Open a corporate account in a Swiss bank on a personal visit – from 3,999 EUR

You can set up a corporate bank account in a reputable Swiss bank if you pay a personal visit to Zurich or arrange a meeting with the banker in another European capital. You have to be prepared to submit all the information that is required thus increasing the chances of a positive decision. Opening a bank account in Switzerland, you will obtain massive advantages for your business company. This makes it worth the effort and with our help your application approval will become very likely.  

Swiss banking system

It is well known that the banking system in Switzerland enjoys very high respect. It has three levels: the financial regulator at the top, the state (cantonal) banks in the middle, and various regional, savings, brokerage, and other types of private banks at the bottom.

Swiss banks generally have a perfect reputation. Not surprisingly, they are not exactly eager to open accounts for new companies unknown to them. You will have to try very hard to meet their inflated requirements and prove the reliability of your business by supplying the necessary documents.  

Important: A non-resident of Switzerland is guaranteed to face difficulties when opening a bank account in this country. However, our vast experience and professional consultations will drastically improve your chances to achieve this ambitious goal.

A foreign bank account in Switzerland: the benefits

The reasons for the banks’ general reluctance to open accounts for foreigners are quite clear. They do not wish to take higher risks by accepting clients whose businesses they do not know fully well. They certainly want to avoid being involved in dealings connected with money laundering or other financial crimes such as tax evasion, for example.

The bank that we are offering here is a little more welcoming to foreigners than the average Swiss bank. It will cooperate with clients from Eastern Europe and those whose companies are registered in tax-free (offshore) jurisdictions. Nevertheless, the bank administration considers each application individually and they give no guarantee that it will be approved and the non-resident applicant will be successful in establishing a corporate account with this bank.

If you are looking to extend your business operations and enter the international market, opting for a Swiss bank will be a wise decision indeed. Even though the Swiss banks’ requirements are tough, their reputation is unmatched. Consequently, a business company with a bank account in Switzerland is bound to enjoy high respect of its partners and customers. Besides, Swiss bankers are known for the prudent management of their clients’ assets, the reliable services, and the deposit security that they provide.  

Here are the main advantages of setting up a corporate bank account in Switzerland:

• Remote access to account management;
• Confidentiality of financial information;
• Unfailing multilingual client support.

Who can open a corporate account in the Swiss bank

Most foreign companies have a possibility to establish an account with this bank. However, every applicant will have to undergo a very serious due diligence check. To acquire a better understanding of what you should expect please read the information below.

Even though the bank does work with the jurisdictions that cannot be called the most respectable ones, such as Eastern European countries or offshore zones, it prefers, of course, dealing with large companies that have a transparent business and are able to submit the financial documentation including their tax returns. However respectable your business company may look in your own eyes, the bank administration will put your application through scrupulous inspection anyway.

Bank limitations on the countries

Only the companies that are resident in the countries found on the OFAC list will be denied service pointblank at this bank.

In addition, you have to know that in 2015 Switzerland signed the Automatic Exchange of Information agreement with the EU and Australia. Canada, Norway, Japan, Iceland, the Isles of Man, Jersey, and Guernsey have also signed the agreement. Other countries are expected to sign it in the near future. In accordance with this agreement, Swiss banks are supposed to submit their foreign clients’ personal information and accounting records to the Swiss tax agency (FTA) annually. FTA then passes this information on to its partner agencies in other countries.

This means that if your company is registered in one of the states that have agreed upon automatic exchange of information, it stands a better chance to successfully pass the due diligence check and acquire a corporate bank account in Switzerland. At the same time, if your corporation comes from an offshore jurisdiction that is on an OECD or EU black or grey list, you will face a high probability of service denial on the part of the bank.

Recommendation: If your company is registered in an unreliable jurisdiction, from the bank’s point of view, please apply for our consultation. We can help with your company redomiciliation (change of its tax residency).

Bank limitations on the types of the company’s business activities

When applying for the establishment of a corporate bank account in this bank, you will have to fully disclose your business activities to the bank administration. The bankers have to develop a clear understanding of what type of business you are engaged in.

The bank is obliged to take every anti-money-laundering measures that it can. Thus, it needs to provide for a steadfast client identification. You will have to submit all the documents that confirm the identities of all company beneficiaries and directors. In addition to that, you will have to make your business transparent to the bank administration by supplying the corresponding documents such as partner contracts, for example.

Swiss bank account management

The bank we are offering provides for lucrative conditions and convenience of corporate account management. You will have to make only one personal visit to Zurich (or another European city) when setting up the account.

After that, you can manage your current or investment accounts remotely via facsimile or e-mail connection.  Besides, a special coding device will be provided to you that generates unique keys that substitute the client’s signature.

Transaction currencies

You can open a corporate account with this bank in one of the following three currencies: the Swiss franc (CHF), the Euro (EUR), and the US dollar (USD). On a special agreement with the client, the bank is prepared to set up accounts in other world currencies as well. The transactions will be performed in the selected currency or currencies. Transaction records will be submitted regularly via the medium agreed upon.

