For a Switzerland-to-South Florida move, the departure sequence deserves as much attention as the arrival. Switzerland is in the Visa Waiver Program, holds E-1 and E-2 treaty status under an 1855 treaty, and has an income tax treaty, an estate tax treaty and a Social Security agreement with the United States. The Swiss-specific work is mostly on departure. You need to deregister from your commune, decide what happens to occupational pension assets when you leave for a non-EU/EFTA country, and handle a cantonal tax system that differs from canton to canton. This guide sets out those points across Miami-Dade, Broward and Palm Beach counties. Le Strand coordinates them in one written Le Strand Landing Plan.
Which U.S. visa routes do Swiss families use?
Swiss families can discuss E-2, L-1, EB-5 and the employment-based categories. ESTA is for scouting trips only.
- Visa Waiver Program (ESTA). The State Department lists Switzerland as a VWP country. Travellers with an approved ESTA can stay up to 90 days for tourism or business. VWP visitors cannot work, extend their stay or change status in the United States.
- E-2 treaty investor. The State Department lists Switzerland for E-1 and E-2, with the treaty in force since 8 November 1855. The E-2 fits owners who invest in and direct a U.S. business. Eligibility follows Swiss nationality. Residence in Switzerland alone does not qualify. See E-2 intelligence.
- L-1 intracompany transfer. This suits executives and specialists of Swiss groups with U.S. operations. See L-1 intelligence and corporate relocation planning.
- EB-5 investor green card. For petitions filed on or after 15 March 2022, the USCIS Policy Manual sets the minimum at $1,050,000, or $800,000 in a targeted employment area or infrastructure project. The amounts are scheduled to adjust on 1 January 2027. See EB-5 intelligence.
- EB-1 and O-1. EB-1 includes qualifying multinational executives and extraordinary-ability applicants; O-1 requires extraordinary ability. See EB-1 and O-1.
Non-Swiss family members resident in Switzerland are assessed on their own nationality. Independent immigration counsel advises on each person's route. Le Strand sequences the move around their answer. See the U.S. immigration pathways overview.
What happens to Swiss pension assets when you leave?
When you leave Switzerland permanently for a country outside the EU/EFTA, such as the United States, you can generally take your occupational pension (Pillar 2) as a cash payment. Pension institutions and the BVG Security Fund state that this can include both the mandatory and supplementary portions. You apply to your last pension fund or vested-benefits institution and provide proof of deregistration from your commune and evidence of your foreign residence. Swiss withholding tax may apply to the payment.
That makes the decision a cross-border one. Taking the cash, leaving it in a vested-benefits account, or using it to buy a home in Florida each has different U.S. and Swiss consequences. The order in which you deregister, receive the payment and become U.S. tax-resident can matter.
Questions to take to your advisers: Should we withdraw Pillar 2 assets, or leave them in a vested-benefits account? How will a withdrawal be taxed in Switzerland, and how does the U.S.–Switzerland income tax treaty treat it? What happens to Pillar 3a? When do we stop being Swiss tax residents, given the cantonal rules? How does the U.S.–Switzerland estate tax treaty apply to our family? How is AHV/AVS coverage coordinated under the U.S.–Switzerland Social Security agreement? Which U.S. reporting applies to Swiss accounts, including the FBAR and Form 8938?
Le Strand records these questions, owners and dates in the Landing Plan. Your Swiss fiduciary or tax adviser and your U.S. tax adviser provide the answers.
How do you deregister in Switzerland?
You deregister in person or online with your commune of residence before leaving. The confirmation of departure (Abmeldebestätigung / attestation de départ) is the document the pension fund asks for, and banks and insurers often request it too. The process and timing vary by commune and canton. Confirm the steps locally.
Le Strand places the deregistration date in the Landing Plan, because the pension withdrawal, health insurance cancellation and Swiss tax filings follow from it.
How do Swiss school years and languages translate?
Swiss school years generally start in August, close to Florida's 2026–27 opening dates: 10 August 2026 in Broward and Palm Beach, and 13 August 2026 in Miami-Dade. The bigger questions are the language of instruction and the qualification each child is working towards.
Families from German-speaking cantons can look at Miami-Dade County Public Schools' International Studies programmes, which include German. Families from Romandie can look at the French programmes. Students working towards the Matura or Maturité need an early decision about switching to the U.S. high school diploma, with Advanced Placement or International Baccalaureate options, and about keeping a route open to Swiss or European universities.
Florida law makes a child eligible for public kindergarten if they turn five on or before 1 September. Bring the school reports with translations and the vaccination record. Bring vaccination records for a Florida health professional to complete the school-entry documentation, normally Form DH 680, or the applicable exemption documentation. Le Strand coordinates the school timetable alongside the home search. Schools decide admissions. See Schools & family and the South Florida education corridor.
For a later intake, confirm the receiving school's published calendar, application deadline and available places. Private-school dates vary. Le Strand places those confirmed dates alongside the home and adviser timetable.
Choosing an area in South Florida
Le Strand helps each family compare areas against its own priorities: the daily commute, the school journey, the setting it wants and the type of property. Every shortlist covers Miami-Dade, Broward and Palm Beach counties, and each option is compared at the address level, with the journeys that shape the family's ordinary week.
