switzerland; accounts can be opened digitally via app once registered as resident.
Checked by our editors · not yet confirmed by the business.
Is this your business?Local facts
The canton's welcome portal says that any adult can open an account in Switzerland with an official identity document, and that a residence permit or a proof of residence may also be requested. It lists paying at the counter of a bank or post office or by e-banking and smartphone, and a telephone line on 0840 43 21 00 for questions about budget and debts (Canton of Vaud, checked ).
The Banque Cantonale Vaudoise has its seat in Lausanne. It is a public-law limited company created by a decree of the Grand Council of 19 December 1845 and not subject to the Code of Obligations. The State holds an absolute majority of its shares, and the Council of State oversees its general mission (Canton of Vaud, checked ). Its statutory purpose is a universal bank close to its customers that also meets the canton's mortgage-credit needs (Canton of Vaud, checked ).
Banks can issue an electronic tax statement, a PDF with barcodes that the online VaudTax service imports to fill in the forms for bank and postal accounts, savings books and rent guarantees as well as debts and interest (Canton of Vaud, checked ).
Newcomers register with the Service du contrôle des habitants at Rue du Port-Franc 18. The registration deadline is 14 days (2026) (lausanne.ch, checked ). Arrivals from abroad or from another canton book a counter appointment and attend in person with a complete file (lausanne.ch, checked ), and the city's fee schedule sets CHF 30 for registering an arrival (lausanne.ch, checked ). For the national rules, see registering at your commune.
Read more Your first 90 days in Switzerland
Checked by the expat-services.ch editorial team