Depending on the kind of permit you have, it may have to be renewed each year or only after five years of residency.

In either case, you should be aware of the deadlines and procedures for extension, but the process is fairly simple.

Typically, you will receive a letter from local authorities approximately six weeks before the deadline reminding you to renew. There will also be an application form that you will need to fill out.

It must be submitted to your commune of residence (or canton in Geneva) no earlier than three months and no later than two weeks prior to the expiration date.

You will need to present your residence permit and passport, which must remain valid for at least three months after the date of the permit’s expiration.

The cost of renewal varies from one commune to another and is determined by the kind of permit you have.

READ ALSO: How easy is it to get permanent residency in Switzerland?

So, how much will it cost you to get and renew a Swiss residency permit?

According to the State Secretariat for Migration, for EU/EFTA nationals and workers who are posted by a company based in an EU/EFTA country, the maximum fee for issuing and renewing a residence permit (category L, B, Ci and G) is 65 francs. This fee includes the photograph, signature and production of the permit.

For single people under the age of 18, the maximum fee for a change of address is 20 francs, and 30 francs for all other services. This maximum fee also applies to C permits.

For Ci permits specifically, the fees for the non-biometric residence permit and for capturing the photo and signature come to 10 and 15 francs, respectively.

After five years of uninterrupted employment as a cross-border commuter, third-country nationals no longer require a permit to change jobs or professions, but have to notify authorities all the same.

In this case, the fee corresponds to the fee for a change in Switzerland’s Central migration information system (ZEMIS) whether or not you need to order a new permit card, and the authority can let you know how much this costs. 

In Switzerland, there is no legal basis for charging fees for N and S permits. Fees can only be charged for the extension of F permits (provisionally admitted foreigners).

However, the State Secretariat for Migration recommends that municipalities and cantons do not charge any fees if the person concerned is receiving social assistance.