Start a company in Switzerland as a foreigner — the complete 2026 guide

You want to found a Swiss LLC (GmbH) — but you don't live in Switzerland, or you hold no Swiss passport. Is that possible? Yes, absolutely. Switzerland welcomes foreign entrepreneurs — but within a clear legal framework.

Two things make incorporation different for foreigners than for Swiss residents:

• The residency requirement: at least one person with Swiss residency must be able to represent the company.
• The banking hurdle: opening a capital deposit account is considerably harder for non-residents than for CH residents.

This guide walks you through overcoming both — whether you are an EU citizen holding a Swiss residence permit, or founding entirely from outside Switzerland.

Who counts as "foreign" in this guide?

We distinguish three groups here:

• Group A — foreigners resident in Switzerland: EU/EFTA citizens or third-country nationals who live in Switzerland with a valid residence permit (typically B or C) and are registered with their municipality. For the residency requirement, what counts is residence, not nationality — so incorporation runs almost identically to a Swiss citizen's. One point to check: third-country nationals whose B permit was issued for employment currently need an authorisation from the cantonal migration office to switch to self-employment (Art. 38 para. 3 AIG); family members admitted through family reunification generally do not.
• Group B — EU/EFTA citizens without Swiss residency: living in the EU, wanting to found a Swiss company. Need a person living in Switzerland who can represent the company — a co-founder in the management or a Swiss Representative. A shareholder living in Switzerland is not enough unless they also represent the company.
• Group C — third-country nationals without Swiss residency: non-EU/EFTA nationals living outside Switzerland. Same situation as Group B — Swiss Representative required, plus often more extensive bank KYC.

Different groups face different hurdles. Group A has few special rules (see the permit point above). Groups B and C need to take the Swiss Representative route.

The residency requirement: Art. 814 para. 3 CO

The Swiss Code of Obligations requires that the LLC "must be able to be represented by a person resident in Switzerland", and that this can be a managing director or a director (Art. 814 para. 3 CO). For the AG, the same rule applies to a board member or a director (Art. 718 para. 4 CO).

In practice: the LLC can have shareholders who live entirely abroad — even hold the majority stake abroad. But at least one person must:

• Be resident in Switzerland (registered with a municipality)
• Be able to legally sign for the LLC, i.e. be entered in the commercial register as managing director or director. A procuration (Prokura) is not enough.
• Have sole signing authority. Some cantonal commercial register offices also accept joint signing by two people who both live in Switzerland — check with the office in your canton first.

This person can be a co-founder, an employed managing director, or a professional Swiss Representative.

The Swiss Representative — who, what, how much?

A Swiss Representative is a person living in Switzerland who is entered in the commercial register as managing director or director of your LLC, with signing authority. Not to be confused with a domicile holder, who only provides the address at your registered seat.

Who can act as Swiss Representative?

• A natural person with Swiss residency (a friend, acquaintance, or fiduciary)
• A professional Swiss Representative service (law firm, fiduciary, specialised provider)

Important: the Swiss Representative takes on genuine legal responsibility. They are listed in the commercial register and carry the duties and the personal liability of a company officer (Art. 827 in conjunction with Art. 754 CO). Professional providers therefore run due diligence and impose ongoing reporting requirements on their clients.

Swiss Representative costs:

Prices vary widely between providers and depend on the liability the representative takes on. Ask for a written offer and check what is included (address, signing, reporting). Floow's Swiss-resident director seat (planned) is to cost CHF 490/month, but it cannot be booked yet — until then you need such a person yourself.

Founding as an EU/EFTA citizen with a B permit

Already living in Switzerland as an EU/EFTA citizen with a B residence permit? Then almost no special rules apply to you.

• You can be entered as managing director in the commercial register.
• Your B permit must stay valid — renewing it on time is your responsibility. An expired permit causes problems in the commercial register.
• You are permitted to work in Switzerland; the B permit covers gainful employment.
• No Swiss Representative needed.

Practical tip: opening a bank account still requires full KYC — identity document plus proof of Swiss residence (municipal registration certificate).

Founding as a third-country national without CH residency

You want to found a Swiss LLC but live outside Switzerland and are not an EU/EFTA citizen? That is possible, but more involved.

What you need:

• A Swiss Representative (mandatory)
• An address at the company's registered seat in Switzerland — without your own premises, via a domicile holder (c/o address, Art. 117 HRegV)
• A capital deposit account at a bank or licensed fintech that accepts non-residents
• Full KYC documentation (ID, proof of source of the capital, possibly video KYC)

What you don't need (for the incorporation itself):

• A Swiss passport
• A visa for the incorporation itself — it can be handled by power of attorney
• A personal visit to the notary — you can be represented by power of attorney. Signatures certified abroad generally need an apostille; ask the notary which form they accept.

What you should clarify before founding:

• Do you want to be physically active in Switzerland? → check work permit requirements
• Do you want to pay yourself a salary from the LLC? → where you work affects where that salary is taxed and where you pay social security
• Is there a double taxation treaty between Switzerland and your country of residence?

