Over 820,000 Swiss nationals live abroad. That’s around 11% of people who hold a Swiss passport. And the number is growing. In terms of population, if the Swiss Abroad made up a canton, it would be the fourth-largest canton in Switzerland.
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Council of the Swiss Abroad: will direct elections bring fresh blood?
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The high turnout in direct elections has raised hopes, but in the past young people have not stayed long on the Council.
Around the world with a young Swiss explorer in 1900
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Long before he became president of the Red Cross, Zurich-born Max Huber travelled the world for two years documenting every step of his adventure.
Top footballer rues lack of prospects for women in Switzerland
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Luana Bühler plays for the Swiss national team, but she earns her living in England because the basis for a professional career doesn’t exist in Switzerland.
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The number of Swiss people living abroad continues to increase. Five charts explain their characteristics and geographic distribution.
With Isabella Kocum, all that glitters really is gold
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Isabella Kocum works in London as a gilder at the National Gallery and is an artist in her own right. But originally she had other plans.
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Swiss researcher Achille Capelli has found an open-air laboratory in Alaska. He is studying the polar ice shelf and is worried to see the impact of climate change.
Swiss engineer in Antarctica prepares for tough winter months
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Operations engineer Thomas Schenk ensures the Neumayer III polar station makes it through winter. The challenges are enormous.
Swiss-born artiste Neda Cainero carves her own path abroad
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Singer, actor and acrobat Neda Cainero is forging a creative path outside Switzerland – free from the reputation of being the daughter of well-known artist parents.
Swiss marine scientist dives into paradise in the Seychelles
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Swiss marine scientist Henriette Grimmel lives on a remote island in the Seychelles. She spends her days studying life in the ocean.
How a Swiss musician is lending a hand to people in Ukraine
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Originally travelling to Ukraine because of the Maidan protests, Bänz Margot has been setting up an aid organisation there since the beginning of the Russian invasion.
Swiss distiller creates world’s best vodka in Cape Verde
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From Appenzell to an island in the Atlantic: how José Steiner shifted careers to become an award-winning vodka distiller.
How Swiss-designed wigs make their way from Bali to the big screen
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In Bali, Swiss expat Orlando Bassi makes handmade wigs for Hollywood and Broadway – so successfully that he can afford to pay two butlers.
Adopted illegally in Switzerland, tracing her roots in Colombia
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Born in Colombia, Nathalie Favre was adopted by Swiss parents when she was seven months old. She describes her return to her native country.
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Living outside Switzerland doesn’t mean losing your right to vote. Yet only a small percentage of Swiss citizens living abroad actually cast their ballots. Here’s a short guide on how to vote from abroad.
Emigrating with family: what to do if a child doesn’t want to move
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New surroundings, new school, new friends – emigration can be a daunting prospect for children. Two experts share their tips.
Tax information when emigrating from Switzerland: what you need to know
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Tax liability in Switzerland does not always end at the country’s border – here’s what you should bear in mind when moving abroad.
Voting from abroad: How to register for Swiss elections
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Switzerland grants voting rights to its citizens living abroad. If you want to exercise your voting rights, you must first get on the electoral register.
Emigration and pension benefits: how to save on taxes
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Taxes are due when withdrawing pension fund capital. Swiss citizens living abroad may, under certain circumstances, reclaim a portion of these taxes.
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Got a Swiss passport and dreaming of working abroad? We’ll show you how to get started in under 90 seconds – the countdown is on!
Swiss abroad health insurance – what are the options?
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Should you take out insurance abroad? Or with a health insurance company in Switzerland? Is that even possible? We explain.
Emigration: what steps should I take to leave Switzerland?
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This article, along with a practical checklist, will guide you step by step through the emigration process – supplemented with further helpful articles and links.
Bringing a pet to Switzerland requires meticulous preparation
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Whether visiting Switzerland on holiday or arriving to live permanently, entering the country with a pet involves a number of steps and formalities. Here’s what you need to know.
Five things to know about your Swiss bank account before emigrating
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Swiss Abroad frequently pay significantly higher fees at Swiss banks than their compatriots in Switzerland. You can find an overview of prices here.
Swiss state pensions abroad and what you need to know
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How can I claim my state pension abroad? Can I still make voluntary contributions from outside Switzerland? Answers to some FAQs.
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Moving abroad is an exciting but often challenging experience. Many emigrants experience different phases between culture shock and assimilation.
What advice would you give to other part-time Swiss Abroad?
Are you one among a growing number of Swiss people who live part of the year in Switzerland and part abroad? What lessons have you learned from this lifestyle, what pitfalls should be avoided, what are the best tips?
Train vs plane: would you take a direct train between London and Geneva?
Eurostar is planning to run direct trains from Britain to Germany and Switzerland from the early 2030s. Would you favour the train over the plane? If not, why not?
Is your place of origin, your Heimatort, important to you?
Every Swiss citizen has a Heimatort, a place of origin, but many have never visited theirs. What’s your relationship with your Heimatort? What does it mean to you?
What factors should be taken into account when inheriting Swiss citizenship abroad?
Should there be a limit to the passing on of Swiss citizenship? Or is the current practice too strict and it should still be possible to register after the age of 25?
