Living in the Rhine Valley

Welcome to Switzerland

• Brochure about living in Switzerland  - in 16 Languages
• Register in the town hall (8 days) (Einwohnerkontrolle)

If you need for the first couple of weeks a place to stay, we suggest the following Hotels which offer flats for short term stays or check on airbnb.

• Boarding House, Buchs
• b-smart in Bendern
• flexi.motel, Buchs
• Hotel Buchserhof, Buchs
• Hotel Taucher, Buchs
• Wohntel, Sevelen
• Hirschen, Grabs

We often receive offers from private house owners who rent out, please contact me.

Check your contract: the earliest date you can terminate your lease contract, is usually after one year (except July and December) but can also be restricted to quarterly periods (excluding 31 December). 

The notice period is usually 3  months and for house often up to 6 months. The lease termination letter to the agency or landlord needs to be sent by registered mail.

If you terminate your contract outside of the defined contractual dates, under the condition that a new tenant is found who is willing to take over your lease under the same terms and conditions. It's your responsibility to look for a new tenant. Some agencies will help by advertising, but they are not legally required to do so. You can also send the information about your flat to your company or contact me, We might be able to help you. Contact

As soon as the agency has received your letter of termination, you will need to make the property available for visits so that the agency can find the next tenant.

• www.comparis.ch
• www.homegate.ch
• www.immoscout24.ch/en/flat

When you move outdo need to hand over the flat clean. Here are companies who can help you with that. 

• Fliegender Service, Buchs
• MK Reinigung, Buchs

Contact the "Tenant Association" should you have a problem when moving out (INFO)

Schlichtungsstelle in Buchs (Werdenberg) Is an office for mediation in case you have problems with your rental contract.

Duty-free allowance entering Switzerland

 If the total value of the goods carried (including the value of all foodstuffs) exceeds CHF 300, you will have to pay VAT in any case. (INFO)

Car Import

https://www.ch.ch/en/importations-cars-switzerland

Car Insurance

Car Motorway Sticker

https://www.ch.ch/en/swiss-motorway-sticker/ 

Driving School

Mr Van Velde

Active Fahrschule, Buchs            

079 682 02 02

Drivers Lisence 

You can drive in Switzerland using a foreign driver's licence for one year, after which certain nationalities will need to get a Swiss driver's licence -  INFO

Form to Exchange your permit - FORM

You need help to fill out the form? Contact: info@gmail.com

EU/EEA citizens driving in Switzerland

Switzerland allows those from the European Economic Area (EU plus Iceland, Norway and Lichtenstein) to exchange their foreign driver’s licence for a Swiss equivalent without having to take a test, as long as it is exchanged within 12 months of taking up residence in Switzerland. As applications can take some time to process, don’t leave it to the last moment; see below on the exchange procces.

If you don’t exchange your foreign driver’s licence within a year, you will be unable to drive in Switzerland and may be required to take the theory and practical tests. If you miss the deadline, check which rules will apply.

Non-European citizens driving in Switzerland

If you’re from one of the following countries you can exchange your foreign driver’s licence by taking only the practical driving test (not the theory test):  

Andorra, Australia, Canada, Korea, Croatia, Israel, Japan

North Korea, Monaco, New Zealand, Saint-Martin, Morocco

Taiwan, Tunisia, USA, Singapore.

However if you fail the test, the full theory and practical driving examinations must then be taken.

Everyone else must pass both the theory test and the practical driving examination. There is a deadline to doing this and individuals must take the Swiss test within three months.

Please check the update online, this infos might change

St.Galler Kantonalbank

UBS