Insurance

All our quotations include INSURANCE that will cover your goods up to a value of 25,000.00 GBP (this can be increased if required) and we will forward full details of the policy so you can study it for your own peace of mind. It is a specialized policy for the international transport of household furniture and effects, full details of our broker are also included so you can contact them for assurance that all premiums are paid up to date. This is all part of the requirements of our membership of the British Acosiation Removers (BAR) and BS EN 12522 the British/European standard for removals.
Full terms are provided with every quotation.

Public Holidays

National holidays in Switzerland

Restrictions on the movement of large lorries are often implemented in Switzerland on these days, as well as Sundays and every night from 10:00 p.m. So if your moving to Switzerland why not call the experts for a effortless stress free relocation.

Documents Required To Stay (and Work) in Switzerland

If you intend to stay in Switzerland without transferring your domicile and without taking up gainful employment, you may stay in Switzerland for a maximum period of three months without notifying the competent authorities.

In the event of taking up residence in Switzerland for a period exceeding three months and/or if you wish to pursue gainful employment, you should notify your commune of residence within 14 days of your arrival. Notification must, in any case, be effected before starting a job.

Other countries (so-called Third States) From the moment you cross the border to take up residence in Switzerland, you have 14 days in which to register with the authorities in your commune. As a rule, the commune will then send your papers to the competent cantonal authority, which will deal with your application and issue the residence permit.

Please present the following documents:

1. Valid passport (for yourself and for each member of your family accompanying you)
2. Certificate from your health insurance provider (which proves that you are a member of a recognised health insurance scheme)
3. Passport photograph (of yourself and each member of your family accompanying you)
4. Registry office documents (e.g. family record book, marriage certificate, birth certificates of minor children, etc.)
5. Employment contract/confirmation of enrolment at a university

Driving in Switzerland

Autobahn tolls: In Switzerland you pay an annual motorway tax, even if you're only using the motorways for an hour or two. A vehicle sticker, or vignette, must be displayed on the windscreen by all vehicles. Of course, if you don't need to use a motorway you don't need to pay, although it's difficult to cross the country without doing so.

If you don't display a vignette you'll be liable to a fine of CHF100 plus the cost of the vignette. You can buy the stickers in the UK from the Swiss Centre. You can also buy them in Switzerland from customs offices at the frontier or service stations, garages and post offices.

Children in cars: children under 7 cannot travel in the front unless they use a proper child restraint. Children between 7 and 12 must use seat belts or child restraints which are appropriate to their size and age.

Documentation: always carry your driving licence, vehicle registration document (V5), and certificate of motor insurance. If your licence does not incorporate a photograph ensure you carry your passport to validate the licence. If the vehicle is not registered in your name, carry a letter from the registered owner giving you permission to drive.

Drinking and driving: Don't do it. Anything over 0.08 per cent and you could face anything up to

Fines: On the spot fines for infringing some traffic regulations. Ensure an official receipt is issued by the officer collecting the fine.

Fuel: All grades of unleaded petrol, diesel and some LPG are available as well as lead substitute additive. No leaded. It is allowed to carry petrol in a can. Credit and debit cards are widely accepted, although they probably won't work at automatic pumps. It's a good idea to let your card issuer know you will be travelling abroad. This ensures they don't suspend your card if they spot it being used in unfamiliar places, which they sometimes do as an anti-fraud measure.

GB Sticker is compulsory.

Headlamp converters are compulsory.

Lights: You are required to use dipped headlights during the day.

Minimum age for driving, provided you hold a full UK licence, is 18 for a car and motorcycle over 125cc, and 16 for a motorcycle under 125cc.

Motorcycle riders and passengers must wear crash helmets.

Motor insurance: third-party insurance is compulsory. A green card is not required but your insurer should be advised of your trip.

Snow chains are recommended to be carried everywhere in Switzerland during winter, and if you do not carry and fit them when conditions demand the police can prevent you continuing your journey.

Spectacles: if you wear spectacles for driving, you must carry a spare pair in the car.