As a Swiss Abroad, how do you feel about the emergence of more conservative family policies in some US states?
In recent years several US states have adopted more conservative policies on family issues, abortion and education. As a Swiss citizen living there, how do you view this development?
How Switzerland deals with potentially problematic first names
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In Germany, a newborn is to be given the name Yahya Sinwar – like the former Hamas leader. Would this be possible in Switzerland?
Silent power guzzlers: Switzerland’s booming data centres
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Data centres are popping up across Switzerland, driven in part by demand for AI. They come at a cost: by 2030, the centres could consume 15% of the country’s electricity.
F-35 costs ‘were never fixed’: former Swiss audit chief
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Former Swiss audit boss claims cost of procuring US F-35 fighter jets was always likely to over-run as no fixed price had been guaranteed.
US F-35 jets could cost Switzerland ‘more than CH1 billion extra’
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The United States is trying to charge Switzerland up to CHF1.5 billion more for 36 F-35 fighter jets that were ordered in 2021.
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Read selected articles from across Switzerland and discuss current issues with people living in Switzerland and fellow Swiss Abroad in our debates.
Listen to science stories with our podcast: The Swiss Connection
Explore Science stories and research from Swiss universities, research institutions and businesses. Please listen and follow the Swiss Connection Podcast.
Swiss voters to decide – again – on introducing electronic ID
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A key step towards a digital society or a threat to data protection? On September 28, the Swiss will vote again on a new e-ID scheme.
A spark of hope for Swiss descendants without a Swiss passport
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Descendants of Swiss emigrants who have lost their Swiss passport are fighting a desperate battle to reclaim their citizenship. Now they are pinning their hopes on a little-known law.
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The Swiss flag is one of only two national flags in the world that are square. Why does it have this unique shape and where does it come from?
What advice would you give to other part-time Swiss Abroad?
Are you one among a growing number of Swiss people who live part of the year in Switzerland and part abroad? What lessons have you learned from this lifestyle, what pitfalls should be avoided, what are the best tips?
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Is a Swiss pension enough to allow you to stay in Switzerland when you retire? For many, the answer is no. They often leave due to financial difficulties.
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It’s hardly the most stirring national anthem, and few know it by heart, but the Swiss Psalm has survived all attempts at replacement.
Swiss man in Thailand tells of evacuation from conflict zone
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After a border dispute between Thailand and Cambodia flared up this week, thousands have had to flee to safety – including Swiss expat Charly Hofmann.
August 1: the Swiss president’s annual address to the diaspora
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Ahead of Swiss National Day, Karin Keller-Sutter has sent a message to the “unofficial ambassadors” of Switzerland around the world.
Immigration clause: will the Swiss Abroad become EU hostages?
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Should Bern and Brussels ever lock horns over the free movement of people, the Swiss Abroad could find themselves stuck in the middle.
‘Switzerland should negotiate but not bend the knee to Donald Trump’
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The Swiss government has launched a charm offensive to counter the US threat of 31% tariffs on imports. But is this the right strategy? Guests on Swissinfo’s Let’s Talk webcast debated the issue.
Renewed controversy in Switzerland over US fighter jets – explained
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The Swiss defence ministry has repeatedly insisted that 36 American-made F-35A fighter jets would be delivered at a fixed price of CHF6 billion. Now the US is demanding hundreds of millions more,
Will Switzerland finally do away with imputed rental-value tax on homeowners?
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The Swiss imputed rental value system is complicated and provides opportunities for tax breaks. Citizens will vote on the issue on September 28.
How Switzerland deals with potentially problematic first names
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In Germany, a newborn is to be given the name Yahya Sinwar – like the former Hamas leader. Would this be possible in Switzerland?
‘Luck running out’ for Swiss economy as growth slows ahead of US tariff hit
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Swiss GDP only expanded by 0.1% in second quarter, adding to pressure on central bank to return to negative interest rates.
Swiss voters to decide – again – on introducing electronic ID
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A key step towards a digital society or a threat to data protection? On September 28, the Swiss will vote again on a new e-ID scheme.
Migrants in Switzerland speak of gratitude, pride – and setbacks
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High quality of life, good job prospects, but integration issues: foreigners share their experiences of moving to Switzerland.
Immigration clause: will the Swiss Abroad become EU hostages?
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Should Bern and Brussels ever lock horns over the free movement of people, the Swiss Abroad could find themselves stuck in the middle.
Risks remain as Switzerland weighs return to nuclear power
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Switzerland reconsiders nuclear power amid climate goals, but experts warn of hidden risks that show the complexities of clean energy today.
Why climate change and wars are reviving interest in nuclear energy
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Is the Fukushima effect over? Here’s why there is renewed interest around the atom and which nations want to build new nuclear power plants.
‘Switzerland should negotiate but not bend the knee to Donald Trump’
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The Swiss government has launched a charm offensive to counter the US threat of 31% tariffs on imports. But is this the right strategy? Guests on Swissinfo’s Let’s Talk webcast debated the issue.
Renewed controversy in Switzerland over US fighter jets – explained
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The Swiss defence ministry has repeatedly insisted that 36 American-made F-35A fighter jets would be delivered at a fixed price of CHF6 billion. Now the US is demanding hundreds of millions more,
