Agreement between the Swiss Confederation and…
English is not an official language of the Swiss Confederation. This translation is provided for information purposes only and has no legal force.
Title I General Provisions
Art. 9 Definitions
For the purposes of this Part, the following definitions shall apply: a) «family members» means family members of Swiss nationals or United Kingdom nationals as defined in Article 3 paragraph 2 of Annex I to the FMOPA, irrespective of their nationality; b) «frontier workers» means Swiss nationals or United Kingdom nationals who have their residence in the territory of a State which was a Contracting Party to the FMOPA before the specified date and who pursue an economic activity in the United Kingdom or Switzerland respectively, returning to their place of residence as a rule every day or at least once a week; c) «host State» means: i) in respect of Swiss nationals, the United Kingdom if they exercised there their right of residence in accordance with the FMOPA before the specified date and continue to reside there thereafter, ii) in respect of United Kingdom nationals, Switzerland if they exercised there their right of residence in accordance with the FMOPA before the specified date a
Art. 10 Personal scope
1. Without prejudice to Parts Three and Four, this Part shall apply to the following persons: a) Swiss nationals who exercised their right to reside in the United Kingdom in accordance with the FMOPA before the specified date and continue to reside there thereafter; b) United Kingdom nationals who exercised their right to reside in Switzerland in accordance with the FMOPA before the specified date and continue to reside there thereafter; c) Swiss nationals who exercised their right as frontier workers in the United Kingdom in accordance with the FMOPA before the specified date and continue to do so thereafter; d) United Kingdom nationals who exercised their right as frontier workers in Switzerland in accordance with the FMOPA before the specified date and continue to do so thereafter; e) family members of the persons referred to in sub-paragraphs (a) to (b), where they fulfil one of the following conditions: i) they resided in the host State in accordance with the FMOPA before the spec
Art. 11 Continuity of Residence
Continuity of residence for the purposes of Articles 9 and 10 shall not be affected by absences as referred to in Articles 4 (see the reference to Regulation (EEC) No 1251/70), 6 paragraph 5, 12 paragraph 5 and 24 paragraph 6 of Annex I to the FMOPA.
Title II Rights and Obligations
Chapter 1 Rights related to Residence, Residence D
Art. 12 Residence rights
1. Swiss nationals and United Kingdom nationals shall have the right to reside in the host State subject to the limitations and conditions set out in Articles 2, 4, 6, 10, 12, 16 and 24 of Annex I to the FMOPA. 2. Family members, whatever their nationality, shall have the right to reside in the host State as set out in Articles 3 and 4 of Annex I to the FMOPA, subject to the limitations and conditions set out in those provisions. 3. The host State may not impose any limitations and conditions other than those provided for in this Title on the persons referred to in paragraphs 1 and 2 for obtaining, retaining or losing residence rights. There shall be no discretion in applying the limitations and conditions, other than in favour of the person concerned.
Art. 13 Right of exit and of entry
1. Subject to paragraph 3, Swiss nationals and United Kingdom nationals and their respective family members residing in the territory of the host State in accordance with the conditions set out in this Title shall have the right to leave the host State and the right to enter it set out in Article 1 of Annex 1 to the FMOPA with a valid passport or national identity card, and a valid passport for their respective family members who are not Swiss nationals or United Kingdom nationals. After five years following the specified date, the United Kingdom may decide no longer to accept a national identity card to enter or exit its territory, if the respective national identity card does not include a chip compliant with the applicable International Civil Aviation Organisation standards related to biometric identification. 2. Subject to paragraph 3, no exit or entry visa or equivalent formality shall be required for holders of a valid document issued in accordance with the following Articles of
Art. 14 Permanent residence status
1. For the purposes of determining eligibility for permanent residence status under national law, the Parties shall not require Swiss nationals or United Kingdom nationals who fall under Article 10 paragraph 1 subparagraphs a, b or e, 2 or 3 of this Agreement to have resided legally for a continuous period of more than 5 years. 2. Subject to paragraph 3, permanent residence status shall not be affected by absences from the territory of Switzerland or the United Kingdom for a period of less than four consecutive years. 3. The host State may impose in respect of persons holding permanent residence status a notification scheme for departure abroad, in which case paragraph 2 shall only apply where the holder of permanent residence status makes a request for their permanent residence status to remain valid for a further four years (as they shall be permitted to do under national legislation) and that request is granted. The request must be submitted no later than six months from the date of
Art. 15 Status and changes
The right of Swiss nationals, United Kingdom nationals and their respective family members to rely directly on this Part shall not be affected when they change status, for example between student, worker, self-employed person, economically inactive person and family member. Persons who, before the specified date, enjoyed a right of residence in their capacity as family members of Swiss nationals or United Kingdom nationals cannot become persons referred to in sub-paragraphs a–b of Article 10 paragraph 1 of this Agreement. Accordingly, they cannot generate family reunification rights under sub-paragraph e of Article 10 paragraph 1 of this Agreement.
