I am moving to the canton of Basel-Stadt. What do I have to do?

To move to Basel, you must register with the Residents' Registration Office within 14 days, either in person or via eMoving (eUmzug). You can find all the information you need on the Relocation page. 

If you come to Spiegelhof in person, we will conduct a special welcome meeting with you. 

Have you recently moved to Basel-Stadt and have children?

Registration for kindergarten and school

Our information on the school system, registration and contact points is available in four languages. 

Apprenticeship, studies, further education

• Would you like to learn a trade and are looking for an apprenticeship?
• Would you like to study or continue your education?
• Interesting facts about scholarships.

Apprenticeship, studies, further education

• Would you like to learn a trade and are looking for an apprenticeship?
• Would you like to study or continue your education?
• Interesting facts about scholarships.

Finding your way around Basel

• Do you need support in your native language? The  GGG Migration team offers advice in 17 languages on financial, legal and social issues. To make an appointment, please call +41 61 206 92 22.
• You can find further social institutions and support services at sozialesbasel.ch

Picked out: some advice centers for special situations:

• In cases of domestic violence: protection, accommodation and advice for women with or without children: Basel Women's Shelter Foundation (Stiftung Frauenhaus beider Basel).
• On the subject of equality between women and men (Gleichstellung von Frauen und Männer )
• In the event of rental disputes: State arbitration board for rental disputes (Staatliche Schlichtungsstelle für Mietstreitigkeiten) 
• For legal issues: Basel-Stadt Civil Court (Zivilgericht Basel-Stadt) or Office for Economy and Labor (Amt für Wirtschaft und Arbeit ) or Society for the Good and the Common Good (Gesellschaft für das Gute und Gemeinnützige)
• Binationally married: the advice center for binational couples and families advises and supports you with legal questions and intercultural issues (Beratungsstelle für binationale Paare und Familien).

Are you moving to the canton of Basel-Stadt and speak little or no German? We invite you to learn German. 

Where can I learn German?

Newly arrived migrants can attend a German course of 80 lessons free of charge if they are going to live in Basel-Stadt for a longer period of time and receive a so-called B permit.

You will receive a personal voucher for the German course at your welcome meeting at the Residents' Registration Office. It is valid for the first twelve months after your arrival. The translation of the voucher content into various languages can be found on the language vouchers page: Sprachgutscheine: Übersetzungen.

Children and young people

Children and young people who attend kindergarten or school learn German at school. For younger children, there are playgroups with German lessions.

Swiss nationals living abroad

Swiss nationals living abroad may also obtain a voucher for a free German course (80 lessons). The following criteria must be met cumulatively:

• of legal age;
• not German-speaking (below level B2);
• personal presentation at the counter;
• Stay abroad for at least one year.

The entitlement is only valid for the first year of your stay in Switzerland.

The Office of Economy and Labor (Amt für Wirtschaft und Arbeit (AWA) will be happy to advise and support you with questions about

• Work permits
• Recruitment and unempoyment

The Migration Office can provide you with all the information you need on issuing work permits and cross-border commuter permits for EU/EFTA nationals.

If you would like to register as self-employed, you can find more information here:

• Self-employed provision of services in Switzerland
• Basel-Stadt Compensation Office (Ausgleichskasse)

Under the BaselArea.swiss brand, company founders and companies from Switzerland and abroad can find support for the successful implementation of their projects and business plans in the Basel region.

Information on the employment of au pairs can be found under Training in Switzerland (Ausbildung in der Schweiz).

More information on the recognition of professional qualifications can be found in the federal register of professions (beim Berufsverzeichnis des Bundes).

Here are some important links on topics relating to family and childcare:

Family

The family is an important first place of learning for your child. Specialists support you and your child. Our offers:

• Supporting young children
• Advice for parents
• Parent education

Childcare

Childcare is available for babies from three months and for children in all neighborhoods. (Betreuungsangebote).

Information on questions regarding family reunification and concerns of cross-border commuters.

