Reclaim Swiss Withholding Tax

Switzerland keeps 35% of your Swiss dividends. Most of it is yours to take back.

Every dividend paid by a Swiss company arrives with 35% withheld. If you live outside Switzerland, the tax treaty between Switzerland and your country usually caps Switzerland’s share at 15%. The difference, 20% of the gross dividend, is refundable, but only if you claim it. Nobody sends it to you automatically.

Example: CHF 10,000 in Swiss dividends → CHF 3,500 withheld → CHF 2,000 refundable under a 15% treaty rate.

Who this is for

• You live outside Switzerland and receive dividends from Swiss companies (Nestlé, Novartis, Roche, UBS, your former employer’s shares, ESOP or RSU shares).
• You moved away from Switzerland and still hold Swiss shares.
• You received dividends in the last three years and never claimed anything back.

If you still live in Switzerland, the full 35% comes back through your Swiss tax return. That’s part of our regular tax return service.

The deadline

A claim must reach the Swiss Federal Tax Administration within three years after the end of the calendar year in which the dividend was paid. A dividend paid in May 2026 can be claimed until 31 December 2029. After that, the money is gone.

What we do

1. Check your treaty. We confirm the rate that applies to you, based on your country of residence and how you hold the shares.
2. Collect your dividend statements. We tell you exactly which bank or broker documents we need.
3. Prepare the claim. Every country has its own Swiss refund form (for example, Form 82 I for US residents, Form 86 for UK residents, an online claim for German residents). We fill it in for you.
4. Get it certified. Where your country requires it, we tell you how to get the residence confirmation from your local tax office.
5. File and follow up. We submit the claim to the Swiss Federal Tax Administration and follow up until the refund is paid. Processing can take several months.

What you need

• Your dividend or broker statements showing the Swiss tax withheld
• Proof of where you live for tax purposes
• The bank account (IBAN) where the refund should be paid

What it costs

We charge 5% of the dividends covered by the claim, at least CHF 300 and at most CHF 2,000.

Example: CHF 10,000 in Swiss dividends → CHF 2,000 refund → our fee CHF 500.