Swiss banks without "non-resident" fees

Dear Sir/ Madam,

I would appreciate your assistance in some of my questions regarding my bank assets after leaving Switzerland (but not permanently).

I am a EU citizen (Greek). I had been working in Zurich for 1,5 years and next week I move to Finland. Thus I would like to know if there is any Swiss bank where I could keep my money and will not be subjected to "non-resident" fees. Please take into account that I will deposit every month a certain amount of declared money in my Swiss account from Finland.

I plan to come back in the near future, so I do not wish to close my current bank account (UBS), but unfortunately I am subjected to extra monthly fees.

Which is the best solution for me if I keep my money in Switzerland?

Is there any possibility of having a Swiss bank account with an annual interest and without extra monthly fees?

Thank you very much for the assistance given.

Looking forward to your feedback.

Kind regards,

Hi there,

In general, Swiss banks charge additional extra non-resident fees. You can find more information on non-residents fees in this article.

There are a few exceptions though. 

PostFinance for instance, which has branches at most Swiss post offices, does not charge non-resident fees for its savings accounts (but high non-resident fees for its private accounts).

At PostFinance, you can open a savings account (but not an online savings account!) without opening a private account. Bear in mind though that savings accounts are not made for payments and there is no debit or credit card attached to it (though you can request an ATM card). You are allowed to make 10 withdrawals per calendar year - any additional withdrawal costs you 8 francs.

Make sure to open the account while you are still a resident of Switzerland, as opening a bank account as a non-resident is difficult.

Best regards from Moneyguru

More information:
Swiss Bank Fees For Non-Resident Customers

Another option to avoid non-resident fees in addition to PostFinance savings accounts: The interest growth savings account from Credit Suisse.

No annual fee. Exempt from non-resident fees. You can make transfers from the account via online banking. No limitations on deposits. You can withdraw up to 25,000 francs per year without notice (3 months' notice for higher withdrawals). Plus, you earn some interest, which is what banking is all about.

If you have 50k or more to keep in the bank, try the cantonal banks. Some don't charge non-resident fees if you have 50k invested in the bank (compared to 250k at UBS).