A non-Swiss citizen who is subject to the obligation to obtain a permit may be granted permission to acquire a holiday apartment or a residential unit in an apartment hotel if
- the apartment is located in a holiday resort designated by the canton
- the permit is furthermore covered by the quota that the federal government grants the canton each year for holiday apartments and residential units in apartment hotels,
- unless the seller, for his part, also received a permit to acquire the apartment
The following cantons recognise grounds for approving the acquisition of holiday apartments or residential units in apartment hotels:
- Appenzell Ausserrhoden
- Berne
- Freibourg
- Glarus
- Grisons
- Jura
- Lucerne
- Neuchâtel
- Nidwalden
- Obwalden
- St. Gallen
- Schaffhausen (only for residential units in apartment hotels)
- Schwyz
- Ticino
- Uri
- Waadt
- Valais
The buyer must be able to use the holiday apartment himself at all times for the asserted purpose. This means that holiday apartments may not be let for the whole year; however, periodic letting is permitted. Residential units in apartment hotels must be placed at the disposal of the hotel operator during the main season for hotel operation purposes.
Only natural persons may acquire holiday apartments, and may only acquire these in their own name.
There are restrictions on the size of the real estate plot and on the net residential surface area.
