Switzerland · Retire or live on savings
Switzerland Retiree permit B
Residence permit B for retired persons (Art. 28 FNIA)
Checked against official sources on Change log
Key facts
Retiree permit B is a retire or live on savings route for Switzerland. You can't take local work. Checked 2026-10-12 against the official source.
Time and long term
RenewalRenewable
The residence permit B is renewed unless your centre of life is no longer in Switzerland.
Permanent residenceAfter 10 years of residence
Settlement permit (C) after 10 years in Switzerland, the last 5 on a residence permit, with good integration; 5 years in a row on a residence permit is enough if you speak the local national language well.
CitizenshipAfter 10 years of residence
Ordinary naturalisation needs 10 years of residence including 3 of the last 5, and a C permit when you apply; years on B and C permits count.
Why this route may not fit
Check this before you apply.
- Work isn't allowed on this route
- Not open to EU, EEA or Swiss passports
- Only from age 55
What you'll need
Who can apply3
- Minimum age 55.
- Special personal ties to Switzerland, independent of relatives; owning property or having business links in Switzerland does not meet this condition on its own.
- The centre of life is in Switzerland.
What you must show2
- Financial means above the amount that would entitle a Swiss person to supplementary benefits.
- The means must flow with great certainty until the end of life.
Steps1
- Admission is a discretionary cantonal decision subject to SEM consent.
After you arrive1
- No gainful activity in Switzerland or abroad, other than managing own assets.
When you become tax resident
How Switzerland decides tax residence and treats foreign-source income, from its tax records.
- Tax residence
- At least 30 days in a stay in Switzerland, temporary interruptions disregardedTax residence by stay applies from 30 days when the person works in Switzerland (DBG Art. 3(3)(a)).
- At least 90 days in a stay in Switzerland, temporary interruptions disregardedTax residence by stay applies from 90 days when the person does not work in Switzerland (DBG Art. 3(3)(b)).
- Foreign-source income
Residents are taxed on worldwide income at the federal direct tax scale of 0% up to CHF 15,200 (≈ $18,200) (single) rising to 11.5% above CHF 794,000, (≈ $952,000) and cantons and municipalities add their own income and wealth taxes, so the total burden depends on the place of residence.
All tax rules for Switzerland Tax records checked
Full official text
For people no longer gainfully employed: minimum age 55, special personal ties to Switzerland, the required financial means, and no gainful activity in Switzerland or abroad other than managing own assets. The centre of life must be in Switzerland. Financial means must exceed the amount that would entitle a Swiss person to supplementary benefits and flow with great certainty until the end of life. Admission is a discretionary cantonal decision subject to SEM consent. 1 2
Requirements
- Minimum age 55. 1
- Special personal ties to Switzerland, independent of relatives; owning property or having business links in Switzerland does not meet this condition on its own. 1
- The centre of life is in Switzerland. 1
- Financial means above the amount that would entitle a Swiss person to supplementary benefits. 1 2
- The means must flow with great certainty until the end of life. 1 2
- Admission is a discretionary cantonal decision subject to SEM consent. 1 2
- No gainful activity in Switzerland or abroad, other than managing own assets. 1
Stay
- Residence permit B; renewal refused if centre of life is not in Switzerland.
- Renewable, subject to the conditions in force at renewal.
Nationality
Non-EU/EFTA nationals. Not open to: Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Switzerland, Cyprus, Czechia, Germany, Denmark, Estonia, Spain, Finland, France, Greece, Croatia, Hungary, Ireland, Iceland, Italy, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Latvia, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Sweden, Slovenia, Slovakia.
Work
No gainful activity.
Family
Spouse and minor children may be admitted under family reunification rules.
Official sources
- Weisungen AIG, Ausländerbereich (directives, status 15 June 2026; chapter 5 residence without gainful activity, education) · State Secretariat for Migration (SEM) · checked 2026-10-10
- Foreign Nationals and Integration Act (FNIA), Articles 42-51 on family reunification · Federal Authorities of the Swiss Confederation (Fedlex) · checked 2026-10-11
- Ordinary naturalisation · State Secretariat for Migration (SEM), Switzerland · checked 2026-10-11
Retiree permit B and its alternatives
| Route | Money needed | Stay | Work |
|---|---|---|---|
| Retiree permit B | – | – | No |
| D7 passive income visa Portugal | Needs income of €920+ a month ≈ $1,030 | 2 yr, renewable | – |
| Non-lucrative visa Spain | Needs income of €2,400+ a month ≈ $2,680 | 1 yr, renewable | No |
| Elective residence Italy | Needs income of €31k+ a year ≈ $35k | – | No |
| Independent means permit Greece | Needs income of €3,500+ a month ≈ $3,910 | 3 yr, renewable | – |
Questions people ask
How long can I stay on the Retiree permit B?
Residence permit B; renewal refused if centre of life is not in Switzerland.
Can I work on the Retiree permit B?
No. No gainful activity.
Can I bring my family on the Retiree permit B?
Spouse and minor children may be admitted under family reunification rules.
Who can apply for the Retiree permit B?
Non-EU/EFTA nationals. Not open to: Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Switzerland, Cyprus, Czechia, Germany, Denmark, Estonia, Spain, Finland, France, Greece, Croatia, Hungary, Ireland, Iceland, Italy, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Latvia, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Sweden, Slovenia, Slovakia.
Does the Retiree permit B lead to permanent residence in Switzerland?
Time on the Retiree permit B counts toward permanent residence in Switzerland, which the rules allow after 10 years of residence. Time on the Retiree permit B counts toward citizenship, which the rules allow after 10 years of residence.
How are Retiree permit B holders taxed in Switzerland?
No special regime in our records is tied to the Retiree permit B. The standard rules apply: Residents are taxed on worldwide income at the federal direct tax scale of 0% up to CHF 15,200 (≈ $18,200) (single) rising to 11.5% above CHF 794,000, (≈ $952,000) and cantons and municipalities add their own income and wealth taxes, so the total burden depends on the place of residence.
More in Switzerland
Retirement and live-on-savings visas elsewhere
≈ USD figures are approximate: daily reference rates from ExchangeRate-API, dated 12 Oct 2026, refreshed when the site is updated.
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How this was checked
Checked on 2026-10-12 against 3 official sources. Status: verified against the official sources.
Every figure on this page comes from the official source it links to. The record was researched against these sources, then reviewed separately, with special attention to effective dates and amendments. Where a source does not state something, the page leaves it out.
- Weisungen AIG, Ausländerbereich (directives, status 15 June 2026; chapter 5 residence without gainful activity, education) · State Secretariat for Migration (SEM) · checked 2026-10-10
- Foreign Nationals and Integration Act (FNIA), Articles 42-51 on family reunification · Federal Authorities of the Swiss Confederation (Fedlex) · checked 2026-10-11
- Ordinary naturalisation · State Secretariat for Migration (SEM), Switzerland · checked 2026-10-11
Tracked since 2026-10-10. Rule changes and corrections are listed on the changes page, and the methodology page explains how facts are checked. Found something out of date? Email contact@stayglobe.app with a link to the official source.