Deposits and withdrawals will be made in the currency that the client will have chosen. If a payment is to be made in a different currency, the bank will convert it according to the current exchange rate.

Types of accounts

You can open the following accounts with this bank:

• Current;
• Investment.

Types of bank cards

The bank updates its range of pay cards on a regular basis. It cooperates with large Swiss, European, and international card issuers. You can use these cards to pay for goods and services and also to withdraw cash from ATM’s located all over the world.  

Currently, the following cards can be obtained from this Swiss bank:

• VISA cards (Classic, Premiere, Prepaid);
• MasterCard (Classic, Premiere);
• American Express cards.

The cards can be issued in the following currencies: the Swiss franc (CHF), the Euro (EUR), and the US dollar (USD).

Internet banking

You can monitor your account online. However, all payments shall be accompanied by a bank manager as these are subject to control. A coding device will be provided to you for making the payments remotely.

The conditions of account opening and terms of service

To start using your corporate account in this bank you have to deposit minimum 250,000 CHF to it or the equivalent in another currency. The deposit can be made in Zurich or in another city where you will meet with the bank representative.

Every client has a personal manager with this bank.

Bank tariffs

Note: The tariffs indicated above are effective on the day this text is written. They can change any time at the bank’s discretion. You can obtain the full list of tariffs upon request.

Other services that the Swiss bank provides

When you have a corporate account in this bank, you can also make use of other banking and financial services that it offers. You can open the following types of accounts, in particular:

• Broker’s account;
• Precious metals account;
• Fiduciary account;
• Investment (asset management) account.

The minimum initial deposit for each of these accounts is 100,000 CHF.

Corporate clients can also make use of the following services:

• Currency exchange operations;
• Account opening for payments against commercial operations;
• Secured loans issuance;
• Trade guarantees provision.

Besides, this Swiss bank can provide assistance in establishing or developing business located in Switzerland.

Term deposits

You can use any currency mentioned above to make a fixed-term deposit with this Swiss bank for up to five years. The interest rate will be calculated individually as it will depend upon the amount of the deposit, the currency, and the deposit term.

To optimize the interest rates the bank offers its fiduciary services to its clients. Upon an agreement with you, the bank can place the capital outside Switzerland in foreign banks that have flawless credit histories.

How you can open a corporate bank account in Switzerland

In order to set up a corporate account in this Swiss bank you have to collect the full pack of documents and visit Zurich for a meeting with the bank administration. In other cases, we can help you arrange a meeting with the bankers in your home country on the condition that they are planning to travel there in the observable future.

The essential condition that will provide for successful account opening is your ability to clearly describe the operations that you are going to perform with your account in the Swiss bank as well as your sources of income.

The procedure of setting up a corporate bank account in Switzerland:

1. To open a corporate account with this Swiss bank please contact us at [email protected] and place a service request with us.
2. Cover the cost of the account opening support services that we provide by transferring minimum 3,999 EUR to our account. The ultimate service cost will depend on several factors but mainly on the complexity of your business structure. For your convenience, we accept payments made by a bank transfer, credit card, of a payment system such as WebMoney, PayPal, or Western Union. We also accept payments in Bitcoins.
3. When we receive the payment, you and we will start accumulating the documents required for corporate account opening in this Swiss bank. All the bank forms have to be filled out in English. If the originals of the corporate and other documents are in any other language, these documents have to be translated into English as well.

List of documents required for establishing a corporate bank account in Switzerland

In order to open a corporate bank account in Switzerland, a non-resident applicant has to submit either originals that will be later returned, or notarized and apostilled copies of the documents that the application process requires. The following corporate documents are to be submitted:

• Company registration certificate;

• Company Carter/ By-Laws/ Constitution;
• Directors appointment resolution;
• Certificate of Incumbency less than six months old;
• In case a depositee is going to use the account, a power of attorney issued in his or her name;
• Passport copies of the beneficiaries, directors, representatives, depositees, and other signatories.

For Canadian and the UAE companies legalization of the documents with the consulate is usually required.

The terms of corporate bank account opening in Switzerland

To acquire an account in the Swiss bank you have to fill out the forms and supply all the necessary documents. We will help you complete the bank forms, as this task is most challenging. The bank will want every point to be made precisely and honestly.

When all the documents are in good order, we will send them to the bank for obtaining their pre-approval. If the bank pre-approves the documents, it means it is ready to take them up for consideration. Obtaining a pre-approval, however, does not guarantee the ultimate application approval and account establishment.

After that, the bank will perform the due diligence check. The duration of this process can vary but it seldom takes less than one month. Then your meeting with the banker needs to be arranged. The final decision will be made after the personal meeting with the prospective client.  

If you wish to open a corporate account in a highly secure Swiss bank, please write to us straight away to [email protected]. We will employ all our skills and experience to assist you in coping with this demanding task. Believe us it is still possible to set up a bank account in Switzerland!