Taking out a loan in Switzerland

Who can take out a loan in Switzerland?

The requirements at eny are narrowly defined. We set them out here in full so that you do not submit an application that will not succeed from the outset.

Requirement	What applies
Residence	residence in Switzerland
Employment situation	employed as an employee with regular salary
Nationality / status	Swiss citizenship or residence permit B or C
Capacity to act	of legal age; a loan agreement requires civil legal capacity
Credit assessment	the desired financing must be affordable after assessment of income, expenses and existing commitments
Not possible	self-employed persons, corporate and SME loans through this channel

These requirements make an assessment possible but do not yet guarantee approval. For loans up to and including CHF 80,000 that are subject to the KKG, the assessment of ability to repay assumes repayment within 36 months — even if the contractual term is longer.

Which documents do you need?

Usually just a few, but complete documents:

• identity document: identity card, passport or foreign national’s ID B or C
• the current salary statements requested in the application
• details on fixed expenses: rent, health insurance, maintenance payments
• details on existing loans, leasing agreements and cards with a credit option
• bank details for the payout

Which documents are needed in the specific case is shown in the application. Depending on the file, additional evidence may be requested.

A practical tip: have the documents ready before applying. Follow-up submissions are the most common reason an application stalls.

How does a loan application proceed?

Step	What happens	Who acts
1. Application	You enter the desired amount, term and your details online	You
2. Provisional decision	You usually receive a first assessment within around 3 minutes; it is not a commitment	eny
3. Documents	You upload or send in the evidence	You
4. Assessment of ability to repay	Budget calculation, information from ZEK and IKO, verification of details	eny
5. Decision	Approval, counter-offer with a different amount or term, or a reasoned rejection	eny
6. Agreement	You receive the loan agreement and a copy of it; for KKG agreements the 14-day withdrawal period begins on receipt of the copy	Both
7. Payout	The amount is transferred to your account	eny

The non-binding offer in step 2 is not a loan commitment. A binding response only exists after the full assessment in step 4.

What should you calculate before applying?

Compare the annual percentage rate, the term, the monthly instalment and the total repayment. The annual percentage rate covers all costs of the loan and is the key standardised comparison figure. A longer term does lower the monthly instalment but usually increases the total cost.

With the loan calculator you can work through amount, term and cost in advance.

What rights do you have?

For loan agreements subject to the KKG, the following mandatory protective provisions apply in particular:

Right	Content	Basis
Withdrawal	You can withdraw from the agreement in writing within 14 days. The period begins once you have received a copy of the agreement. The period is met if you hand the withdrawal declaration to the lender or the post office on the last day.	Art. 16 KKG
Early repayment	You can repay the loan early at any time, in full or in part. This reduces the interest cost for the remaining term.	Art. 17 KKG
Protection against over-indebtedness	The lender must assess the ability to repay. Granting a loan is prohibited if it leads to over-indebtedness of the consumer.	Art. 28 KKG, Art. 3 UWG

In addition: aggressive advertising for consumer loans is prohibited (Art. 36a KKG). If you are offered time pressure, a “guaranteed” commitment or a loan without assessment anywhere, that is a warning sign.

What to do if the application is rejected

A rejection means: the calculation does not work out with this amount, this term and your current situation. Sensible next steps:

• Reduce the amount and recalculate affordability. For KKG loans, a longer contractual term does not change the statutory 36-month assumption for the assessment of ability to repay.
• Reduce existing commitments first; every current instalment shrinks the margin.
• Check your own ZEK extract and have incorrect entries corrected with evidence. How this works is explained in our guide on Credit assessment.
• Do not hastily apply in parallel with several providers. First check the amount, budget and terms.
• If several commitments weigh on you at the same time: consult an independent specialist office. The directory by canton of residence is maintained by Schuldenberatung Schweiz; these offices are not connected to eny.

Common mistakes when applying for a loan

• Incomplete or incorrect details. These do not lead to better terms, but to delay or rejection.
• A desired amount that is too high. An amount just below the affordability limit leaves no buffer for unexpected expenses.
• Using the term as a lever for the instalment. It works, but costs more.
• Several applications at the same time.
• A loan for current fixed costs. Anyone who pays health insurance or taxes with a loan is shifting the problem. More on this in When a personal loan makes sense – and when it doesn’t.

What comes next?

If you want to know exactly what is examined in the assessment: Credit assessment. If you are still weighing it up: When a personal loan makes sense.

The detailed terms and requirements are on the product pages Personal loan and Consumer loan.

Note: the lender is eny Finance AG, based in Zürich. Granting a loan is prohibited if it leads to over-indebtedness of the consumer.

Publisher: eny Finance AG, Baslerstrasse 60, 8048 Zürich As of: 6 August 2026 · Next review: January 2027