Before your arrival 

Foreign nationals require a valid travel document that is recognised by Switzerland (passport, ID card) in order to enter the country. 

Visa Requirements  

Please note that different visa requirements apply to entry for study or work purposes than to entry as a tourist. All foreigners who intend to stay in Switzerland for more than 90 days for work or study must have a visa. It takes at least 8 weeks to process a visa application, so please ensure that you submit your application in sufficient time. Switzerland is a member of the Schengen Area, i.e. visas issued for the Schengen Area are also valid in Switzerland. 

Please contact the relevant Swiss diplomatic representation abroad for details of the exact entry requirements for citizens from your home country.

Health insurance  

It is vital that you deal with the issue of health insurance before entering Switzerland. Private medical insurance is compulsory for all persons residing in Switzerland. You must take out a policy within the first three months of your stay in Switzerland. A separate policy is required for each family member. Additional private insurance policies can be taken out voluntarily in addition to compulsory health insurance, which is not income-related. Compulsory health insurance does not cover the cost of dental treatment. You can take out an additional insurance policy to cover this. Please remember to cancel your health insurance in your home country in good time. 

The online portal comparis provides an impartial overview of Swiss health insurance companies: overview of Swiss health insurance companies in Switzerland.

Comprehensive information on compulsory health insurance can be found on website of the Federal Office of Public Health (FOPH) and in the brochure issued, entitled "The compulsory health insurance – your questions, our answers" (brochure FOPH).

Documents  

To ensure that you are adequately prepared for your stay, please bring with you the following documents which are required for registration with the resident services in Lucerne and when applying for a residence permit. 

• A valid form of official personal ID/passport (one for each family member taking up residence in Switzerland)
• One passport photograph per family member
• Civil status documents (e.g. family record book or birth certificates of minors, marriage certificate etc.)
• Work contract
• Health insurance ID card 

Accommodation  

Finding accommodation in Switzerland can be a time-consuming process. You should therefore allow sufficient time to look for accommodation. Housing in Switzerland is relatively scarce and is expensive compared to other countries. There are usually multiple applications for a single apartment. Part of the application involves filling in a form. Most landlords require proof of personal liability insurance (details can be found in the section headed "After your arrival") and the payment of a deposit (1–3 months’ rent). The monthly rent does not include secondary costs such as electricity, water, heating, telephone/internet, cable TV and the state radio and television licence fee (serafe AG).

The University of Lucerne does not own any guest houses, but it does work with the Student Mentor Foundation, which offers one-room studio apartments in addition to student rooms. For details of rental prices and availability, please visit the website of the Student Mentor Foundation Lucerne. 

The following websites offer furnished apartments:

Appartements Hofquartier

HIT Rental

UMS Untermietservice

The following websites can be used to search for accommodation:

• homegate
• immoscout-24
• comparis

Further information on entry to Switzerland can be found in the FAQ on the website of the Federal Office for Migration.

Registration 

You must register with the local authorities in your residential district within 14 days of arriving in Switzerland. In Lucerne, this is the Einwohnerdienste Luzern (Immigration Control Office; website in German only). 

Residence permit  

You must apply for a residence permit from the Office for Migration (website in German only) after you have registered with the local authorities. 

A fee is charged for registration with the local authorities and for submitting a residence permit application. 

Work permit  

Your work permit application is dealt with through Human Resources (rubric University).

Bank account 

Lucerne has plenty of options for opening a Swiss bank account, e.g.

• UBS
• Credit Suisse
• Luzerner Kantonalbank
• Valiant Bank (in German)
• Postfinance
• Migros Bank (in German)

Insurance 

Private liability insurance  

We recommend that you take out a private liability insurance policy. This is usually required when signing a rental contract. You can find overview of Swiss insurance points (comparis).  

Occupational accident insurance (BUV) 

All persons employed in Switzerland are insured (by their employer) against occupational accidents and work-related illness. 

Non-occupational accident insurance (NBUV)  

All persons employed in Switzerland are insured against leisure-time accidents, including on the journey to work, provided that they work for the same employer for at least 8 hours per week. This insurance is arranged by the employer and deducted directly from the employee’s salary. 

(Source: www.suva.ch/english) 

Pension  

The retirement age in Switzerland is 65 for men, and 64 for women. The pension provision in Switzerland is divided into three sections (pillars) as follows: 

Pillar 1 
This section of the pension is financed by all persons who are capable of work (employees, employers and the unemployed), the federal government and the cantons. In addition to old-age pensions, contributions for the disabled and people who are unable to work for health reasons are paid from the basic state old-age and survivors’ insurance scheme (AHV). Employees of the University of Lucerne are insured with Ausgleichskasse Luzern (website in German only). 

Pillar 2
The 2nd pillar is the pension fund that is only compulsory for employees. The pension contribution is deducted directly from the employee’s salary every month. Employers also make the same contribution as their employees. The income from the first two pillars is intended to guarantee a pension of 60% of the worker’s final salary before retirement. Employees of the University of Lucerne are insured through the pension fund of the Canton of Lucerne (Pensionskasse des Kantons Luzern website in German only). 

Pillar 3 
The third form of old-age pension is intended to top up the pension of 60% of the worker’s final salary from the first two pillars. This scheme is voluntary. Workers have the option of paying into a special savings account, which brings tax and interest benefits. You can ask for information on this pension option at any Swiss bank. It is known as "Vorsorgekonto 3a". 

(Source: www.swissworld.org)

Taxes  

Foreign employees registered as resident or tax resident in Switzerland (Permit L or B), but without a permanent residence permit (Permit C) are subject to withholding tax. This means that the employee’s tax contribution is deducted directly from his/her salary by the employer each month and submitted to the tax office. The amount varies depending on the canton and is subject to change. Swiss nationals and foreign nationals with a permanent residence permit (Permit C) pay their taxes at the end of each year. 

The witholding tax calculator (comparis) can provide an overview of payable tax. Please note that the social insurance contributions are also deducted from the gross salary.

The University of Lucerne and its four faculties

If you are planning a stay in Lucerne with the whole family, you should deal with the issues of childcare and school attendance as early as possible, and prior to entering Switzerland if possible. Detailed information is also available on the website University-and-family.

Infant childcare