A practical guide to the EU notification procedure for short term work in Switzerland. Process, timing, counting days, and what to do at the cantonal level
Updated May 2026
Contents
- Why this guide exists
- The 90-day rule. What it is and who can use it
- The notification process. Step by step
- How the 90 days actually count
- What you must still do at cantonal level
- What happens after 90 days
- Common scenarios and pitfalls
- Frequently asked questions
- Support and resources
01Why This Guide Exists
A large share of escorts working in Switzerland are EU/EFTA nationals on short term stays. The Swiss legal framework specifically accommodates this through a notification procedure that lets you work up to 90 days per calendar year without applying for a residence permit.
The procedure is free, online, and usually confirmed within 24 to 48 hours. But it has specific rules: you must announce before starting, count days correctly, and remember that the federal notification does not exempt you from cantonal registration as a sex worker.
This guide walks through the procedure in detail and answers the practical questions that most short term EU workers face.
For the broader legal framework, see our pillar article on prostitution laws in Switzerland and the Geneva legal requirements article for cantonal specifics.
02The 90-Day Rule. What It Is and Who Can Use It
The legal basis is the Accord sur la libre circulation des personnes (ALCP) between Switzerland and the European Union. The agreement allows EU/EFTA nationals to provide services in Switzerland for up to 90 days of effective work per calendar year, subject only to a notification (not an authorization).
Who can use the 90-day procedure
- Citizens of the 27 EU member states
- Citizens of EFTA states (Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway)
- Croatian citizens (full free movement restored since 1 January 2025)
Who cannot use it
- Citizens of non-EU/EFTA countries (so called “Etats tiers”). The exception: a third-country national integrated in the EU labor market for at least 12 months and detached by an EU employer.
- Anyone who already holds a Swiss residence or work permit (current or expired in the same calendar year)
- UK citizens after Brexit. UK nationals fall under a separate temporary agreement, valid until 31 December 2029.
What kind of work it covers
For sex workers, the relevant category is prestataire de services indépendant (independent service provider). The 90-day procedure covers:
- Independent escort work for up to 90 days per calendar year
- Stays can be continuous or fragmented across the year
- Work in any canton, with cantonal registration handled separately
The 90-day rule is the most flexible legal pathway for EU sex workers wanting to work short term in Switzerland. It avoids the heavier residence permit procedures while giving full legal protection during the work period.
03The Notification Process. Step by Step
The federal notification is done online on the SEM (Secrétariat d’Etat aux migrations) platform. The procedure is free.
Step 1. Create your client profile on the SEM platform
Before your first notification, you create a personal client profile (profil client) on the SEM electronic notification system. This profile is reused for every subsequent notification within the same year and across years.
The profile requires:
- Full identity (name, date of birth, nationality, passport details)
- Permanent address abroad
- Email address (notifications and confirmations are sent there)
- For independent service providers (escorts), the activity description and AVS affiliation if you already have one
Step 2. Submit the notification before starting work
The notification must be submitted at the latest the day before your activity begins. Backdated notifications are not accepted under any circumstance.
For independent service providers, the standard rule is 8 days advance notice. Exceptions exist for emergencies, but they do not apply to escort work.
The notification asks for:
- Type of activity (independent service provision)
- Address where the activity will take place in Switzerland
- Exact dates of work, day by day or as continuous blocks
- Estimated revenue (if applicable)
Step 3. Receive the confirmation
The SEM processes notifications within roughly 24 to 48 hours. The confirmation is sent to your email and is also accessible in your client profile. Print or save the confirmation: you must have it on you during your stay in Switzerland.
The confirmation includes:
- Your unique identifier in the SEM system
- The dates authorized
- The remaining 90-day balance for the calendar year
Step 4. Carry the confirmation with you during the stay
Cantonal police, BTPI (in Geneva), Stadtpolizei (in Zurich), and other authorities can request to see your SEM confirmation during inspections. Aspasie’s official guidance is explicit: keep a copy of the notification on you at all times during your work period in Switzerland.
Step 5. Modify or cancel if your dates change
If your work dates change after the notification has been confirmed, you must update the SEM file. Adding new days requires a new notification (subject to the same 8 day advance notice). Cancelling unused days is done through the client profile, and those days return to your annual quota.
04How the 90 Days Actually Count
This is the part most often misunderstood. The 90 days are calculated by calendar year, from 1 January to 31 December, regardless of your personal schedule.
