Vaud Newcomer Admin Kit

Leaving or changing address (commune departure)

Last checked: 5 Oct 2026. Unofficial student guide, not EPFL or government advice: confirm on the linked official pages before you act. Unfamiliar abbreviation? See the Glossary.

To verify This page has 1 item that could not be confirmed on an official page. Check it yourself before relying on it:

Confirm every step with your commune’s Contrôle des habitants / Office de la population and, for permit questions, SPOP.

What this page is for

Short orientation when you:

Arrival rules are on Permit & commune. Travel before the permit card arrives is on Travel without permit.

Canton baseline (Vaud)

Sources:

To verify: exact “sans délai” / same-day wording for your commune’s departure form, open that commune’s départ page before you leave.

Leaving Switzerland (end of stay)

EPFL: during the last month of your stay in Switzerland, inform the Residents’ registration office of your upcoming departure, and contact the population office to confirm whether you can leave the country.

Source: EPFL, Residence permit (section Definitively)

Practical follow-ups newcomers often forget (pointers only, confirm each with the issuer):

Pension fund money (LPP, pillar 3a) when you leave: see Swiss pensions: LPP and pillar 3a.

Swiss or dual national liable for military service? Moving abroad affects the exemption tax: see Military service exemption tax in Vaud.

Temporary absence (internship / project abroad)

If you tell the commune you are leaving without keeping a Swiss home address, EPFL says you will need a new residence permit (and possibly a new visa) on return. Prefer keeping a principal address in Vaud for short absences when the commune allows it, see EPFL’s Temporarily for holidays, internship, project abroad and Staying in another canton sections.

Source: EPFL, Residence permit

Sources

Unofficial student project. Always re-check your commune’s page before you act.