Buying Property In Switzerland As A Foreigner - How Does That Work?

Without Swiss citizenship, there may be obstacles to buying real estate in Switzerland. The reason for this is the so-called Lex Koller (Federal Law on the Acquisition of Real Estate by Persons Abroad, or "BewG" for short). The law makes the acquisition of land by foreigners subject to authorisation in certain cases.

This article intends to provide a brief overview of who requires a cantonal authorisation for which property acquisition.

Acquisition without Authorisation

Not every purchase of real estate by a foreign national is subject to authorisation: If the person buys a property at her legal and actual place of residence in Switzerland in order to live in it (main residence), she does not require authorisation. If the foreign person acquires property in order to build her main residence on it, the same applies, provided that construction begins within one year of acquisition. If the person moves within Switzerland, this does not trigger an obligation to