Free guide · Newcomers

Practical guide to Geneva: settling in and living in Geneva

Procedures, health insurance, housing, banking, transport, emergencies and French: everything you need to know to make your arrival in Geneva a success, all in one place.

See the 9 guides My calendar
  • 14 daysTo notify your arrival (OCPM)
  • 3 monthsFor health insurance
  • 9 guidesPractical and free
  • A1 → C2French courses at the AFGE

Getting started

Your arrival in Geneva, step by step

Settling into a new city means handling administration, housing, health insurance, transport, banking and phone all at once. This free practical guide from the Alliance Française de Genève brings together the essentials, with links to the canton’s official sources.

Start with your administrative situation, organise your health and housing, set up your daily life… then find your bearings in French.

  • the key deadlines: 14 days, 3 months, 30 November;
  • mini-lexicons to understand the local vocabulary;
  • official links at every step;
  • a quiz on Swiss French.
See the guides
The Mont-Blanc bridge and the harbour of Geneva

9 practical guides

Everything you need to know to live in Geneva

Choose the topic that matches your situation.

The calendar

When to do what?

The deadlines to remember when settling in Geneva.

Calendar of procedures for settling in Geneva
When?What?With whom?
Before arrivalCheck your residence permit (non-EU/EFTA nationals: generally before entry)Employer, OCPM
Within 14 daysNotify your arrival and your addressOCPM
Within 3 monthsTake out health insurance and send the certificateHealth Insurance Service
As soon as possibleOpen an account, get a mobile number, choose a transport passBank, operator, TPG
Before 30 NovemberCancel your health insurance if you want to change on 1 JanuaryYour insurer
14 days after a moveNotify your new address within the cantonOCPM
2 weeks before departureNotify your departure from the canton, when mandatoryOCPM

General deadlines indicated by the canton of Geneva and the Confederation; always check your personal situation.

Your move

The 4 main steps

  1. Your administrative situation

    Identify the procedures according to your nationality, work, studies and family.

  2. Health and housing

    Health insurance within 3 months and a rental file ready in advance.

  3. Your daily life

    Banking, phone, transport and emergency numbers.

  4. Your bearings

    Language, local habits, activities and meeting people.

Practical French · For newcomers

Useful French to settle in Geneva

Discover phrases for everyday situations. Hover over the highlighted words to understand their meaning in this context, in French and English. On mobile, tap them.

Situation 01 / 08

Before departure

The first exchanges before moving to Geneva

Young adults moving into a new home
  • Je à Genève .
  • dois-je ?
  • une .
  • Mon est .

Words to use in real life

Use these expressions in your daily life in Geneva. During our French courses, you can also practise understanding the answers and keeping the conversation going.

Discover our courses

Mini-test · French-speaking Switzerland

Do you know the French spoken in Geneva?

Septante, Natel, panosse… 10 questions, about 3 minutes.

  1. In Geneva, how do people usually say the number 70?

    1. Soixante-dix
    2. Septante
    3. Setante

    Answer: Septante. In French-speaking Switzerland, “septante” is the usual form for 70.

    • 🇨🇭 Switzerland: septante
    • 🇧🇪 Belgium: septante
    • 🇫🇷 France: soixante-dix
    • 🇨🇦 Quebec: soixante-dix

  2. In Geneva, how do people usually say the number 90?

    1. Quatre-vingt-dix
    2. Nonante
    3. Neuvante

    Answer: Nonante. In French-speaking Switzerland, “nonante” is the usual form for 90.

    • 🇨🇭 Switzerland: nonante
    • 🇧🇪 Belgium: nonante
    • 🇫🇷 France: quatre-vingt-dix
    • 🇨🇦 Quebec: quatre-vingt-dix

  3. In Geneva, how do people usually say the number 80?

    1. Huitante
    2. Quatre-vingts
    3. Octante

    Answer: Quatre-vingts. In Geneva, “quatre-vingts” is the usual form. “Huitante” exists in French-speaking Switzerland, but its use depends on the canton.

    • 🇨🇭 Geneva: quatre-vingts
    • 🇨🇭 Some cantons: huitante
    • 🇫🇷 France: quatre-vingts
    • 🇧🇪 Belgium: quatre-vingts

  4. In Switzerland, what is a “Natel”?

    1. A mobile phone
    2. A transport card
    3. A cash machine

    Answer: A mobile phone. “Natel” is a very well-known word in Switzerland for a mobile phone; “portable” and “mobile” are also used.

    • 🇨🇭 Switzerland: Natel, portable
    • 🇫🇷 France: portable
    • 🇧🇪 Belgium: GSM
    • 🇨🇦 Quebec: cellulaire

  5. In a Swiss shop, what does “en action” generally mean?

    1. On special offer
    2. Unavailable
    3. Reserved

    Answer: On special offer. In Switzerland, an “action” very often means a temporary commercial promotion.

