Importation and exportation formalities in Switzerland (removal and vehicles)

The information provided below shall not give rise to any responsibility on the part of the Organization. The provisions of the national legislation in force and the associated texts shall take precedence.

1. Factsheet (Customs)

You are moving your permanent residence from UE to Switzerland: Factsheet (French only).

2. Holders of a D or E-type carte de légitimation

As a general rule, non-Swiss staff members, fellows and associates entirely paid by CERN who hold a contract with the Organization stipulating working hours of more than 50% and lasting more than 3 months are entitled to one of the above-mentioned cards.

2.1. Furniture and personal effects

The above-mentioned members of the personnel are entitled to import their furniture and personal belongings tax-and duty-free, provided that:

they have held a contract with CERN for less than 5 years, and
they are moving to Switzerland for the first time, and
the contract is their first CERN contract giving entitlement to a carte de légitimation.

The member of the personnel must provide the Installation Service with the following information and documents at least 15 days before the scheduled removal date:

his exact address abroad
his exact address in Switzerland
1 inventory of the goods to be moved (in French, German or Italian)
1 copy of the carte de légitimation

Members of the personnel who do not meet all these conditions should contact the Installation Service for information on the appropriate importation procedures. In principle, the importation formalities will be carried out under ordinary national law. The member of personnel will be asked to pay the necessary importation duty for all the objects which are not in his possession for more than 6 months.

2.2. Vehicles

All vehicles which have been used abroad for more than six months by members of the personnel holding a D or E-type carte de légitimation may be imported as part of the furniture and personal effects free of import duty.

Furthermore, the above-mentioned members of the personnel are entitled to purchase or import a vehicle tax- and duty-free, provided that:

that they have held a contract with CERN for less than 5 years, and
that they are moving to Switzerland for the first time, and
the contract is their first CERN contract giving entitlement to a carte de légitimation

Members of the personnel who do not meet all these conditions should contact the Installation Service for information on the appropriate importation procedures.

2.3 Procedure

New tax-free vehicle bought in Switzerland:

The member of personnel must come to the Installation Service with the following documents:

1 copy recto-verso of his carte de légitimation or attestation de fonctions
1 copy of the form 13.20 (rapport d'expertise) delivered by the garage

Private vehicle used abroad for at least 6 months before arrival in Switzerland - Régime Commun (Normal importation regime):

As soon as the member of personnel has his/her Swiss legitimation card, he/she must import his/her vehicle. For this, the member of personnel needs to go to a Swiss customs post with his/her legitimation card and the vehicle documents. The customs officer in return will supply a “rapport d’expertise” (Form 13.20), which allows the member of personnel to register his/her vehicle on Swiss plates.

Please note that a member of personnel who imports a vehicle following this procedure continues to have the right to purchase a tax-free vehicle within the first five years of taking up a contract at CERN.

Vehicle bought abroad (new, second-hand or private vehicle used for less than 6 months) – Tax-free importation:

The car must have normal registration plates of the country from where it is being imported.

The member of personnel must stop at any Swiss customs post in Geneva area and declare that he'd like to import his vehicle into Switzerland. He will need to provide his carte de légitimation or attestation de fonctions.

Then he must come to the Installation Service with the following documents:

1 copy recto-verso of his carte de légitimation or attestation de fonctions
original of the form 15.01 (delivered by the customs at the moment of importation)

The Installation Service checks the relevant papers and passes them on to the Management of Swiss customs in Geneva. The Management of Swiss customs in Geneva approves the "tax and duty free importation" and sends to the Installation Service the importation form 15.52 approved and the form 13.20 ("rapport d'expertise"). Only then the member of personnel can proceed with registration of his vehicle in Switzerland.

Important: when importing a vehicle into Switzerland using the procedure described above, the member of personnel loses his right to purchase a new tax-free vehicle . If he/she wishes to maintain this right for later, the member of personnel can choose to pay the importation tax on the vehicle (for information on the exact amount of tax to be paid the member of personnel should go directly to the Swiss customs).

3. Holders of a P-type carte de légitimation

As a general rule, members of the CERN personnel holding a contract stipulating working hours of more than 50% and lasting more than 3 months and who are not entirely paid by the Organization are entitled to an attestation de fonctions.

3.1. Furniture and personal effects

The importation formalities shall be completed under ordinary national law by the removals company and/or the member of the personnel himself. For this purpose the Installation Service will issue an "attestation de régime commun" (certificate attesting that the goods are being imported under ordinary national law). The member of personnel will be asked to pay the necessary importation duty for all the objects which are not in his possession for more than 6 months.

3.2. Vehicles

The above-mentioned members of the personnel are entitled to purchase or import a vehicle tax- and duty-free provided that they are not already in possession of a vehicle to which a customs restrictions agreement applies.

3.3 Procedure

New tax-free vehicle bought in Switzerland:

The member of personnel must come to the Installation Service with the following documents:

1 copy recto-verso of his carte de légitimation or attestation de fonctions
1 copy of the form 13.20 (rapport d'expertise) delivered by the garage

Vehicle bought abroad or personal vehicle imported from abroad:

Then he must come to the Installation Service with the following documents:

1 copy recto-verso of his carte de légitimation or attestation de fonctions
original of the form 15.01 (delivered by the customs at the moment of importation)

The Installation Service checks the relevant papers and passes them on to the Management of Swiss customs in Geneva. The Management of Swiss customs in Geneva approves the "tax and duty free importation" and sends to the Installation Service the importation form 15.52 approved and the form 13.20 ("rapport d'expertise"). Only then the member of personnel can proceed with registration of his vehicle in Switzerland.

Exportation from Switzerland

Apply for a certificate of departure (attestation de départ) approximately 15 days before your removal (procedure available on the Relations with Host-States website),
Present a copy of the inventory valued when you cross the Swiss border,
If you stay at CERN, you must also registrer your new address in EDH by filling in the form "Local address change" and your French card the same day of your removal.

Formalities and removal must be done only during working days and office opening hours.

French Customs
Ferney-Voltaire

Swiss Customs
Ferney-Voltaire

Route de Genève BP 137

F - 01216 Ferney-Voltaire

Phone: 33 9 70 27 31 83

Fax: 33 4 50 40 09 55

Monday to Friday

7:30 - 12:00 - 13:30 - 17:00

Rue de Genève

F - 01210 Ferney-Voltaire

Tel: 022 717 0280

Fax: 022 717 0289