Destination services in Genève

Counters at the OCPM are open by appointment only, but a person who has filed a permit application can order an attestation of their situation online, for instance to open a bank account. The attestation carries no stamp or signature, and anyone can check its authenticity on a secure online platform (Canton of Geneva, checked 21 Oct 2026).

Basic health insurance must be in force within three months of taking up residence, even while the permit is pending, and the canton’s average adult premium is CHF 610.60 a month (2027) (FOPH 2027 premiums, checked 21 Oct 2026) (ge.ch SAM, checked 21 Oct 2026). Electricity and gas are billed to the tenant by Services Industriels de Genève (SIG), while water and heating are usually part of the rent charges (ge.ch housing, checked 21 Oct 2026).

A monthly adult transport pass costs CHF 70 (2026) (Unireso, checked 21 Oct 2026), a 60-minute ticket in zone 10 CHF 3.00, and a pass for ages 6 to 24 CHF 45; the State covers the pass of students up to 24 under conditions of training and income (Unireso, checked 21 Oct 2026). After the OCPM announcement the cantonal tax administration decides whether tax at source applies (City of Geneva, checked 21 Oct 2026). School-age children attend the school nearest their home, as described in the Geneva schools guide (City of Geneva, checked 21 Oct 2026).

Newcomers announce their arrival to the cantonal population and migration office (OCPM), route de Chancy 88 in Onex (ge.ch OCPM, checked 21 Oct 2026). Most procedures run online through an e-démarches account on ge.ch, and the counters open by appointment only. The deadline after arrival is 14 days (2026) (ge.ch arrival, checked 21 Oct 2026), and a first B or L permit costs an EU/EFTA adult CHF 65 (Canton of Geneva, checked 21 Oct 2026). The steps are in registering at your commune.