Can I have my family join me from abroad? (family reunification)

In principle, it is possible for family members to move to Switzerland (family reunification). This applies to direct relatives or spouses of persons already living in Switzerland. Whether you can submit an application depends on your nationality and your residence status as the applicant. You can find all the information you need on the Family reunification page (Familiennachzug.)

Can I live in the canton of Basel-Stadt as a cross-border commuter?

People who work in Basel but return to their place of residence abroad every week can register as weekly residents provided they meet the requirements (als Wochenaufenthalter oder Wochenaufenthalterin anmelden).

Do you have any questions about health?

When to go to the family doctor's practice, when to the emergency ward, when to the pharmacy?
Are you looking for a family doctor? You will find all the important information on the website of MedGes, der Medizinischen Gesellschaft Basel.

Only go to hospital in an emergency situation. Exception: A doctor refers you to hospital. If you only have minor complaints, you can go to a pharmacy for advice. You can get medication there that does not require a doctor's prescription.

You can find an overview of the most important help and support services in the canton of Basel-Stadt in the event of domestic violence on the emergency card (Notfallkarte).

 

Iodine Tablets

The canton of Basel-Stadt and its municipalities of Riehen and Bettingen are located in the vicinity of a Swiss nuclear power plant. For this reason, you will receive a voucher for iodine tablets as a precautionary measure when you register. You can use the voucher to obtain the iodine tablets free of charge from a pharmacy or drugstore. You can find more information at:

• Federal Office of Public Health FOPH (iodine tablets) Bundesamt für Gesundheit BAG (Jodtabletten)

Basel-Stadt regularly organizes information events. This makes it easier for newcomers to settle into their new home. You will receive a personal invitation.

Public transportation

Timetables, ticket/subscription prices and further information can be found under the following links:

Public transportation (streetcar, bus) in Basel-Stadt:

• Tarifverbund Nordwestschweiz and the U-Abo 
• BVB-online timetable Basel & Regio

To the Swiss Federal Railways (SBB):

• Timetable and ticket purchase

Driver's license

If you are moving from another canton, you must inform the Basel-Stadt Motor Vehicle Inspection Office of your new address (Motorfahrzeugkontrolle Basel-Stadt).

If you are moving from abroad, you have one year after your first entry into Switzerland to apply for a Swiss driving license in person at the Motor Vehicle Inspection Office. During this year you may use your foreign driving license. After this period has expired, the foreign driving license may no longer be used in Switzerland. Please note that holders of driving licenses from certain countries must also complete a test drive and/or a theory test. You should therefore report to the motor vehicle inspection in good time.

Traffic regulations in Switzerland

The most important traffic regulations can be found on the website of the Federal Roads Office (Bundesamts für Strassen (ASTRA).

Parking

Parking spaces in Switzerland are divided into different zones. You can find more information on this on the Parking page.

Cycling city map

There is a digital cycling map for cyclists in and around Basel. 

Insurance 

If you are resident in Switzerland or hold a temporary residence permit as a foreign national, you must take out compulsory health and accident insurance in Switzerland. This legal obligation must be fulfilled within three months of taking up residence or giving birth: Compulsory insurance (Versicherungsobligatorium).

Exemption from the health insurance obligation:
Certain persons have the option of being exempted from compulsory health insurance in Switzerland in favor of their health insurance in their country of residence ( befreien lassen.).

Household contents and personal liability insurance are not required by law, but are recommended. If you enter "comparison services" in your online search engine, you will find various insurance providers.

Social insurance and return

Information from the Federal Social Insurance Office (BSV) in 12 languages  languages regarding residence and departure from Switzerland.

We will introduce you to a wide range of leisure and sports activities. These can help you to settle in quickly and get active. These include local clubs, sports facilities, playgrounds and much more

How do taxes work in Switzerland?

In Switzerland, taxes are levied at three different levels: From the federal government, the cantons and the municipalities. Individuals who are resident in Basel-Stadt for tax purposes are liable to pay tax and must complete an annual tax return. See Submitting a tax return as an individual (Steuererklärung als natürliche Person einreichen).