    • 🇨🇭 Switzerland: en action
    • 🇫🇷 France: en promotion
    • 🇧🇪 Belgium: en promotion
    • 🇨🇦 Quebec: en spécial

  6. What does “parquer la voiture” mean in French-speaking Switzerland?

    1. To repair the car
    2. To park the car
    3. To rent a car

    Answer: To park the car. In French-speaking Switzerland, “parquer” is commonly used to mean to park.

    • 🇨🇭 Switzerland: parquer
    • 🇫🇷 France: garer
    • 🇧🇪 Belgium: parquer, stationner
    • 🇨🇦 Quebec: stationner

  7. Traditionally in French-speaking Switzerland, which meal is “le souper”?

    1. Breakfast
    2. The midday meal
    3. The evening meal

    Answer: The evening meal. In traditional Swiss French usage, “souper” means the evening meal.

    • 🇨🇭 Switzerland: déjeuner, dîner, souper
    • 🇫🇷 France: petit-déjeuner, déjeuner, dîner
    • 🇧🇪 Belgium: déjeuner, dîner, souper
    • 🇨🇦 Quebec: déjeuner, dîner, souper

  8. In French-speaking Switzerland, what is a “panosse”?

    1. A floor cloth
    2. A saucepan
    3. A blanket

    Answer: A floor cloth. “Panosse” is the usual word in French-speaking Switzerland for what is called a “serpillière” in France.

    • 🇨🇭 Switzerland: panosse
    • 🇫🇷 France: serpillière
    • 🇧🇪 Belgium: loque
    • 🇨🇦 Quebec: vadrouille

  9. In Switzerland, what is a “fourre” for documents?

    1. A folder or sleeve
    2. An invoice
    3. A postal envelope

    Answer: A folder or sleeve. In Switzerland, a “fourre” is a folder or sleeve used to keep documents.

    • 🇨🇭 Switzerland: fourre
    • 🇫🇷 France: pochette, chemise
    • 🇧🇪 Belgium: farde
    • 🇨🇦 Quebec: pochette

  10. In French-speaking Switzerland, a “linge de bain” generally means…

    1. A bath towel
    2. A swimsuit
    3. A bar of soap

    Answer: A bath towel. In French-speaking Switzerland, “linge” can mean a towel, notably in “linge de bain”.

    • 🇨🇭 Switzerland: linge de bain
    • 🇫🇷 France: serviette de bain
    • 🇧🇪 Belgium: essuie
    • 🇨🇦 Quebec: serviette

Usage varies by canton, region, generation and speaker.

Alliance Française de Genève

Learn French where you live

The Alliance Française de Genève, a member of the worldwide network of Alliances Françaises, helps newcomers gain independence: courses at all levels, online or in Geneva, cultural events and a welcoming French-speaking community.

Test my level for free

Official information

Official sources

Rules and procedures may change and depend on your situation. Always check the information published by the authorities before taking any step.

Frequently asked questions

Practical questions before settling in Geneva

What procedures are needed on arriving in Geneva?

First check your residence situation, then notify your arrival to the Cantonal Office of Population and Migration (OCPM): the canton indicates a general deadline of 14 days. Then organise your health insurance (within 3 months), housing, bank, phone and transport.

Which documents should I prepare before coming to Geneva?

A valid ID or passport, an employment contract or proof of studies, a lease or proof of accommodation, and civil status documents if you come with family. The exact list depends on your situation.

How long do I have to take out health insurance?

For people subject to Swiss health insurance, cover must be effective within 3 months of taking up residence in Geneva. Special rules exist for certain international situations.

How do I find a home in Geneva?

Start early, prepare a complete file (ID, proof of income, debt enforcement register extract) and check the rent, service charges, deposit and lease before committing.

How do I get around Geneva without a car?

With the TPG buses and trams, the Léman Express, the Geneva Mouettes on the lake, cycling and walking. Cross-border tickets exist for neighbouring France.

Do I need to speak French to live in Geneva?

French is the official language of the canton. It makes procedures, appointments, work and social life easier. The Alliance Française de Genève offers courses at all levels and a free placement test.

Where can I find official information for newcomers?

On the website of the canton of Geneva (ge.ch), which publishes a guide for newly arrived people, and from the Office for Integration and Citizenship.

Can the Alliance Française de Genève help me integrate?

Yes: French courses, cultural events and a community of members let you practise the language, understand local life and meet new people.

Last updated: October 2026 · Guide written by the Alliance Française de Genève

They trust us

Our partners

Institutions, schools, festivals, cinemas and publishing houses: a Geneva and French-speaking network at the service of our learners.

New to Geneva?

French, your best ally in Geneva

Procedures, work, appointments, meetings: improve your French with the Alliance Française de Genève.

Discover our courses Test my level

info@afge.ch +41 78 609 29 80

Scroll to Top