Residence Permit through investment: We support you to obtain it

More than often, foreign investors want to move their residence to Switzerland in the long-term. Living in a healthy and safe environment, protecting their fortune, low taxes, getting the best education for their children or simply enjoying the culture and lifestyle of Europe are only some of the reasons behind such a decision. Switzerland is rightfully considered one of the most prosperous, stable and economically developed in the world, and the ultimate safe-haven country for wealthy investors to live in. Our team at Benesteem has decades of experience on this topic, and can help you with its established network of specialized law firms and high-level political contacts.

• Active commercial investments are the only realistic chance for non-Europeans to get a permit.
  • The quotas for non-commercial resident permits for non-European Union citizens are only a handful per year, so very little chance of success.
• However, Switzerland welcomes foreigners who invest in the economy.
  • If your investment is deemed to be of special economic value, you can apply for a residence permit for the whole family. It is not required to donate or freeze the amount in a bank account: the capital must work for the benefit of the investor and the country.
  • If your investment is "in the interests of the economy as a whole", you can even expect active support from the Swiss authorities, both for the project itself and for your residence permit.
• The main program, called "Residence Permit for Qualified Self-employed Managers", allows you to move to Switzerland, do business there, educate children, enjoy social benefits, buy real estate for personal use and travel to the Schengen countries without visas. Ten years later, you can apply for a life-long residence permit, and twelve years later for Swiss citizenship. Read here a detailed case study on how it works in practice.
• The second program, called "Residence Permit for Persons of `important public interest`", is targeted to persons without any business activities inside Switzerland, but with large income from foreign sources. One key element of this program is the so-called lump-sum taxation scheme, under which you pay a fixed annual amount of taxes to the Swiss tax office. You are allowed to move to Switzerland, educate children, enjoy social benefits, buy real estate for personal use and travel to the Schengen countries without visas. But it is forbidden for you and your spouse to exercise any active business inside Switzerland, or to work as an employed manager. This program may be beneficial for retired businessmen with a very large personal fortune (typically more than 30 Mio. CHF), who may take advantage of the relaxed tax rules of the lump-sum taxation. However, this program is available only in certain cantons of Switzerland.