Removals from Ireland to Geneva and the rest of Switzerland

Leaving Ireland for Switzerland? What people usually ask us first

1. "Everyone keeps telling me about Brexit rules. Do they apply to me?"

The short answer: not if you're Irish. Ireland is in the EU, so Irish citizens come to Switzerland under the free movement agreement between Switzerland and the EU, not under the rules that now apply to UK nationals. You see the difference at Swiss customs: citizens of the EU-27 and the EFTA states don't have to show that a residence permit has been granted or promised when they bring in their household goods. Source: Federal Office for Customs and Border Security (FOCBS), "Relocation: import into Switzerland – procedure". Read on 5 October 2026.

What we do: we'll go through exactly what Swiss customs need from an EU citizen, and nothing more, so you're not chasing papers meant for someone else.

2. "Will my things go straight to France, or across Britain?"

What you need to know: there are two main ways to go. One is a direct ferry to France: from Rosslare Europort, for example, ferries sail directly to Cherbourg and to Dunkirk in France, so your goods stay inside the EU until the Swiss border. Source: Rosslare Europort, freight shipping services. Read on 8 October 2026. The other way is the landbridge: a ferry to Wales (Rosslare also has sailings to Fishguard and Pembroke, same source), the road across Britain, then the Channel. That route takes your goods out of the EU and back in again. The EU, the UK and Switzerland all belong to the Common Transit Convention, which exists for exactly that kind of crossing. Source: GOV.UK, "Common Transit Convention countries", updated 1 November 2025. Read on 5 October 2026.

What we do: whichever route it is, our own crew and our own van take your belongings from your door to your new home, with no handover to another firm on the way. Your written quote says which route we'll take, and we explain any paperwork that goes with it before you book.

3. "I'm leaving my job. What do I tell Revenue?"

The facts: moving abroad to live can make you non-resident for Irish tax. Revenue asks you to update your details in myAccount, or in ROS if you use it. If your employer hasn't reported that your job has ended, you can do it yourself in myAccount, under "View/Cease your Job or Pension Details". Source: Revenue, "If you are leaving Ireland permanently", published 25 November 2025. Read on 5 October 2026.

What we do: we're movers, not tax advisers, so we won't tell you what applies in your case. What we can do is agree the collection date with you early, so you have a firm date to plan around with your employer and Revenue.

4. "We're keeping the house at home and letting it out."

The facts: plenty of people hold on to a house in Ireland. Revenue points out that a non-resident can still be taxed in Ireland on Irish income, such as rent from a property you keep. Source: Revenue, "If you are leaving Ireland permanently". Read on 5 October 2026. For the move itself, it usually means some furniture stays behind for the tenants and only part of the house travels.

What we do: we work from your list of furniture. You go round the house, room by room, and tell us what comes to Switzerland and what stays; we go through it with you by email or on the phone until it's right. That list is also the base for the inventory Swiss customs ask for.

5. "We're in Galway, Mayo or Donegal, a long way from any ferry port."

What you need to know: from the west or the north-west, getting to the ferry is a decent drive in itself, before the sea crossing even starts.

What we do: we collect from your own address, whether it's a city flat or a farmhouse down a country road. The quote covers the whole route from your door, not just from the port.

6. "My mam is minding a few boxes. Can they come over later?"

The short answer: they can. They still count as part of your move, and Swiss customs say they can come in duty-free up to two years later, provided whatever is still to follow is declared on a separate list when the first load comes in. Source: FOCBS, "FAQ: removal goods". Read on 6 October 2026.

What we do: we add a "to follow" list to the inventory we prepare with you, so nothing is forgotten at the border.

7. "Once we land in Geneva, what's the first thing to sort?"

What you need to know: everyone moving to Geneva has to register with the cantonal population office (OCPM) within 14 days of arriving, and EU citizens apply for their residence permit there. Source: République et canton de Genève, "Annoncer mon arrivée à l'OCPM", updated 15 July 2025. Read on 5 October 2026. Basic health insurance has to be taken out within three months of moving to Switzerland. Source: Federal Office of Public Health (FOPH), compulsory health insurance for people living in Switzerland. Read on 5 October 2026.

What we do: we set the delivery day with you, so the beds are built and the kitchen boxes are open while you see to the OCPM and the health insurance yourself. If you're moving with children, we can set up the children's rooms first.

Before you leave Ireland

Two things to have sorted before the van leaves. First, Revenue: update your details in myAccount or ROS, and check that your job shows as ceased in myAccount (see question 3 above). Second, keep the papers that show your home is really moving. Swiss customs accept documents such as your employment contract and your tenancy agreement in Switzerland as proof that you're transferring your residence. Source: FOCBS, "FAQ: removal goods". Read on 6 October 2026. We'll tell you which ones to keep with the removal file.