Art. 16 Issuance of residence documents
1. The host State may require Swiss nationals, United Kingdom nationals and their respective family members, residing in its territory in accordance with the conditions set out in this Title, to apply for a new residence status which confers the rights under this Title and a document evidencing such status which may be in a digital form. Applying for such a residence status shall be subject to the following conditions: a) the purpose of the application procedure shall be to verify whether the applicant is entitled to the residence rights set out in this Title. Where that is the case, the applicant shall have a right to be granted the residence status and the document evidencing it; b) the deadline for submitting the application shall not be less than 6 months from the specified date for persons residing in the host State before the specified date. The deadline for persons who have the right to commence residence in the host State after the specified date in accordance with this Title s
Art. 17 Restrictions of the right of residence
1. Conduct of Swiss nationals, United Kingdom nationals or their family members exercising rights under this Title that occurred before the specified date shall be considered in accordance with Article 5 of Annex I to the FMOPA. 2. Conduct of Swiss nationals, United Kingdom nationals or their family members exercising rights under this Title that occurred on or after the specified date may constitute grounds for restricting the right of residence by the host State or the right of entry in the State of work in accordance with national legislation. 3. The host State may adopt the necessary measures to refuse, terminate or withdraw any right conferred by this Title in the case of abuse of those rights or fraud.
Art. 18 Related rights
1. In accordance with Article 3 paragraph 5 of Annex I to the FMOPA, irrespective of nationality, the spouse, dependent children and children aged under 21 of a Swiss national or a United Kingdom national who have the right of residence in the host State or the State of work shall be entitled to take up employment or self-employment there. 2. In accordance with Article 3 paragraph 6 of Annex I to the FMOPA, the children of a Swiss national or a United Kingdom national shall be admitted to general education, apprenticeships and vocational training courses on the same basis as nationals of the host State, if those children are living in its territory.
Art. 19 Rights of employed and self-employed persons exercising a residence right and of their family members
1. Employed persons and self-employed persons (within the meaning of Articles 6 and 12 of Annex I to the FMOPA) who are residing on the basis of this Agreement in the territory of the host State shall: a) have the right to occupational and geographical mobility throughout the territory of that State as set out in Articles 8 and 14 of Annex I to the FMOPA respectively; and b) enjoy equal treatment with the nationals of that State as set out in Articles 9 and 15 of Annex I to the FMOPA respectively. 2. Family members of employed persons and self-employed persons shall enjoy the rights set out in Articles 9 paragraph 2 and 15 paragraph 2 of Annex I to the FMOPA respectively.
Chapter 2 Frontier Workers
Art. 20 Rights and restrictions of rights of frontier workers
1. The rights set out in Articles 8, 9, 14 and 15 of Annex I to the FMOPA shall continue to apply to frontier workers to the extent that they applied to such persons before the specified date. 2. Frontier workers shall enjoy the right to enter and exit the State of work in accordance with Article 13 of this Agreement. 3. The State of work may restrict the rights of frontier workers in accordance with Article 17 of this Agreement.
Art. 21 Issuance of a document identifying frontier workers’ rights
1. Switzerland and the United Kingdom may require frontier workers to apply for a document which: a) certifies that they have rights under this Title; or b) confers the rights under this Title. 2. The document referred to in paragraph 1 shall be valid throughout the territory of the State of work in accordance with Articles 7 paragraph 3 and 13 paragraph 3 of Annex I to the FMOPA.
Chapter 3 Immovable Property
Art. 22 Purchase and retention of immovable property
1. Nationals of a Party who have acquired immovable property in the other Party in accordance with national law before the specified date shall retain the right to hold that property as provided in Article 25 of Annex I to the FMOPA. 2. Nationals of a Party who have established a temporary residence right or a residence right before the specified date in the other Party shall be entitled to acquire immovable property as provided in article 25 of Annex I to the FMOPA on or after the specified date, provided that at the time of purchase the residence right persists and that the national of a Party has his principal residence in the host State. 3. Nationals of a Party who were frontier workers in the other Party prior to the specified date and who have retained their status as frontier workers shall be permitted to acquire immovable property in the other Party in which they are frontier working as provided in Article 25 paragraph 3 of Annex I to the FMOPA.
Chapter 4 …
Art. 23 and 24
On 13 Nov. 2025, the two parties agreed not to extend para. 2 of Art. 23. Consequently, Arts 23 and 24 of the Agreement ceased to apply on 1 Jan. 2026 (AS 2026 4).