Swiss visa resources
After you arrive in Switzerland on a national (type D) visa
Once in Switzerland you register with your local commune and complete the residence-permit process at the cantonal migration office, which issues your biometric permit card.
Important
A national (type D) visa lets you enter Switzerland, but any stay of more than 90 days requires a residence permit. In principle this permit is applied for before entry at the cantonal migration office; after you arrive you complete the local formalities so the canton can issue your biometric residence-permit card.
The first step is registering your arrival with the residents'/registration office of your commune (Einwohnerkontrolle / Controle des habitants), which then feeds into the cantonal migration process. Questions about residence and permits go to the cantonal migration and labour-market authorities, not the embassy.
First steps after arrival
- Register your arrival with your commune's residents' registration office
- Complete the residence-permit formalities with the cantonal migration authority
- Attend the canton's biometric enrolment so your permit card can be produced
- Arrange the mandatory Swiss health insurance
Who to contact
- Cantonal migration and labour-market authorities handle residence and permit questions
- Your commune handles address registration and de-registration
- The SEM sets the federal rules but does not manage individual permit cases
Next steps
Official sources
For the most accurate and up-to-date information, always refer to the official government sources.
Verified against official sources · last reviewed 2026-08-21. Information only — not legal advice.