Capital deposit account for non-residents

The capital deposit account is mandatory for LLC incorporation: the CHF 20,000 minimum share capital (Art. 773 CO) must be paid in full (Art. 777c CO) into a blocked account before the notary can certify the incorporation. The account must be held by an institution subject to the Swiss Banking Act — a bank or a holder of a FINMA fintech licence (Art. 633 CO; EHRA practice note 3/23); an account with a bank abroad does not qualify. Fees for the capital deposit account differ by provider: from nothing (if you keep the bank as your operating bank) to a few hundred francs, and more if enhanced checks are needed.

The problem: many Swiss banks do not open accounts for non-residents — or demand extensive documentation and long waiting times.

Options for foreigners:

• Licensed fintechs: a few holders of a FINMA fintech licence offer capital deposit accounts with a digital process (for example Relio). Whether you are accepted as a non-resident is decided in their own KYC — ask before you apply.
• PostFinance: a bank owned by Swiss Post. Opening involves an appointment, and the capital confirmation is sent by post. Ask beforehand whether they accept founders without Swiss residency.
• Cantonal bank of your canton of residence (if in Switzerland): a local option with a personal advisor if you already live in Switzerland.

After the commercial register entry: the share capital is released and transferred to the LLC's operating account. You can open a separate operating account at a different bank.

KYC: enhanced requirements for foreigners

KYC stands for "Know Your Customer" — the legal obligation of banks and fiduciaries to identify their customers. Under the Swiss Anti-Money Laundering Act (GwG), relationships with increased risk need additional clarification. A residence abroad of the customer or the beneficial owner and the absence of personal contact are among the criteria banks use; relationships with foreign politically exposed persons always count as increased risk (Art. 13 GwV-FINMA).

For foreign LLC founders, this means:

• Identification: a valid passport or national ID card.
• Proof of residence: an official document showing name and address (utility bill, official letter) — banks usually want a recent one.
• Source of funds: for the CHF 20,000 share capital, you must prove where the money comes from — bank statement, salary slip or similar.
• PEP declaration: are you a "politically exposed person", i.e. do you hold or have you held a leading public function — for example head of state or government, senior politician, or senior official in administration, the judiciary or the military at national level (Art. 2a GwG)? If yes, expect a significantly longer process.
• Video KYC: many banks run KYC via video call — no in-person visit required.

Time budget: as a non-resident, plan extra time for KYC — these checks take longer than a standard account opening, and the notary appointment can only be fixed once the bank has confirmed the capital deposit.

Work permit and residence

Careful: founding a Swiss LLC does not automatically give you the right to work or live in Switzerland.

EU/EFTA citizens: entitled to gainful employment in Switzerland under the Agreement on the Free Movement of Persons. If you move to Switzerland, you still need to register with your municipality and receive a residence permit (usually B).

Third-country nationals: considerably more restrictive. Permits for third-country nationals are subject to annual quotas set by the Federal Council. Two routes in practice:

• Admission as a self-employed person: possible if it is in Switzerland's overall economic interest, the financial and operational requirements are met and you have a sufficient livelihood (Art. 19 AIG) — usually assessed on the basis of a business plan
• Family reunification: spouses of Swiss citizens who live with them have a right to a residence permit (Art. 42 AIG) and may take up gainful employment

Important: the work permit is separate from the incorporation. You can found and control a Swiss LLC without being employed in Switzerland — but if you are operationally active and draw a salary, you need a permit.

Step by step: incorporation for foreign founders

• Step 1 — Secure a Swiss Representative: find a person with Swiss residency or engage a professional Swiss Representative service. This step must be settled first.
• Step 2 — Address at the registered seat: without your own premises, a domicile holder provides the c/o address and confirms it to the commercial register (Art. 117 HRegV); a P.O. box is not enough. Floow offers a registered seat in Baar (canton of Zug) for CHF 500/month on top of Floow Core (CHF 29/month) — only after a qualification check (one-time CHF 200), billed from the commercial register entry, minimum term 6 months.
• Step 3 — Check the company name: Floow's name check queries the commercial register (Zefix) live and links directly to the trademark search (Swissreg) and the domain.
• Step 4 — Prepare the articles of association: define purpose, share capital and governing bodies. Floow's assistant Donna drafts the articles with you; the draft is free, the finished incorporation documents need Floow Core (CHF 29/month).
• Step 5 — KYC and capital deposit account: choose a bank or licensed fintech, submit KYC documents (plan extra time as a non-resident), deposit the CHF 20,000 share capital in full.
• Step 6 — Notary appointment: founders can be represented by power of attorney, so no trip to Switzerland is needed. The notary certifies the incorporation.
• Step 7 — Commercial register entry: usually the notary files with the cantonal commercial register office (for a GmbH: base fee CHF 420, plus CHF 20 per registered person and signing authority, plus outlays). Processing time differs by canton and is often the longest single step. With the entry, the LLC acquires legal personality.
• Step 8 — Post-incorporation: social security registration (if operationally active), VAT check, open an operating account, set up accounting software.

Frequently asked questions about company formation for foreigners

Ready to found your Swiss company from abroad? Contact us here — we reply within 24 hours on business days and tell you honestly which path fits your situation.