What counts as a “day worked”
- Each calendar day on which you exercise the activity, even partially, counts as one day.
- If you declare Saturday and Sunday in a continuous block, they count as days even if you don’t actually work them. The SEM does not split partial days.
- Travel days to and from Switzerland do not count if you don’t work on them.
What does not count
- Days where you are in Switzerland for tourism, family, medical reasons, but not for the activity
- Days of registered tourism stay (without work) before or after your work period
Practical counting tip
If you plan to work 5 days per week with weekends off, declare only the 5 working days each week and skip the weekends in your notification. This stretches your 90 days to roughly 18 weeks of activity. Declaring continuous blocks (Mon-Sun) burns days for nothing.
How 90 days translates into actual working time
| Pattern | Result |
|---|---|
| 5 days per week, weekends not declared | ~18 weeks of activity over the year |
| Continuous block declared (incl. weekends) | ~13 weeks of stay before the quota is exhausted |
| 3 days per week pattern (e.g., long weekends) | ~30 weeks of partial presence |
| Single 90-day block | 3 consecutive months, fully consumed |
The annual reset
On 1 January, your 90-day balance resets to 90. A worker who exhausted her 90 days in 2026 can start fresh on 1 January 2027 with a new full quota.
05What You Must Still Do at Cantonal Level
The 90-day federal notification is one piece of the puzzle. It authorizes your presence and work in Switzerland. It does not handle the canton-specific obligations for sex work.
Geneva BTPI registration required
LProst Art. 4-6
What you must do
- Attend the mandatory information session at Aspasie (free, in 7 languages)
- Register with the BTPI in person, by appointment
- Bring SEM confirmation, passport, planned address in Geneva
Practical timeline
- Information session and BTPI appointment can usually be arranged within the first week
- BTPI registration is free and takes one appointment
- Without it, you cannot legally work in Geneva even with the SEM confirmation
Zurich Stadtpolizei registration
PGVO
What you must do
- Register as a sex worker with the Stadtpolizei (Fachgruppe Milieu- und Sexualdelikte)
- Pay the cantonal registration fee
- Provide proof of LAMal health insurance (or short term equivalent)
Practical timeline
- Registration must be done before starting work
- Stadtpolizei reviews documents and issues an authorization
Other cantons Variable
Cantonal regulations
Examples
- Vaud: registration with the Police cantonale du commerce
- Bern: notification under PGG (cantonal prostitution law)
- Valais: registration with the cantonal police
- Fribourg: notification under cantonal LExProst
General principle
- Each canton with specific legislation requires its own registration
- Cantons without specific legislation typically apply general rules and federal criminal law
- Verify before traveling to a new canton
Health insurance
For stays under 3 months, the LAMal mandatory health insurance is not technically required, since you are not domiciled in Switzerland. However:
- You should have valid international health coverage from your home country (the European Health Insurance Card covers basic medical care for EU citizens in Switzerland)
- Some cantonal registrations (Zurich Stadtpolizei) require proof of health coverage
- Without coverage, hospital costs in Switzerland are entirely on you
Tax obligations
Income earned during a 90-day stay is subject to Swiss tax obligations. In some cantons, source taxation (impôt à la source) applies automatically. In others, you must file a tax declaration as a non-resident with Swiss source income.
The Bern canton, for example, applies a specific source tax to short term sex workers (Notice IS11), with a forfait of CHF 25 per day worked when no detailed accounting is available.
06What Happens After 90 Days
Once your 90-day annual quota is consumed, the simplified procedure ends. To continue working in Switzerland in the same calendar year, you must apply for a residence and work permit.
The L permit (short term, up to 364 days)
For EU/EFTA nationals planning to work between 90 days and one year, the L UE-AELE permit is the standard option. For an independent escort, this means a self-employment L permit, which requires:
- Application with the cantonal migration office
- Proof of intended self-employed activity (advertising, contracts, projected revenue)
- Proof of sufficient financial means
- Mandatory LAMal coverage from the start of the permit
The B permit (long term, 5 years renewable)
For stays of more than one year, the B UE-AELE permit applies. The conditions are similar to the L permit but require demonstrated long term economic viability.