Visibility Vests are now compulsory in Austria, Belgium, France, Italy, Norway, Portugal and Spain (and likely to become compulsory throughout the EU). The rules vary from country to country concerning number of vests required and whether they should be carried in the car or boot. Common sense suggests that there should be a vest for every occupant, and that the vests should be carried in the car, and put on before getting out. Do this and you will not have a problem.

Warning triangle is compulsory.

Taxation in Switzerland

Taxation of individuals in Switzerland
Resident individuals are subject to personal income and net wealth taxes. Partnerships (and similar groups of persons without legal personality) are transparent for tax purposes, the partners being taxed individually.

Non-residents deriving income from certain Swiss sources may be subject to certain withholding taxes.

Income taxes are levied by the confederation and also by the 26 cantons and their municipalities. The federal income tax is regulated in the Federal Direct Tax Act. There is no federal net wealth tax. The cantonal and municipal income and net wealth taxation is settled in cantonal tax laws.

By 1 January 2001 all cantons had to bring their income and net wealth taxes into line with the Federal Tax Harmonization Law. Subject to harmonization are mainly the concept of income and most of the deductions and allowances. The cantonal sovereignty in respect of the amount of deductions and the tax rates, however, is not affected by the Tax Harmonization Law. Thus, the tax burden will differ considerably also in the future, depending on the canton and municipality of which the taxpayer is a resident.

Residence
An individual is resident for tax purposes mainly if the centre of his vital interests is in Switzerland (and in the canton/municipality respectively). Key factors are where a person has a permanent home, where his family lives and where his most important personal and economic contacts are. This concept is similar to Art. 4 of the OECD Model Convention.

Tax residence, however, may also arise if an individual works in Switzerland for a period of minimum 30 days or if he stays in Switzerland (without working) for a period of minimum 90 days. He may be taxed as a resident for this period of time (pro rata temporis).

Resident taxpayers are subject to world-wide taxation in Switzerland, subject to unilateral exemptions and prevailing tax treaty provisions, of course.

The most important unilateral exemptions are:

1. real estate abroad, and
2. permanent establishments abroad

The exemption with progression method applies to such income and net wealth.

Non-resident taxpayers may be subject to Swiss taxes only with respect to income from certain Swiss sources.
Important examples are:

1. income from Swiss real estate (assessed tax)
2. income from business performed in Switzerland and permanent establishments located in Switzerland (assessed tax)
3. employment income performed in Switzerland or on board of international aircraft/ships/trucks if paid by an employer being resident in CH or having a permanent establishment in CH (withholding tax)
4. directors' fees (withholding tax)
5. interest secured by mortgage on Swiss real estate (withholding tax)
6. pensions and similar payments related to a former employment in Switzerland (withholding tax)
7. income from certain Swiss retirement funds ("gebundene Selbstvorsorge"), excluding the public old-age/survivor/disability insurance (withholding tax)

Very often, however, the right to levy these taxes is also restricted by tax treaties.

Retirement in Switzerland

You can obtain Swiss residency if you are 55 years old or older even if you are not a EU-15 citizen.
You need not to work within Switzerland. Many people in this program are retired or semi active, with only limited activities outside Switzerland. Many have children and enjoy the great standards of living available in Switzerland for both children and retired people.

Conditions
You need to be at least 55 year old to qualify. Your wife, even if she is not 55, can of course join you as well as your children below 18. You will be expected to actually live in Switzerland most of the year, but there are exceptions possible if in good faith. It is not possible, however, to benefit from this system if you actually live most of your time in a different country and only come to Switzerland for the summer.

Finally, unless you are a famous artist, you do need to show some ties to Switzerland such as previous trips, Swiss friends, relatives living in Switzerland, or other ties.

Benefits
You will obtain a B permit renewed every year. This will give you the right to live Switzerland with your family, buy Swiss real estate for your own use, and pay taxes in Switzerland.

Other benefits are:

1. A friendly tax system
2. A very central location right in the center of Europe. In an hour you can be in France, Germany, Italy or the UK.
3. Probably the highest quality of life in the world
4. A great country to raise healthy, multilingual children
5. The highest personal safety in Europe
6. The best health care system in the world
7. The Swiss have a great respect for personal privacy, respect age as a virtue and have no prejudice against wealthy people
8. Enjoy great political stability of Switzerland (no war since 1515)