How to form a company in Switzerland from India
By Dr. Anil Gupta, Global Expansion Advisor · Updated October 2026 · About 15 minutes to read
Most Indian founders form a GmbH (Sàrl), or an AG (SA) for larger plans. Choose the canton and a Swiss address, appoint at least one representative domiciled in Switzerland, pay the capital into a blocked bank account (CHF 20,000 for a GmbH), sign the founding deed before a notary, and the company exists once the cantonal commercial register enters it. File Form FC with your bank in India before sending the capital.
GmbH or AG, and the alternatives
Both create a separate Swiss company. The bars show the minimum capital and how much must be paid in at formation.
GmbH · Sàrl
The usual choice for an owner run business or subsidiary- Owners
- One or more, named in the register
- Management
- Managing directors
- Swiss signatory
- At least one
- Liability
- Limited to the company assets
AG · SA
For larger ventures and changing investor groups- Owners
- One or more, not shown in the register
- Management
- Board of directors
- Swiss signatory
- At least one
- Liability
- Limited to the company assets
Branch of your Indian company
Registered in the canton's commercial register with the parent's documents. Not a separate entity; needs a locally domiciled representative.
Sole proprietorship
No separate entity or capital, with personal liability. Only for people who live and may work in Switzerland.
Nine steps, who acts and what you get
The capital account and the notary appointment are the two fixed points. Arrange everything else around them.
Choose GmbH or AG
Compare capital, shareholder visibility and governance for your plan.
Fix the seat and domicile
Pick the canton and a Swiss address, with written consent for a c/o domicile.
Appoint the Swiss representative
At least one managing director or board member domiciled in Switzerland with signing power.
Check name and purpose
Search the register and describe the activity precisely, including any licensed work.
File Form FC in India
Complete ODI with your authorised dealer bank before money leaves India.
Open the capital account
Pay the capital into a blocked account at a Swiss bank after its checks.
Sign the public deed
Adopt the articles and appoint the officers before a notary, in person or by proxy.
Register with the canton
The notary files with the cantonal commercial register; entry creates the company.
Register taxes and insurance
Tax registration, VAT if needed, compensation fund, accident and pension cover.
Three separate outcomes
- 1The register entry creates the company.
- 2The bank decides on the operating account.
- 3The canton and federal authorities decide any work permit.
Plan two to four weeks from an open capital account to the register entry, with extra time before that for documents from India.
One file for the bank, notary and register
All three read the same facts at different times. Prepare one approved set of names, addresses and authorities.
Individuals
- Valid passport
- Residential address proof
- Certified signature or power of attorney
- Source of funds evidence
Company file
- Name, seat and purpose
- Articles of association
- Officers and signing powers
- Capital deposit confirmation
- Domicile consent for a c/o address
Parent file
- Current registry extract
- Articles and board resolution
- Signatory evidence
- Ownership chart to individuals
- Form FC and UIN
Founder in Switzerland or founder in India
Owning shares, representing the company and working in Switzerland are three different legal questions.
Founder living in Switzerland
Simpler signing, same formalities- Can act as the Swiss domiciled representative
- Signs the deed in person
- Still pays the full capital and registers with the canton
- Work rights depend on nationality and permit
Founder living in India
Fully possible with a local representative- Can own all the shares
- Appoints a representative domiciled in Switzerland
- Signs through a proxy with apostilled documents
- Plans extra time for bank identity checks
- Files Form FC before remitting capital
Moving to Switzerland? Non EU and EFTA founders need a separate cantonal and federal permit, subject to quotas and proof of economic benefit. Comply Globally can help through its work visa support.
Federal law, cantonal register, communal tax
In Switzerland the level really matters. Federal law creates the company, but your choice of canton decides the register and much of the tax bill.
Confederation
Company law: the Code of Obligations sets the GmbH and AG rules, capital and governance for all cantons.
Federal tax: 8.5% profit tax on profit after tax, VAT at 8.1% and withholding tax on dividends.
26 cantons
Commercial register: the canton of the seat enters the company and its officers.
Cantonal tax: profit and capital tax rates set by each canton, plus permits and inspections.
Municipality
Local tax: a communal multiplier on profit and capital tax.
Local matters: premises, zoning and some business permits.
| Question | New GmbH or AG | Swiss branch of the Indian company |
|---|---|---|
| Legal entity | A new Swiss company | Part of the Indian company |
| Capital | CHF 20,000 or CHF 100,000 | No Swiss capital requirement |
| Register | Cantonal commercial register after a notarial deed | Cantonal commercial register with parent documents |
| Liability | Limited to the Swiss company | The parent is fully liable |
| Representative | One signatory domiciled in Switzerland | One branch representative domiciled in Switzerland |
Six hold ups and how to avoid them
No Swiss representative
Owners are lined up, but nobody domiciled in Switzerland can sign.
