Why Switzerland’s golden visa is a hit among the uber rich

US President Donald Trump’s announcement to introduce a “gold card” visa for wealthy foreigners has increased interest in “residence by investment”. Firstpost and Moneycontrol bring you a series on “golden visas”. After Greece, we move to Switzerland, which has been ranked second on the 2025 Global Residence Program Index by Henley & Partners

Immigration has been propelled at the forefront of geopolitics since President Trump returned to power on January 20. While the US is making efforts to curb illegal immigration, it is also seeking to attract rich foreigners with its “gold card” visa.

But it’s not just America laying down the red carpet for affluent foreign nationals. Many countries such as Malta, Switzerland, the United Kingdom, Australia, Canada and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) offer “golden visas” to wealthy individuals.

While Trump is offering “gold card” visas for a whopping $5 million (Rs 44 crore), many European countries are offering legal residency for a far lower amount.

Switzerland offers one of the most sought-after golden visa programmes for people looking to relocate to Europe. Ranking consistently among the top happiest countries, it is an alluring choice for the uber-rich and their families seeking residence by investment.

For the unversed, golden visas provide a country’s residency to foreign individuals in exchange for an economic contribution. The programme helps the governments raise funds and attract foreign investment.

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In our series, we will explore why the Swiss Golden Visa, or the residency-by-investment programme, is such a hit.

How do you get the Swiss golden visa?

The Swiss government gives the right to live in the European country to nationals other than those belonging to nations in the European Union (EU) and European Free Trade Association (EFTA).

The EFTA consists of four countries: Iceland, Switzerland, Liechtenstein, and Norway.

Wealthy non-EU nationals can live in Switzerland in exchange of a flat amount of tax annually.

Applicants, between the ages of 18 and 55, who have no criminal record, can apply for the Swiss golden visa programme. They should also own or lease a residential property in Switzerland.

Switzerland’s golden visa programme offers residency by investment via two ways: paying a lump sum tax or investing in a business.

The first way entails an individual to shell out a minimum annual tax of CHF 250,000 (Rs 2.5 crore). The tax varies by Switzerland’s cantons and can even jump to CHF 600,000 (Rs 5.9 crore) per year. However, those who opt for residency by investment through this option cannot work in Switzerland.

“For wealthy persons with no intention to execute gainful employment in Switzerland, the Swiss Residence Program is a straightforward option: Wealthy foreigners (Non-Swiss citizens), who are financially independent, can apply for a lump-sum tax agreement with the Swiss tax authority. By agreeing to pay a pre-defined annual flat-tax amount, the applicant and his dependents (spouse and minor children up to age 18) will be granted a Swiss residence permit,” Silvia Cristina Mueller, Legal Advisor & Senior Manager Switzerland AG, Henley & Partners, told Firstpost in an email.

“The permit allows them to live and study in Switzerland for 12 months and it can be renewed annually as long as the agreed lump-sum taxes will be continued to be paid. The residence permit allows the applicant to buy real estate in Switzerland for personal residential purposes,” she added.

Speaking to Firstpost, Pierre Gabris, founder and managing partner of the Swiss asset management firm Alpen Partners International, called this method a “negotiation” depending on various factors such as the city, canton, the applicant’s wealth and nationality.

He said foreigners can also move to Switzerland as a retiree, given that they can show “enough financial means to live in Switzerland” without having to work or “take advantage of the social security system.”

Non-EU nationals can go with the Swiss Business Investor Programme by setting up a new company within the European country that creates jobs. Foreign nationals can also invest in an existing Swiss business, with an annual investment of not less than CHF 1 million (Rs 9.8 crore).

“The business must be pre-approved and either keep or create full-time jobs in Switzerland. The investment must be made in the canton where you reside and maintained throughout the residency. Naturally, applicants who chose this route have the right to work in Switzerland,” Murat Coşkun, managing partner of Get Golden Visa, said to Firstpost.

It takes up to eight months to process a Swiss golden visa for a non-European citizen, whereas it is just around four months for a European national. According to Henley’s Mueller, the applicant has to pay legal fees in the range of CHF 35,000-50,000 (Rs 35-50 lakh), “depending on the individual case complexity and specific circumstances”.

How many people have the Swiss golden visa?

Mueller said the official survey published in 2019 showed that there were 4,557 people who opted for lump-sum tax living in Switzerland.

As per Gabris, there has been interest from residents of India, Dubai and the United Kingdom for the programme. There has also been a “huge demand” from Americans since the pandemic, be it from people worried about “government control” during COVID-19 or those unhappy with former US President Biden or the current Trump administration.

What makes the Swiss Golden visa appealing?

Switzerland is one of the world’s wealthiest countries. Its high standard of living, excellent healthcare and education, and top-grade infrastructure make it a popular choice among foreigners who want to live there. The Alpine country’s political stability and low crime rate are an added advantage.

The European nation’s business-friendly approach also gives it an edge over other countries in the continent offering golden visas. “The Swiss Golden Visa holder can travel within the Schengen zone without needing a visa, making it easier to conduct business or simply explore the rich cultural heritage of Europe,” Coşkun said.

Several cantons provide attractive tax rates to nationals whose countries have a double-taxation agreement with Switzerland. The country’s economic stability is a big draw for investors and businesspeople seeking financial growth.

“As Switzerland has one of the strongest economies in the world, the country is inherently attractive in terms of political stability, predictability, and security,” Coşkun said. “With high living standards, a democratic and social state approach, very low crime rates, a good education system, and excellent nature, Switzerland is highly appealing to investors and their families seeking residence through investment,” he added.

The Swiss golden visa programme stands apart from similar schemes in other European nations like Portugal and Monaco due to its lesser visa processing time.

It also allows foreign nationals to apply for citizenship after maintaining residency for at least 10 years. They need to be well-integrated, pass a language test and clear a personal interview to apply for a Swiss passport.

As the European world takes a hard stance against immigration, fears of threats to the golden visa scheme loom large. Countries like Spain, the UK, Ireland and the Netherlands have tightened their rules around their golden visa or similar programmes.

There was also opposition from locals in Switzerland in the past against the lump-sum taxation system. “It’s regularly being discussed in the Swiss parliament whether the right for foreigners to be lump-sum taxed should be abolished. The last time it was in 2014 when it was publicly voted following a popular initiative to abolish the lump-sum taxes. The Swiss voters clearly voted for keeping this right and most of the cantons, currently 21 out of 26, still offer this special tax agreement,” Mueller explained.

But Gabris says that the Swiss golden visa is not going anywhere, at least not anytime soon. “You can probably be sure that it’s going to be there in 10-20 years, while many countries like Italy, I’m not sure there will be a golden visa left in two years,” he mused.