Pets & relocation

Moving to Switzerland with a dog

Bringing a dog along adds a few extra steps to an already busy moving week: papers to carry at the border, a customs form to fill in, and a commune registration that can be tighter than the standard deadline. Work through them in this order.

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Before you cross the border

documents & customs

Get an EU pet passport (or a vet health certificate) Dogs travelling from the EU, Iceland or Norway need a valid pet passport. From anywhere else, a veterinary health certificate takes its place. Carry the original at the border, not a copy. Microchip your dog before the rabies shot, not after The chip has to be implanted before the rabies vaccination is given. If the order is reversed, Swiss customs won't accept the vaccination as valid. An old tattoo only counts if it was done before 3 July 2011. Vaccinate against rabies at least 21 days before entry Required from 12 weeks of age, and it only counts once 21 days have passed since the shot. There's no way to rush this, so time it before you book your move. Cross at a staffed checkpoint, during opening hours Your dog has to be declared in person to Swiss customs — a green-lane or automated crossing doesn't count. Check the opening hours for your crossing point before you travel, since officers aren't there around the clock. Official requirements (German only). Fill in the household-effects customs form Moving your belongings with you needs its own customs declaration. Download and complete it before you cross so it's ready to hand over. Customs form 18.44 (German).

Travelling with more than 5 pets? Crossing with more than five dogs or cats at once counts as a commercial import under Swiss customs rules, and needs prior authorisation rather than a standard private crossing.

Register at your commune

often a shorter deadline with a pet

Register within your commune's deadline The standard window is 14 days, but some communes ask pet owners to register sooner — 10 days is one example. Check your commune's website for the exact deadline and opening hours before you go. Bring your passport (an ID card is enough for EU/EFTA nationals) Bring your rental or sublease agreement Bring proof of income if you're self-employed A payslip isn't always available yet, so bring what you have: contracts, email confirmations, past payments, even correspondence with local clients — anything that supports a short business plan for the file. Bring original civil status documents Marriage certificate and children's birth certificates, in the original, not a copy or scan. Bring your dog's papers too Pet passport, vaccination confirmation and the stamped customs form all need to come with you to the commune, alongside your own paperwork.

Good to know

nothing to tick, just context

Registration is what starts your permit application The commune passes your file on to the cantonal immigration office, which is where your residence permit is actually issued — the commune is just the intake point.

Cantonal dog rules vary Beyond the federal entry rules, each canton sets its own dog tax, registration and (sometimes) liability insurance requirements. Canton Aargau, for example, publishes its rules at ag.ch (German only) — check your own canton's equivalent page once you're settled.

Official links

BAZG: bringing pets into Switzerland bazg.admin.ch (DE) The official customs requirements for dogs and cats: microchip, rabies vaccination, pet passport and where to cross. Household-effects customs form (18.44) bazg.admin.ch (PDF, DE) Fill this in before you cross the border with your belongings. SEM: FAQ for EU/EFTA citizens sem.admin.ch Background on the free movement agreement and what to expect from the permit process. Canton Aargau: dog rules (example) ag.ch (DE) One example of a canton's dog-specific rules — tax, registration, chip database. Check your own canton's equivalent page.

Moving to Switzerland with a dog

Before you cross the border

Register at your commune

Good to know

Official links

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