Capital account delayed
The bank's identity and source of funds checks take weeks.
Documents do not match
Names, signatories or extracts differ between the bank and notary files.
Wrong canton for the business
The seat is chosen for convenience, then tax or permits disappoint.
Official looking invoices
Private directories bill new companies after the register entry.
Capital sent before ODI
Remitting to the blocked account before Form FC breaks FEMA rules.
Capital, fees and the yearly cycle
Keep the capital separate from formation fees and running costs. The capital stays in the company; the fees do not.
Fully paid in; released after registration.
Of CHF 100,000 nominal capital.
Basic fee of about CHF 420 plus per person entries; notary and advice extra.
GmbH formation from this price, including resident director coordination.
| When | Duty |
|---|---|
| On registration | Tax registration, compensation fund and accident insurance |
| Before invoicing | VAT registration once turnover reaches CHF 100,000 |
| Quarterly or half yearly | VAT returns |
| Within six months of year end | Annual accounts and shareholders' meeting |
| Each year | Profit and capital tax return, with audit or opt out |
| By 31 December | Annual Performance Report in India |
| By 15 July | FLA return to RBI |
Tax at a glance
- 8.5%
- Federal profit tax on profit after tax
- 12% to 21%
- Combined rate, by canton
- 8.1%
- Standard VAT
- 35% / 10%
- Dividend withholding, treaty rate for India
Sources checked October 2026: Swiss SME Portal, EasyGov, Federal Tax Administration, State Secretariat for Migration and the RBI overseas investment directions.
Switzerland and India, coordinated
Comply Globally arranges the resident director, the capital account, the notary and register steps, and Form FC with your bank. See our Switzerland company setup service.
38 questions, grouped by topic
Start with a topic, or choose All 38 FAQs at the end of the bar.
Can an Indian form a company in Switzerland?
Yes. Swiss law places no nationality condition on shareholders, so an Indian individual or Indian company can own all the shares. The company must be represented by at least one person domiciled in Switzerland with signing authority.
Which company type do foreign founders choose?
Usually a GmbH (Sàrl in French), the limited liability company, because it needs less capital. An AG (SA) suits larger ventures or those planning several investors.
What is the minimum capital?
A GmbH needs CHF 20,000, fully paid at formation. An AG needs CHF 100,000 nominal capital, with at least 20% of each share and no less than CHF 50,000 paid in.
Is CHF 20,000 a government fee?
No. It is share capital that belongs to the company. It is paid into a blocked capital account and released to the company after the commercial register entry.
Who registers Swiss companies?
The commercial register of the canton where the company has its seat. The entry is then published in the Swiss Official Gazette of Commerce.
How long does formation take?
Commonly two to four weeks once the capital account is open: notary appointment, register review and publication. Opening the blocked account and preparing documents from India usually takes longest.
Can the company capital be in a foreign currency?
Since the 2023 company law reform, share capital can be set in a foreign currency that is important for the business, such as euros or US dollars, if the conditions are met.
What is the difference between a GmbH and an AG?
A GmbH has lower capital, and its shareholders are entered in the commercial register. An AG has higher capital, a board of directors and shareholders who are not publicly listed in the register.
Can my Indian company open a Swiss branch?
Yes. A branch is registered in the commercial register of its canton, using the parent's documents. It is not a separate legal entity, and it needs a person domiciled in Switzerland authorised to represent it.
Can I register as a sole proprietor?
Only if you live and may work in Switzerland. A sole proprietorship has no separate entity and no minimum capital, and the owner is personally liable. Registration is generally required from CHF 100,000 turnover.
How does the canton affect my company?
The canton of the seat decides which commercial register handles the entry and sets cantonal and communal profit and capital taxes. Federal company law is the same everywhere.
Can I move the company to another canton later?
Yes. A company can transfer its seat to another canton by amending its articles and registering the change, though it then follows the new canton's tax and register rules.
Why is a Swiss domiciled representative required?
Swiss law requires every GmbH and AG to be represented by at least one person domiciled in Switzerland, a managing director or board member, who can sign for the company.
Who can act as the Swiss representative?
Any suitable person living in Switzerland, such as a partner, employee or professional director. They carry legal responsibility, so define their signing powers and duties in writing.
