as a foreigner, this is not a country you are going to stay. It should be possible to withdraw the AHV contribution out, equal to 5.5% of your salary, which you can use for other purpose.

Please cite an official document or link to Government site, where this refund possibility is described.

The AHV is an insurance. In German it is the Alters und Hinterlassen Versicherung). Translates to Insurance for Aged and Surviving Dependents.

What you pay/paid is the insurance premium. How can you go back to an insurer and say I had no claim, so refund my past premium?

Thanks a lot for your answer, Goldtop. I would also have to ask my friends regarding this issues. Because I really heard that the AHV refund is possible. Perhaps foriegner could refund the part of it.

I dont' think you can take your AVS/AHV payments back. You can take your "2nd & 3rd pillar" contributions.

If you take it out, you will probably be asked to pay it back, I imagine.

If you are independence, after withdrawing all the AHV, you have to leave Switzerland right away and you will lose your permit.

i think so. however i heard this kind of people have to leave Switzerland and not allowed to get back again within 20 yrs!!

I think I can......but I have to consider whether I still want to get back to switzerland in the near future......

You can be refunded your AHV contributions to the extent that you move to a country that has no social security agreement with Switzerland.

There is no restriction on moving back to Switzerland however *if* you return the amount repaid will count as missing years if you retire here, hence impact negatively your retirement.

As a foreigner currently living/working in CH, would I have First Pillar retirement entitlements if I left CH? If so, is there a minimum time I have to work in CH to be entitled? (ex: 10 years or more) Would it matter what my citizenship was? (EU or non-EU?)

In my specific case, I'm a dual national (EU and USA) and have been in CH 7 years...

...also, does anyone know where can I find more info about Pillar 1 entitlements?

Amazingly enough - on AHV's own webpage.

...ah, thanks...I forgot it was AHV I was looking at taxme.ch for some reason and wondering why I wasn't finding any info

Found this useful document (even in english )
http://www.ahv.ch/Home-D/allgemeines...l-Security.pdf

p. 28 explains what I was looking for...

Hi,

Regarding the refund of AHV when you leave CH for good, can someone tell me if you get back only the portion that you contributed from your salary or also that portion that is contributed by your employer?

Thanks!