Living in Geneva

For information only. This guide is an editorial orientation resource. It does not constitute legal, tax, or administrative advice, and does not recommend or encourage any specific course of action. Regulations, procedures and entitlements change; always verify current requirements with your organisation, the relevant Swiss and cantonal authorities, and qualified advisers before taking any decision.

Geneva in the multilateral context

Geneva is the most significant multilateral posting location in the world for international civil servants and permanent mission staff. The city hosts the United Nations Office at Geneva (UNOG), the World Health Organization (WHO), the World Trade Organization (WTO), the International Labour Organization (ILO), and more than 30 other intergovernmental organisations, alongside nearly 180 permanent missions and delegations. This concentration gives Geneva a well-developed administrative infrastructure for international personnel, but it also means that the procedures and entitlements governing your posting depend on which organisation or mission you serve, not just on Swiss law.

The FDFA legitimation card

Your principal residence and status document in Switzerland is the carte de légitimation issued by the Swiss Federal Department of Foreign Affairs (FDFA / DFAE).

The card has three functions: it is your residence permit for Switzerland; it certifies your privileges and immunities; and it exempts you from any visa requirement for Switzerland for the duration of your posting.

As of 1 March 2026, new FDFA legitimation card models have been introduced, meeting updated security standards. Cards issued before that date remain valid until their expiration date. Applications and renewals now use the new format. For current card models, see the Permanent Mission of Switzerland to UNOG, Residence and Status Service.

Travel within the Schengen Area: A valid FDFA legitimation card, combined with a valid passport, allows the holder to travel within the Schengen Area for up to 90 days in any 180-day period, without engaging in gainful activity. The Schengen Area as of the current guidelines comprises 29 states, including France, Germany, Austria, Italy, Belgium and Spain.

The type of card issued to you, and the category of privileges it certifies, corresponds to the function you hold within your organisation or mission. Each person in a household receives their own card; family members receive cards linked to, but distinct from, the principal beneficiary’s.

Permanent missions versus international organisation staff

The administrative pathway to your FDFA card differs depending on whether you are a staff member of an international organisation with a headquarters agreement, or a member of a permanent mission:

International organisation staff (UN, WHO, WTO, ILO, WIPO, etc.): your organisation’s administrative service submits the card application to the FDFA. The relevant guidelines are the Guidelines regarding the issuance of FDFA legitimation cards to staff members of international organisations, last amended December 2025.
Permanent mission staff: the mission submits the application. The relevant form is the Application for a FDFA legitimation card for the staff members of permanent missions, representations and delegations.

In both cases, the application route is through the Permanent Mission of Switzerland to UNOG, Residence and Status Service, Rue de Varembé 9-11, P.O. Box 194, CH-1211 Geneva 20.

Registration with the Canton of Geneva

In addition to the FDFA card, holders residing in the Canton of Geneva must register with the cantonal Office Cantonal de la Population et des Migrations (OCPM). The registration form for FDFA card holders (formulaire OI) is available on the Canton of Geneva website.

This registration is separate from the FDFA card process and is a cantonal administrative requirement. Changes of address within the canton must also be notified to the OCPM.

What the FDFA card does not provide

A stay in Switzerland under an FDFA legitimation card does not count towards the acquisition of a Swiss residence permit or towards naturalisation. This matters if you are considering a longer-term future in Switzerland: time served on a legitimation card is not time served for ordinary residency purposes.

On loss of the right to the FDFA card, through the end of a contract, retirement, transfer or other reason, the holder must either leave Switzerland within the time limit set by the authorities, or initiate a new application for a standard Swiss permit if they wish to remain. The relevant guidance is on the Canton of Geneva: Loss of right to the FDFA card.

Family members: card versus permit

For EU/EFTA national family members, there is a choice: they may receive a FDFA legitimation card (which grants privileges and immunities but does not count toward residency) or, where eligible, request a standard Swiss B permit instead (which counts toward residency but does not confer privileges). This choice is made at the time of the principal beneficiary’s arrival and in most circumstances cannot be reversed once made. Seek specific guidance from your organisation’s administrative service on this point.

Note also that as of a recent FDFA decision, legitimation cards are no longer issued to family members of personnel residing in France, only to those residing in Switzerland. Families living across the border in France are subject to the French TSS regime (see the companion guide Living in Paris, FR·LIV·01).

The cross-border reality

Geneva sits on Switzerland’s western border with France. Many international civil servants and mission staff live on the French side in the Pays de Gex (Ain département) or Haute-Savoie, and commute daily into Geneva. This arrangement is common and well-established, but it creates a dual administrative reality: status in Switzerland (FDFA card) and status in France (TSS from the MEAE, or an ordinary French permit for those not on a diplomatic mandate).

Living in France while working in Geneva has tax, health insurance and schooling implications that differ from residing in Switzerland. Your organisation’s administrative office and, where relevant, a cross-border tax specialist should be consulted if you are considering this option.

Housing

Geneva has one of the tightest housing markets in Europe. Vacancy rates are structurally low, and demand from the international community adds further pressure. Begin searching before your arrival date. Your organisation or mission may have established contacts with agencies experienced in placing international civil servants. The CAGI (Centre d’Accueil Genève Internationale) is a useful practical resource for newly arrived international staff.

Emergency contacts in Switzerland

Number	Service
112	European emergency number
117	Police
118	Fire brigade
144	Ambulance
145	Poison control