- For a short drive to Brickell offices: Brickell for apartment living, with Coconut Grove in the City of Miami and Coral Gables, including Gables Estates and Cocoplum, a few miles south-west of downtown Miami.
- Near established public and private school options: Coral Gables and Coconut Grove for established residential streets near schools in Miami-Dade County.
- For waterfront and island living: Key Biscayne, reached by the Rickenbacker Causeway from Brickell Avenue, and Miami Beach and the Venetian Islands across Biscayne Bay. Fisher Island, Star Island, Indian Creek, Bal Harbour and Surfside offer different coastal and island settings.
- For canal-front homes and boating: the Fort Lauderdale waterfront, including Las Olas Isles and Harbor Beach, in Broward County, with a central position between Miami and Palm Beach.
- For condominium living between Miami and Fort Lauderdale: Aventura and Sunny Isles Beach in Miami-Dade County.
- For more space and a quieter base: Palm Beach, Manalapan, Gulf Stream, Boca Raton and its waterfront enclaves in Palm Beach County.
See the Miami landing overview, the Fort Lauderdale landing overview and the Palm Beach landing overview.
The purchase price is only one part of the ownership brief. In Florida, property tax, windstorm and flood insurance, and association fees shape the true cost of ownership. The Landing Plan sets these out before a shortlist is fixed.
Which flights connect South Florida and Switzerland?
Miami's October schedule lists a Zurich nonstop with SWISS. Compare the full itinerary and ground transfer when departing from Geneva, Basel or another Swiss city. Switzerland is usually six hours ahead of Florida, apart from short periods when daylight-saving changes differ.
Route examples checked 19 October 2026. Confirm operating dates, seasonal service and connections with the airline before booking. Compare total journey time, including the transfer to your South Florida destination.
What practical steps are specific to Swiss families?
Four practical items to plan for Swiss families: the driver's licence, credit history, health insurance and consular services.
- Driver's licence. Florida requires new residents to get a Florida licence within 30 days of establishing residency. Switzerland is not on Florida's list of jurisdictions with a test waiver, so Swiss licence holders take the knowledge and driving tests. Since 6 February 2026, these exams are given in English only.
- Credit history. Ask the receiving bank, lender or landlord which U.S. credit records and alternative financial evidence it accepts. Bring your existing records into that conversation before committing to a lease or vehicle finance. Le Strand coordinates the document timetable with the institutions you choose.
- Health insurance. Swiss compulsory health insurance generally ends when you take up residence abroad. Secondment arrangements can change that position. Confirm the dates with your insurer. U.S. cover needs to start on the arrival date and is arranged through licensed insurance professionals.
- Consular services. The Consulate General of Switzerland in Atlanta serves Florida. Confirm registration with the responsible representation after commune deregistration, alongside passport and civil-status requirements.
How does Le Strand coordinate a Switzerland-to-South Florida move?
Le Strand starts with a Landing Assessment. It records the household, the visa route under discussion, the deregistration and pension timing, school-stage decisions and the role of the Florida home. The Le Strand Landing Plan then sets out the sequence in writing, with dependencies, dates and owners.
Le Strand introduces you to independent immigration counsel and U.S. tax professionals experienced with Swiss families where you need them. It coordinates their requirements with your Swiss fiduciary, your private bankers and the property search. See also the Landing Plan and UK to Florida.
Frequently asked questions
Is Switzerland an E-2 treaty country?
Yes. The State Department lists Switzerland for E-1 and E-2, with the treaty in force since 8 November 1855.
Can I withdraw my Swiss pension when moving to Florida?
Generally yes. Leaving permanently for a non-EU/EFTA country usually allows a cash payment of Pillar 2 assets. Your pension fund confirms the process, and your advisers confirm the tax treatment in both countries.
Is there a U.S.–Switzerland tax treaty?
Yes. The IRS lists an income tax treaty and an estate tax treaty with Switzerland. A Social Security agreement has been in force since 1980.
Can Swiss citizens move to Florida on ESTA?
No. ESTA covers visits of up to 90 days. Living or working in Florida needs a status such as E-2, L-1 or a green card.
When do Florida schools start?
For 2026–27, Broward and Palm Beach public schools began on 10 August 2026 and Miami-Dade on 13 August 2026, close to many Swiss cantonal start dates.
Can I exchange my Swiss driver's licence?
No. Swiss licence holders who become Florida residents take the knowledge and driving tests, in English.
Which airport serves Zurich?
MIA's October 2026 schedule lists SWISS nonstop to Zurich. Confirm your travel dates with the airline.
Relocation guides by country
Each guide sets out the country-specific sequence for a move to Miami-Dade, Broward and Palm Beach counties.
Sources checked October 2026
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U.S. Department of State: Visa Waiver Program and visitor visas
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Palm Beach County Tax Collector: overseas licence test waivers
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Hillsborough County Tax Collector: English-language examination policy
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Swiss Federal Department of Foreign Affairs: emigration, pensions and insurance
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Florida Legislature: public-school entry age, section 1003.21
