What are the requirements for a loan in Switzerland?

For a personal loan, you need a verifiable financial situation and sufficient room in your budget for repayment. The lender’s acceptance criteria also apply, including age, employment and residence status. A particular salary or permanent employment alone does not guarantee a loan.

It helps to distinguish between legal requirements, lender conditions and your own ability to afford repayments. This shows you which information to prepare and where an individual assessment is needed.

The statutory assessment and lender conditions are different things

For agreements within its scope, the Consumer Credit Act requires lenders to assess affordability. A cash loan must be repayable without using the portion of income protected from seizure. The assessment takes account of the relevant cantonal rules and other items specified by law. KKG, Art. 27a and 28

Lenders also decide which customer groups and types of employment they serve. They may, for example, require a certain length of employment. Such rules are not universally applicable statutory minimum requirements. Passing the statutory assessment does not oblige a bank to offer a contract either.

Age: when can you apply to Budgetcredit?

You must be at least 18 years old for a personal loan with Budgetcredit. People under 18 cannot apply for a personal loan with Budgetcredit. The minimum age is a fixed requirement. Budgetcredit: requirements

For older applicants, provider rules and age at the end of the loan term also matter. There is therefore no single age threshold that predicts acceptance by every Swiss lender.

Residence and residence status

Have your current address and valid identification ready. If you are not a Swiss citizen, your residence or cross-border commuter status also matters. Budgetcredit lists B, C and G permits in its information. Any additional period of residence or employment required by a provider must be clarified for the individual case. Budgetcredit: requirements

A permit alone is not loan approval. You should also disclose a change of status or a planned move abroad. Cross-border commuters benefit from a targeted assessment because their residence, income and product eligibility may differ from the usual situation of someone living in Switzerland.

Income: what matters is verifiable room in your budget

A loan is repaid from future disposable income. Its amount, regularity and verifiability therefore matter. Two people with the same net salary can have very different borrowing capacity: one lives alone with low fixed costs; the other pays maintenance and has existing credit commitments.

For your initial preparation, start with the net salary actually available to you. An additional gross salary field does not automatically improve an initial budget overview. What matters is avoiding another blanket deduction for social contributions, withholding tax and other salary deductions already reflected in the figure used.

A regular 13th salary payment, variable compensation or secondary income should be explained and documented separately. Do not assume that every lender counts every source of income in full. Planned income that is not yet secure is not a reliable basis for a multi-year commitment.

Employment: what questions may arise?

Depending on your situation, a provider may ask how long you have been employed, whether you are on probation and whether the contract is fixed-term. With fluctuating income, one good month may misrepresent the longer-term picture. For self-employed applicants, documents other than a standard payslip are often more informative.

Clarify special circumstances early rather than filling in several forms using different assumptions. A fixed-term contract or a new job means neither automatic approval nor an automatic statutory bar. Product criteria and an individual assessment remain decisive.

Which expenses must be included?

The assessment covers living expenses and existing commitments. Typical information includes housing costs, health insurance premiums, taxes, maintenance and existing loans or leases. In a family household, income and costs must be assessed on the same basis.

For example, if family costs are recorded, this includes health insurance premiums for the adults and children concerned. However, other household members’ income cannot simply be added in full to your own loan budget. The bank must correctly assess allocation, household shares and any joint liability.

Our article explains the practical preparation: Calculating a budget for a loan.

Which documents should I have ready?

Clear preparation avoids unnecessary follow-up questions:

• valid identification and, where applicable, a residence permit;
• current evidence of income and employment;
• verifiable information about rent, health insurance and taxes;
• information and documents concerning maintenance and existing financing;
• appropriate evidence for special types of income.

The exact list depends on the provider and your situation. The KKG allows lenders to request proof of income and an extract from the debt enforcement register; doubts about the information require further investigation. KKG, Art. 31

What if I am unsure or have previously been declined?

First check whether your financial situation has actually changed or whether your information was incomplete. A new application with the same unresolved issues does not automatically produce a better result. Information must not be embellished or commitments omitted.

An individual assessment can identify the outstanding issues: is the amount too high? Is evidence missing? Does the product not suit the employment arrangement? These answers provide a more concrete next step than a general statement that you meet all the requirements.

Frequently asked questions

Am I guaranteed a loan with a net salary of CHF 6'000?

No. Salary alone establishes neither approval nor a particular amount. Expenses, commitments, statutory requirements and the provider’s assessment also matter.

Is there a statutory minimum salary for all personal loans?

The KKG does not specify one monthly minimum salary for all applicants. A minimum salary published by a provider is a product condition and does not replace an individual budget assessment.

Does my partner automatically have to co-sign?

Recording the household situation is not the same as taking on a joint loan obligation. Whether another person becomes a contracting party or consent is needed must be established for the specific circumstances.

Get targeted advice on outstanding requirements

You do not need to know every provider’s rules yourself. Ask Budgetcredit for an individual assessment if your housing, employment or income situation raises questions.

Meeting individual requirements does not constitute loan approval. Credit must not be granted if it would lead to over-indebtedness.