At the Swiss border

Household goods come in duty-free as long as you meet three conditions set by Swiss customs:

1. You're moving your home to Switzerland.
2. The goods are yours and have been used. That means at least six months of personal use before the move, and you keep using them in Switzerland.
3. Form 18.44 is filled in and handed in at the customs office where the goods enter.

Source: FOCBS, "Relocation: import into Switzerland – procedure". Read on 5 October 2026.

If a car is coming too, it's declared when it enters Switzerland, and Swiss customs treat a car you've owned for less than six months separately. Source: FOCBS, "FAQ: removal goods". Read on 6 October 2026. We don't move cars, but we'll point you to the right rules. For your furniture and boxes, we go through each formality with you beforehand and prepare the list of goods together.

Getting from Ireland to Geneva

Every move from Ireland starts with the sea, by one of the two crossings in question 2 above. After that, it's the road down to the Swiss border at Geneva. Which crossing we use depends on where you live, how much you're bringing and the sailing dates, and your quote spells it out in writing.

The Irish in Switzerland

At the end of 2025, 6,748 Irish citizens were living in Switzerland, 629 of them in the canton of Geneva. Source: SEM, foreign population statistics, 31 December 2025, table 2-10. These figures cover the permanent resident foreign population and leave out international civil servants and stays of under twelve months.

What affects the price of an Ireland–Switzerland removal

We don't publish a price list. Every quote is worked out from your own move, and it's free and in writing. These are the things that move the cost up or down:

• Where in Ireland you're starting from. A flat near Dublin Port and a farmhouse in Donegal or west Kerry aren't the same drive before the ferry. The quote covers the whole road, from your door to your new door in Switzerland.
• The sea crossing. A direct sailing to France and the landbridge through Wales and England aren't priced the same, and the landbridge adds transit paperwork on the way; the Swiss customs side is the same either way. The sailing timetable around your date can decide between them.
• Volume. How much furniture and how many boxes come with you. We quote from your list of furniture, which you can fill in online in our quote tool. If part of the house stays behind for tenants, only what travels counts.
• Floors and access. Stairs, narrow hallways and how close the van can park, at both ends. If a Geneva flat needs a furniture hoist, that counts too.
• Timing. The date you pick and how flexible you can be. Some weeks book up faster than others, summer especially.
• Extras. Packing by our crew, dismantling and reassembly, and end-of-tenancy cleaning for when you leave a Geneva flat later on.

Your written quote lists exactly what's included, so there's nothing left to guess on the day.

Who you're dealing with

A Geneva removals company with its own crew, on every route, Ireland included. The same people pack, load, drive and carry in, so nobody you've never met turns up on the day. Swiss Pro Moving is a new company. Between us, the team has thirteen years in the trade and more than 400 customers behind it, most of them from our years working for other removal firms before we set up our own. That's long enough to know which wardrobe gets up a narrow stairwell and which one doesn't.

• Packing. We pack the whole house, or you pack yourself and we bring the boxes. Up to you.
• Dismantling and reassembly. Beds, wardrobes and tables come apart in Ireland and go back together in Switzerland.
• Transport with our own crew. No handing your things over to strangers halfway.
• Furniture hoist. For upper floors where the stairs won't do.
• End-of-tenancy cleaning in Geneva. For when you leave a Geneva flat later on.
• Free quote. In writing, so you know exactly what we've agreed.

Questions people ask us from Ireland

I'm Irish. Do I need a residence permit before my furniture can enter Switzerland?

No. As an EU citizen, you don't have to show Swiss customs that a residence permit has been granted or promised (FOCBS). You do need to show that your home is really moving, for example with your employment contract and your tenancy agreement.

Do you go direct to France or across Britain?

Either, depending on where you live, the size of the load and the sailing dates (question 2 above explains both). Your written quote says which route we use.

Can you collect from outside Dublin?

Yes. We collect from your own address anywhere in Ireland, and the quote covers the whole route from your door.

Some of our things are staying at home for now. Can they follow later?

Yes. Swiss customs let them come in duty-free up to two years later, provided whatever will follow is declared on a separate list when the first load comes in (FOCBS).

Who do I talk to, and in what language?

Write to us by email or WhatsApp and our reply comes in writing, in English, within one working day. If you ring us, we speak English or French.

Ring us, message us or drop us an email

Tell us where you're moving from (a town or your Eircode is grand) and roughly when, and we'll come back to you with a free written quote. Where you're going in Switzerland can wait for our reply if you're in a hurry.

• For a detailed quote, with your list of furniture: Get your free quote online
• Phone, in English or French: +41 76 581 55 61
• WhatsApp: message us on WhatsApp
• Email: contact@swisspromoving.com

Or leave us the basics in the quick request below, and we'll take it from there with you.

Quick quote request

A few details are all we need to get going. Not sure yet where in Switzerland you're headed? That's fine, we'll ask in our reply.