Can I sign the founding deed from India?
Often yes, through a proxy holding a power of attorney that has been notarised and apostilled in India in the form the Swiss notary accepts. Ask the notary for the exact wording first.
Does company ownership give me a Swiss work permit?
No. A non EU or EFTA founder who wants to live and work in Switzerland needs a separate permit, subject to quotas and proof of economic benefit to the canton. See the Swiss start up permit guide for Indians.
Can I use a c/o address as the registered seat?
A company without its own premises can use a c/o address if the person or office providing it confirms its consent. A real office helps with banking and permits.
What must Indian residents do before sending capital?
Invest through an authorised dealer bank under the overseas investment rules: file Form FC, obtain a UIN from RBI, then remit to the blocked capital account. Read the FEMA, RBI and Indian tax guide for Swiss company owners.
What documents does an individual founder need?
A valid passport, residential address proof, a certified signature or power of attorney if signing through a proxy, and source of funds evidence for the bank.
What does an Indian parent company need?
A current registry extract, its articles, a board resolution approving the investment and naming the signatory, and an ownership chart. Translations and apostilles depend on the canton and the bank.
What is the capital deposit confirmation?
A letter from the Swiss bank holding the blocked capital account confirming that the capital has been paid in. The notary needs it before the founding deed can be signed.
What goes into the articles of association?
The company name, seat, purpose, share capital and shares, and the rules for meetings and management. They are adopted in the public deed before the notary.
Do Indian documents need an apostille?
Usually yes. India and Switzerland are both parties to the Apostille Convention, so an apostille from India's Ministry of External Affairs generally replaces consular legalisation.
What are the setup costs?
The basic commercial register fee for a GmbH or AG is about CHF 420 plus a charge for each person entered, often around CHF 600 in total, plus notary fees, the domicile, the representative and advice. Our Switzerland company costs guide breaks them down.
What corporate tax will the company pay?
Federal profit tax of 8.5% on profit after tax, plus cantonal and communal tax. The combined effective rate ranges from roughly 12% in the lowest tax cantons to about 21% in the highest. See the Switzerland three level tax guide.
Is there a capital tax?
Yes, cantons and communes levy an annual capital tax on the company's equity. Rates are low but vary by canton, and some cantons credit profit tax against it.
When must the company register for VAT?
Generally once its worldwide turnover from taxable supplies reaches CHF 100,000 a year. The standard rate is 8.1%, with reduced rates of 2.6% and 3.8% for specific supplies.
What tax is withheld on dividends paid to India?
Switzerland withholds 35% on dividends. An Indian shareholder can reclaim the excess above the treaty rate of 10% under the India Switzerland tax treaty.
What does Comply Globally charge for Switzerland?
Switzerland GmbH formation support starts from ₹2,00,000, including coordination of the resident director. The capital deposit and third party fees are separate.
What happens after the commercial register entry?
The company gains legal personality, the bank releases the capital, and you register with the tax authorities, a social insurance compensation fund and for VAT if required.
Does a small company need an audit?
A company must appoint an auditor for a limited audit unless it has no more than ten full time employees on annual average and all shareholders agree to opt out.
What are the employer duties?
Register with a compensation fund for old age and disability insurance, take out accident insurance and, above the threshold salary, enrol staff in an occupational pension scheme.
Why are some invoices after registration suspicious?
Private directories send official looking invoices after a register entry. Check the sender against the cantonal register's published fees before paying anything.
Why is opening a Swiss bank account demanding?
Swiss banks check owners, source of funds and the business plan carefully, before and after the capital deposit. Our Swiss business bank account guide explains what they ask for.
How do I keep track of compliance dates?
Keep one calendar for the tax return, VAT, social insurance, the annual meeting and accounts, and the Indian APR and FLA. Our Switzerland compliance checklist lists them.
Can Comply Globally arrange the Swiss representative?
Yes. The published starting price includes coordinating a resident director through Comply Globally's Swiss partners, with the role and powers set out in writing.
Can Comply Globally handle the Indian ODI side?
Yes. The team prepares Form FC with your authorised dealer bank, so the remittance to the blocked account matches the Swiss founding documents.
Can Comply Globally help choose the canton?
Comply Globally compares cantons on tax, cost and practical fit for your business with its Swiss partners before you fix the seat.
Ready to file in Switzerland?
A Swiss company rests on three fixed points: a representative domiciled in Switzerland, a funded capital account and a notarial deed. Tick off these ten items and the cantonal register usually follows within days.
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