How to Open a Swiss Bank Account for Non-Residents in the Era of Strict Compliance

1. Strategic assessment

A private consultation, usually 45 minutes wit our experts. We map tax residence, wealth origin, structural complexity, and what you need from the account — investmnet managemnet, a treasury hub, wealth preservation for the next generation. The answer shapes which banks we shortlist. This call is also where we tell you honestly if we cannot place your file.

2. Compliance Pre-Screening (The “World-Check”)

We run the same background checks Swiss banks will run on you: World-Check, Refinitiv, adverse-media searches, sanctions lists, PEP databases. When we find something — and on roughly a third of files, we do — we prepare the clarification memo before the bank ever sees your name.

3. Compliance dossier construction

The Source of Wealth narrative gets written. Corporate bylaws get indexed. Proof of address gets verified. UBO charts get drawn for every beneficial owner above the 20% threshold (10% on higher-risk profiles). This is the step most introducers skip. It’s also the single biggest reason our files clear onboarding that cold applications stall on for months.

4. Direct introduction to a matched bank

We present the finalised dossier to senior Relationship Managers in our network — not through a contact form, directly. Because the file is pre-vetted and the bank fit is intentional, these discussions usually move to onboarding terms and tariff negotiation rather than documentation requests.

5.Remote onboarding and activation

For roughly 95% of files, the final step runs from your living room. FINMA-compliant video identification, NFC passport-chip reading, and qualified electronic signature close the file. Your Swiss IBAN is issued, the account goes live, and we stay involved through the first funding wire to prevent correspondent-bank friction.

Honest framing. We accept mandates we believe will clear. If we take on your file and cannot place the account, the completion balance is not charged — only the CHF 1,000 initial retainer is non-refundable, because the pre-screening work happens regardless of outcome. We decline files where Source of Wealth cannot be evidenced, where a profile sits outside Swiss banks’ country-specific risk acceptance, or where the economic purpose of the account is unclear.

Who We Work With

Three profiles make up roughly 90% of our book. If you recognise yourself in one of them, a Swiss account is a realistic outcome.

HNWIs & families

Private clients diversifying out of single-currency, single-jurisdiction exposure. Real estate proceeds, equity portfolios, inherited assets, company sale proceeds — the wealth profile top-tier Swiss private banks are built for.

Best for: CHF hedging, succession, Lombard access ( depends on bank and client domicile). Deposit target: CHF 500k – 5M+

Offshore holdings & trading entities

BVI, Cayman, Cyprus, Malta, UAE free-zone, Singapore, and Hong Kong corporates with documented economic substance and clean UBO. Multi-currency treasury, fiduciary deposits, cross-border flows. See our note on Liechtenstein foundations with Swiss accounts.

Best for: liquidity management, dividends, FX treasury. Deposit target: CHF 5M+

Internationally mobile entrepreneurs

Founders, fund managers, and UK non-doms post-April 2025 whose tax residence is now Dubai, Monaco, Singapore, or Switzerland itself. Bank selection has to match where you pay tax today — not five years ago.

Best for: post-exit wealth, cross-border mobility, FIG planning. Deposit target: CHF 500k – 1M

Eligibility & Requirements

Swiss account opening for foreigners is a documentation exercise. The paper trail behind your net worth matters more than the passport on the cover.

Realistic minimum deposits by bank tier

The CHF 500,000 brochure figure gets you into a mid-tier private bank. Real private banking — dedicated Relationship Manager, discretionary mandate, Lombard credit — usually starts higher.

Documentation checklist

Certified passport copy — six-plus months’ validity


Proof of address — dated within three months (utility bill, bank statement, or official government correspondence)


Tax Identification Number and completed CRS self-certification


Comprehensive CV — narrative, not bullet points; tracks how the wealth was built

Source of Wealth evidence — audited financials, annual tax returns, M&A contracts, title deeds, probate decrees, or Chainalysis / Elliptic / TRM forensic reports for crypto wealth


Certified translations for any document not in English, German, French, or Italian


Corporate clients add: incorporation certificate, apostilled good-standing, articles and bylaws, shareholder and directors’ registers, UBO declaration with passport copies

Source of Wealth vs. Source of Funds

This distinction sinks more applications than any other single factor. Source of Wealth (SoW) is the cumulative story of how your net worth was built. Source of Funds (SoF) is the specific origin of the money arriving on day one. They must reconcile. A client whose CV reads “consultant” and whose opening deposit is CHF 8M is declined within 48 hours — not because anything is wrong, but because the story doesn’t add up on paper.

Who will not qualify

Honest limits, listed upfront who can not open a swiss bank accounts:

• Russian and Belarusian nationals without qualifying EU / EEA / UK / Monaco / Andorra residency under the June 2022 Federal Council Ordinance
• Clients who cannot document Source of Wealth with primary evidence
• Wealth derived from sanctioned sectors or sanctioned counterparties
• P2P-acquired crypto wealth without counterparty traceability
• Clients unwilling to complete CRS self-certification or accept automatic information exchange to their country of tax residence

Why Partner with Easy Global Banking?

Service Fee Schedule

1. Onboarding Fee Tiers

Fees are structured based on the regulatory complexity and the depth of due diligence required for each profile.

• Standard Introductory Fee | CHF 2,000
  • Criteria: Clients from Developed Countries whose nationality matches their country of domicile, with transparent and verifiable funds.
• Emerging Markets Fee | CHF 4,000
  • Criteria: Clients from Emerging Markets or those with standard international profiles requiring additional jurisdictional verification.
• High-Risk & Complex Structure Fee | CHF 10,000
  • Criteria: Profiles involving complex corporate structures, multi-jurisdictional entities, or those requiring Enhanced Due Diligence (EDD).

2. Payment Terms

All engagements are processed according to the following payment milestones:

• Initial Retainer | CHF 1,000 (Non-Refundable)An upfront advance payment required to commence the application review and KYC (Know Your Customer) preparation.
• Completion Balance | Due Upon OnboardingThe remaining balance is settled immediately upon successful account opening.

Fee Summary Table