Divorce, child custody, international parental disputes, prenuptial agreements and inheritance matters.
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If you and your spouse are from different countries, EU Regulation Rome III may determine applicable law. A family lawyer can advise on your specific situation.
Courts prioritise the child's best interests. International custody disputes may involve the Hague Convention. Always use a specialist family lawyer.
Browse our verified directory of law firms across Switzerland's major cities. All listed firms offer English-language legal services to expats and foreign nationals.
Find My Lawyer in 60 SecondsEhe (Marriage) per ZGB Part 2: Same-sex marriage (Ehe für alle) legal since 1 July 2022. Registration with civil registry (Zivilstandsamt). Minimum age: 18 (no exceptions). Foreign/international marriages recognized if valid under home law.
Güterstand (Marital Property Regime): Default Errungenschaftsbeteiligung (partial community): Each spouse owns separate property; gains during marriage split 50/50 on divorce/death. Gütertrennung (complete separation) available via contract; each spouse retains all property. Gütergemeinschaft (full community) rare.
Alimentenbevorschussung (Advance Maintenance Payments): Cantonal programs (e.g., Zurich, Bern, Geneva) advance unpaid alimony to custodial parent if payor defaults. Payor then liable to canton for recovery. Amount limited (typically CHF 400-800/month for each child).
KESB (Kindes- und Erwachsenenschutzbehörde): Child/adult protection authority intervening in custody disputes, parental fitness concerns, and vulnerable adult guardianship. Court-like proceedings; decisions appealable to Obergericht.
Scheidung (Divorce): Both parties must agree on separation (6-month waiting period, then joint petition) → simplified divorce (3-4 months total). Contested divorce: Liability model (fault-based, archaic) or no-fault (~2 years separation). Modern practice: no-fault, settled via mediation. Haager Unterhaltsprotokoll (Hague Maintenance Protocol) applies to international cases.
Case Study: Zurich international divorce: British woman, married 12 years to Swiss man; custody of two children (ages 8, 11); woman's income CHF 6,000/month, man's CHF 15,000/month. Güterstand: Errungenschaftsbeteiligung (default). Assets: CHF 800,000 marital gains (split 50/50 = CHF 400,000 to woman). Alimony: man liable for CHF 8,000/month (10 years until youngest reaches 18, then reduced). Uncontested settlement via mediation (CHF 200/hr each, 20 hours = CHF 8,000 total) → divorce final 4 months. Disputed custody/alimony: litigation 18+ months, attorney costs CHF 30,000-50,000 each side.