What you cannot do
- Continue working under the 90-day procedure once the quota is exhausted in a given year
- Stay in Switzerland for tourism after the work period and resume work without a new notification
- Add days retroactively to a notification that has expired
07Common Scenarios and Pitfalls
Working before the SEM confirmation High risk
LEI Art. 115
The pattern
- Submitting the SEM notification but starting before the confirmation arrives
- Working “just one day” before the formal start date
The consequence
- Working without authorization, even for one day, is a violation of the LEI
- Possible administrative sanctions, fines, and an entry ban for future stays
- Can compromise future permit applications
Forgetting to register at cantonal level Common error
Cantonal prostitution laws
The pattern
- Assuming the SEM notification is enough for everything
- Skipping the BTPI/Stadtpolizei step
The consequence
- Working without cantonal registration is a violation of cantonal law and Art. 199 of the Swiss Criminal Code
- Can result in fines, immediate cessation orders, and complications for future stays
- Both registrations are required: federal (SEM) and cantonal (BTPI, Stadtpolizei, etc.)
Burning weekend days unnecessarily Avoidable waste
SEM counting rules
The pattern
- Declaring continuous blocks including Saturday and Sunday
- Not realizing that declared weekend days are deducted from the quota
How to avoid
- Declare only the days you actually work
- If your pattern is Mon to Fri, declare Mon to Fri each week, not Mon to Sun
- Saves 24 to 26 days per year if you skip weekends
08Frequently Asked Questions
Is the 90-day notification really free?
Yes. The federal notification through SEM is free. Cantonal registrations (BTPI in Geneva, Stadtpolizei in Zurich, etc.) are also free in most cantons. The only fees you may encounter are for tax-related procedures or, in some cantons, registration fees for sex worker authorization.
Do I need a Swiss address to use the procedure?
You need to indicate the address where you will perform the activity in Switzerland. This can be a hotel, a salon, a rented studio, or a private apartment. You do not need to be officially domiciled in Switzerland.
Can I split my 90 days across multiple stays?
Yes. The 90 days are cumulative across the calendar year. You can do three blocks of 30 days, or twelve weeks of 5 days each, or any other combination. Each notification covers the dates you specify.
What if I exceed 90 days by accident?
Working beyond 90 days without a permit is a violation of the LEI. The administration can verify the actual days worked through tax records, registrations, and bank flows. Sanctions can include fines and entry bans. If you are approaching the limit, apply for an L permit before the 90 days are exhausted.
Can my partner/family come with me during the 90-day stay?
EU/EFTA citizens can travel freely within the Schengen area. Family members not exercising an activity can stay with you as visitors. They do not need a separate notification, but their stay is also limited to 90 days under Schengen rules.
Is there a minimum age?
You must be 18 or older to work as a sex worker in Switzerland. This applies federally and cantonally. The SEM does not allow notifications for sex work activity by minors.
Can I switch between salaried and independent during the 90 days?
You can be salaried for one activity and self-employed for another. Each requires its own notification with the correct activity type. Sex work itself, however, is by Swiss law always self-employed (Art. 195 of the Swiss Criminal Code prohibits employment in this activity).
What about Croatian, Romanian, Bulgarian citizens?
All three are full EU members. Croatia regained full free movement on 1 January 2025 after a temporary safeguard period. Romanian and Bulgarian citizens have had full access since 2014. The 90-day procedure applies to all of them.
What if I’m British?
UK citizens are no longer EU since 1 January 2021. A separate temporary agreement on service provider mobility, signed on 14 December 2020, applies until 31 December 2029. UK citizens can use a similar 90-day notification procedure under this agreement.
09Support and Resources
The 90-day procedure is straightforward when followed correctly. The two most important rules: notify before starting, and never skip the cantonal registration. Both are free, both are mandatory, and both protect you.
SEM Notification Platform
Federal online notification for short term work in Switzerland
Aspasie
Geneva. Information sessions in 7 languages, accompaniment for short term stays.
FIZ
Zurich. Counseling for migrant sex workers.
BTPI Geneva
Cantonal sex work registration for Geneva
Stadtpolizei Zurich
Cantonal sex work registration for Zurich
SECO Procédure d’annonce
Federal explanation of the notification procedure
Disclaimer: This guide is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal or immigration advice. Federal and cantonal procedures evolve regularly. Always verify current rules with the SEM, the cantonal authority of your work location, or a specialized organization before making decisions.
Last updated: May 2026
