I should add that I do not use UBS, but CS.

At UBS you can open an account based on your foreign address, then when you get your permit they will change it to your Swiss address, and I think the account also gets a 'better' status. I did this after I showed them a letter from my future employer stating contract length and salary

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I open my bank account with CS with only my EU passport only (if non EU passport, they will charge around 200Fr per year for maintaince fee). No hassle with my address. My account comes with internet banking, an CS electronic card (cost no annual fee, withdraw money from CS machine only), and a metro card (cost 40Fr yearly if my memory is right).

But since when I opened my account I was still looking for a job and without any permit, so the bank requires an minimum 200Fr should be maintained in the account. And if i presented them the permit later, the restriction would removed.

But I thinks its all depends on which branch you are trying. When i first try the one in Pradaplatz, they will need the "proof of addess" letter from the Glemenda, but it is not required from the Stauffacher branch! Maybe they need more new customers

I went to a UBS in Horgen (zurich canton) on Thursday. I had all the documentation necessary to open an account. The manager there told me that they werent allowing Americans to open bank accounts with UBS. It was a company policy. 9since mid December) Apparently there is some tax conflict with the US....I didnt have time to argue, I had to open an account that day because pay day was monday. She said Credit Suisse had the same policy. So I just went over to the ZKB and opened an account there with no problem.

Anybody in the banking industry know if that woman was misleading me. I'm starting to think I was fooled. I'm not complaining because ZKB is cheaper than those 2 banks, I just think its sh*tty if she lied.

I wouldn't believe that for a second, but on the better side, from all the swiss people I have spoken to they do not suggest using UBS , or CS, for private banking those to companies seem to be more geared to large accounts, and businesses,

If it was between CS or UBS , I would go with CS any day as they are more flexible with these kind of things ( opening accounts , credit cards etc. ) when it comes to foreigners .

We're also with CS and have found them to be very good;
only EU passport and proof of address (contract) needed. We didn't need our permits, thank goodness, otherwise we would've been waiting a long time to be paid. We went to the branch in Oerlikon and have found their services to be very good; the ability to do international transfers online (and costing on 5 CHF) is extremely useful.

Hi my husband started his job yesterday and also needs to open bank account before pay day, we are still in UK and he will need to transfer money to account here, was that 5 chf for the international transfer? Has anyone done this if so what kind of exchange rate do you get in uk?

Thanks

My husband deals with the transfer thing, but to transfer from our swiss account to our english account (Barclays), CS only charges 5 CHF. However, Barclays (being the fantastic bank they are) add on their "handling fee" (I think this is about £8), but the exchange rate (I think) is good. We make international payments every month as we still have commitments in the UK. Sorry i can't give more details.

For good exchange rates, check wechselstube.com. They are Swiss and have a 1.5% spread, which I have not yet seen beaten by banks, when it concerns small amounts for private people (<250k). But maybe this is for the future, as you need to go to a Swiss post office to have a copy of your passport verified, then you can sign up with them.

So far they have been very fast, very reliable, courteous, and cheap . But I am not affiliated with them in any way. Just letting you know as the transfer fee is 10 chf outside Switzerland but you quickly make that up on the exchange rate. The rates are live, so you can check them out on the web before signing up, the rates are the same. They do lots of exotic currencies too, including AUD and Yen etc.

I dont know if you guys are talking about masses of money, or just an ordinary bank account? But the Swiss banking secrecy laws are exactly what they say they are - secret. You`re charged 3.5% withholding tax, and if you want to declare your interest on your tax return, you get a rebate on the withheld tax, because the govt tax is not as high as the banks. I apologise for bumping this thread - but read all the above posts and didnt find any simple explanation, just in case the OP was wanting a simple answer.

Hello.

I need to get a Swiss bank account to have my wages paid into!

Problem is, I don't live in Switzerland or require a permit for my job there, so couldn't produce a working permit if they asked for one.

I have been assured such banks exist that will allow me to open an account with them purely for this reason, but haven't been given any names.

Is anybody able to help? The bank in question will need to be in Basel

Thanks!

do you work in Switzerland?

Not yet.

But I will be working in Basel at the EM2008, thus need a Swiss account for taxation purposes.

35%, not 3 and one half %, just to be shure, to be shure...

In contrast, when I used to send money back to the UK on a regular basis, HSBC never charged me a penny. Also, I noticed that I got a better spread on the rates here than in the UK so I always transferred sterling.

On the same subject, if I want cash in sterling for a trip to the UK, I always change it here to get a better rate.

I opened a postfinance account from the UK online, with just a notorised copy of my passport. no initial deposit required.
after coming here they 'upgraded' the account to have an atm card.

At ubs, I opened an account with a swiss address (no proof required), copy of work contract, passport, and the 'receipt' from applying for a work permit. the maestro card came in 4 days.

I then went back there with my work permit proper, they will be sending my credit card (not turned up yet).

at ubs no opening deposit either.

This sounds good to me! I did a quick search for HSBC in Switzerland though, and the only results are for private banking. Does HSBC do normal retail banking in Zurich? If so, could you provide me with some pointers to get an account open?