Travellers boarding an SBB train at Lucerne station

Remote formation for founders abroad

Opening a Swiss company as a foreigner, even remotely

No Swiss passport needed, but one representative must live in Switzerland. We coordinate documents, apostille, notary and register from Zug.

Lucerne station

Start from abroad

What it is

Who can own a Swiss company

Swiss company law sets no nationality requirement for shareholders: a founder living abroad can own all the shares of a GmbH or AG in Zug. One rule applies to every company, though. It must be capable of being represented by a person resident in Switzerland, who must be a managing director, a board member or an executive officer with access to the share register (Art. 814 para. 3 and 718 para. 4 CO).

If none of the founders lives in Switzerland, Office Group Zug takes on or arranges that mandate after review, as a separate offer. Everything else runs remotely. You sign powers of attorney at home, have them notarised and apostilled, and we coordinate the notary and the commercial register. The capital deposit account is often the hardest step, because many banks examine non-resident owners closely. We advise you free of charge on which bank is suitable in your case.

Read the details for forming a GmbH, compare services and prices or check the FAQ.

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Price and scope

Startup package for founders abroad

1'290CHF one-off

plus VAT

Notary fees included

On top come the certifications and apostilles in your country, CHF 420 for the new entry in the commercial register (GebV-HReg, annex no. 1.3), any bank fees and, if needed, the fee for a resident director's mandate. Your registered office in Zug with mail handling is available together with the Base package, from CHF 149 a month.

The services of Office Group Zug GmbH do not include legal or tax advice. For that, we bring in external advisers.

Package Startup: Company formation, GmbH or AG

Formation advice, handled digitally, and support until the entry
Articles of association, public deed, declarations of acceptance of office and the powers of attorney for remote signing
Notarisation in Switzerland including notary fees, and filing with the commercial register
Free advice on which Swiss bank suits you

Start from abroad All packages

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How it works

Remote formation in six steps

You do not need to travel to Switzerland. Steps that require your signature in person can usually be handled with a notarised power of attorney from your country.

Questionnaire and representative
You describe the company and the founders. If nobody lives in Switzerland, we take on or arrange the mandate after review, as a separate offer.
Anti-money laundering onboarding
You complete form F-01 and send certified ID copies of all beneficial owners. Video identification is possible on request.
Powers of attorney and apostille
We send you the powers of attorney and declarations. You sign them before a notary at home and have them apostilled.
Capital deposit account
We advise you free of charge on which Swiss bank suits you. The bank checks the owners, the business model and the source of funds.
Notarisation
Your representative signs the deed of incorporation for you before a notary in Switzerland.
Register entry and business account
The commercial register enters the company. The bank then releases the capital to the business account.

We start on the documents as soon as you give us the mandate. How long it takes until the entry depends mainly on the bank and the commercial register; banks usually look more closely at non-resident owners.

What you need

Certified passport copies of all founders and beneficial owners
Proof of residential address for each owner
The powers of attorney we prepare, signed, notarised and apostilled
A business plan and proof of the source of the share capital for the bank
The share capital: CHF 20'000 for a GmbH, at least CHF 50'000 paid in for an AG

Can a foreigner open a company in Switzerland?

Yes. Swiss law sets no nationality requirement for the owners of a GmbH or AG. The condition is a representative resident in Switzerland: a managing director or executive officer for a GmbH (Art. 814 para. 3 CO), a board member or executive officer for an AG (Art. 718 para. 4 CO). That person must also have access to the company's share register.

Can I open a company in Switzerland as a non-resident?

Yes, and without travelling. You sign powers of attorney before a notary at home and have them apostilled; a representative signs the deed of incorporation in Switzerland. On request, Office Group Zug provides the resident representative, itself or from its network, after review and as a separate offer. The bank account is usually the step that takes longest for non-residents.

Starting a business in Switzerland as a non-EU citizen: what is different?

For the company itself, nothing changes: owners from outside the EU form a GmbH or AG on the same terms, with a representative resident in Switzerland. Living and working here yourself is a separate question. Foreign nationals who want to work in Switzerland, employed or self-employed, need a permit regardless of the length of stay (Art. 11 AIG). We bring in external advisers for that procedure.

Can I open a Swiss business bank account as a foreigner?

Yes, but banks examine non-resident owners closely, and some only open an account if part of the capital is held by a Swiss resident. Expect to provide a business plan, proof of residence and the source of funds. How long the review takes is up to the bank.

What is a nominee director in Switzerland?

The term usually means a person resident in Switzerland who joins the board or the management so that the company meets the residency rule. Such a person is a full officer with legal duties: board members and managers are liable for damage caused by breaching their duties intentionally or negligently (Art. 754 CO). Choose someone with a clean record, a limited number of mandates and clear terms of cooperation.

FAQ