In Spain, registering with the local council is something you can do at your own pace. Nobody rings you after three days to ask why you haven’t registered with the local council yet. In Switzerland, there is a legal deadline – it varies depending on where you live – but it applies in all cantons and starts from the first day at your new address.
Registration with the residents’ register (contrôle des habitants in the French-speaking part, Einwohnerkontrolle in the German-speaking part) is compulsory. In the canton of Vaud, the deadline is 8 days. In Geneva and Fribourg, it is 14 days. In most German-speaking cantons, the deadline is also usually 14 days. You must present your passport or identity card, your tenancy agreement and, where applicable, your residence permit. In many municipalities, this can now be done online or by appointment.
If you don’t do this by the deadline, most local authorities will impose an administrative fine. It’s not usually a huge amount – between 50 and 200 francs depending on the area – but it’s entirely avoidable. What matters most, whether you have a B or C permit, is that your registered address must be up to date. Your residence permit is linked to the canton where you are registered. If you move to a different canton, it’s not enough simply to notify the new local council: you must also complete a procedure with the immigration office in your new canton. Many people only realise they need to take this extra step weeks after moving, by which time the deadlines have already started.
Registration also has tax implications. Your official address in Switzerland determines which canton you pay tax in. This is no minor detail, given that tax rates can vary significantly between cantons.