Residence permit
Foreign nationals who stay in Switzerland for more than three months need a permit. The L permit is for a limited stay, usually under a year, for a set purpose. The B permit is for a longer stay with a set purpose. The C permit is settled residence, with no time limit and no conditions (SEM; AIG, Art. 32 to 34).
Cross-border commuters, with a G permit, live abroad and work in Switzerland.
What it means for your loan
The Consumer Credit Act does not mention permits or nationality: its credit check is the same for everyone. Which permits a lender accepts is that lender’s own decision, so ask before you apply.
Explained in full
Loans with a residence permit (B, C, L)
A B, C or L permit does not rule out a loan in Switzerland. What the law asks of every borrower, what changes with a permit, and what to ask a lender.
Sources
- Permits for living in Switzerlandch.ch, a service of the Confederation, cantons and communes, read on
- L EU/EFTA permit (Short-term residents)State Secretariat for Migration (SEM), read on
- B EU/EFTA permit (Resident foreign nationals)State Secretariat for Migration (SEM), read on
- C EU/EFTA permit (Settled foreign nationals)State Secretariat for Migration (SEM), read on
- Ausländer- und Integrationsgesetz (AIG), SR 142.20, Art. 32 to 34Swiss Confederation, Fedlex, read on