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11. Moving to Geneva

Geneva at a Glance

Moving to Geneva

Geneva lake, also referred to as Lac Léman, is Geneva's main attraction.

Most expats moving to Geneva work either in the finance sector or for one of the many international organizations and agencies headquartered there. As the capital of Switzerland’s French-speaking parts, la Suisse romande, this city has close ties to France, both geographically and culturally.

In fact, many people moving to Geneva for work end up living in one of the small French towns across the border rather than in the city itself. This is mainly due to the extremely high cost of living, which quite a few expats moving to Geneva won’t be able (or willing) to put up with. In 2011, Mercer ranked Geneva as the 5^th most expensive city in the world. Within Europe, only Moscow has a higher cost of living than that expats moving to Geneva will face.

However, people moving to Geneva can expect something in return for their money. Also according to Mercer, the city offers the third highest quality of life in any city all over the world. For most foreigners, moving to Geneva turns out to be an overall positive experience.

Moving to Geneva: Points of Interest

Geographically speaking, most expats moving to Geneva have no reason to complain. It is ideally situated for lovers of any outdoor activity you can think of. Surrounded by the Alps and the Jura, the city has plenty of skiing resorts within close reach to accommodate winter sports enthusiasts moving to Geneva.

The region has even more in store if you should be moving to Geneva during the summer. The mountains are ideal for hiking, and Lake Geneva provides great opportunities for swimming, sailing or enjoying the sunshine. All in all, foreigners moving to Geneva benefit from an agreeable climate with warm summers and relatively mild winters.

Move to Geneva: Geneva Metropolitan Area

Expats moving to Geneva might not be aware that the city’s metropolitan area does not only cover the canton of Geneva and partly the canton of Vaud. It also stretches across the border to include some areas in the French départements of Haute-Savoie and Ain.

The official language is, of course, French. However, expats moving to Geneva might be relieved to know that English is widely spoken due to the many international organizations.

Moving to Geneva: Entry Regulations for EU Citizens

In 2001, moving to Geneva to take up employment was made easy for EU/EFTA citizens. In that year, Switzerland signed a number of bilateral treaties with the EU. One of them was the Agreement on the Free Movement of Persons, which came into effect in June 2002 for nationals of the EU-15, plus Cyprus and Malta.

Citizens from most new EU states can also work in Geneva without facing restrictions. However, Bulgarian and Romanian nationals are denied full access to the Swiss labor market until 2016.

Move to Geneva: Schengen Visa

2008 saw the inclusion of Switzerland in the Schengen area. The Schengen area includes all EU countries plus Norway and Iceland. For stays of up to 3 months, a Schengen visa is now accepted by the Swiss authorities.

If your main destination is Switzerland, you should apply for a Schengen visa at the Swiss Embassy or Consulate in your country of residence. However, if most of the 3 months will be spent in another Schengen country, your visa should be issued by the authorities of that country.

Everyone whose nationality does not exempt them from visa regulations must apply for a national (type D) visa if their intended period of stay exceeds 3 months. A long-term visa is usually granted only together with a work permit. Application forms for all types of visa can be downloaded from the website of the Swiss Embassy or Consulate in your country.