Foreign nationals who are resident or domiciled in the canton of Basel-Stadt for tax purposes but do not have a permanent residence permit (C permit) are an exception. They pay withholding tax on their income from employment. See withholding tax (Quellensteuer).

Cross-border commuters

For cross-border questions between Germany, France and Switzerland, the INFOBEST PALMRAIN advice center is at your disposal.

As a foreign national, do I have to pay taxes in Switzerland?

Foreign nationals without a permanent residence permit (C permit) pay a so-called withholding tax if they work in the canton of Basel-Stadt. This applies instead of income tax, which is assessed in the ordinary procedure. Subsequent ordinary taxation is nevertheless possible.

The withholding tax (Quellensteuer) is deducted directly from the salary. This does not apply to persons whose spouse is a Swiss citizen or is in possession of a permanent residence permit (C permit).

Have you moved here from abroad and are not gainfully employed? In other words, are you resident or domiciled in the canton of Basel-Stadt for tax purposes? Then you have the right to pay a tax calculated according to expenditure for the year in which you moved here. This is instead of income tax (in the ordinary procedure).

Housing offers

Immobilien Basel-Stadt is the competence center for real estate management in the Canton of Basel-Stadt. The canton has a wide range of rental properties:

• Real Estate Basel-Stadt (Immobilien Basel-Stadt)
• I am looking for an apartment 

Basic information on renting apartments in Switzerland can be found on the information sheet of the Federal Office for Housing in 16 languages.

Waste disposal

Household waste is disposed of in special bags in the canton of Basel-Stadt. In the city, this is the so-called "Bebbi-Sagg". Further information and the exact collection schedule for your neighborhood can be found on the page: 

• Waste collection.

General information on the correct and environmentally friendly disposal of waste can be found on the following page:

• Waste and cleanliness (Abfall und Sauberkeit) and
• Collection points (Sammelstellen)

You can dispose of food waste in organic waste bins in Basel-Stadt:

• Bio bins (Bioklappen)

Chip cards are required for the bins. These can be obtained from us at the customer center or from the sales outlets listed under the link.

Electricity, water and gas

Industriellen Werke IWB) is the electricity, water, natural gas and heating supply company of the Canton of Basel-Stadt.

Radio and television fees

In Switzerland, there is an obligation to pay radio and television fees. The bill for this comes from the company Serafe.

Import / customs declaration of property, cars and animals 

If you move your place of residence to Switzerland, you can import household effects, collections, animals or vehicles that you have already used for at least 6 months duty-free. However, you must declare the relocation goods to the customs office when you import them. To do this, you must complete the following form: Customs assessment for household effects (Zollveranlagung für Übersiedlungsgut, PDF) and present the following documents:

• Proof of relocation (employment contract, rental agreement, confirmation of deregistration. Non EU-25 citizens: Assurance of a residence permit)
  An inventory list of your household effects (not detailed, provided the goods are not subject to import restrictions)

Further information on customs can be found at the Federal Customs Administration (Eidgenössischen Zollverwaltung, EZV).

Further information on the import and export of animals and animal products is available from the cantonal veterinary office of Basel-Stadt (kantonales Veterinäramt Basel-Stadt).

Registration of dogs

Dog owners are obliged to register each dog online with the cantonal veterinary office (kantonales Veterinäramt)  as soon as it reaches the age of 3 months or within 10 days of acquiring it or moving to the canton of Basel-Stadt.

How do I import my car into Switzerland?

You can find the necessary information on importing vehicles on the following websites:

• Information from the Basel-Stadt motor vehicle inspection authority (Motorfahrzeugkontrolle Basel-Stadt)
• Motor vehicle inspection station of both Basel cantons (Motorfahrzeug-Prüfstation beider Basel)

How do I register my car in Switzerland?

The way to a Swiss license plate: Information brochure from the Basel-Stadt Motor Vehicle Inspection Office: Der Weg zum schweizerischen Kontrollschild.