Buying .ch or .swiss: check who can apply first

The ending alone does not establish your eligibility

IANA classifies .ch as a country-code extension and .swiss as a generic extension. The practical buying rules come from each registry. Switch generally does not require Swiss citizenship, residence or a Swiss business location for .ch. Accurate holder details and a permitted name are still needed. The .swiss extension serves the Swiss community: possible applicants include individuals resident in Switzerland or holding Swiss citizenship, and specified organisations. For a business, entry in the Swiss commercial register with its registered office and physical administrative site in Switzerland is particularly relevant. Check OFCOM’s full current categories rather than treating Swiss customers as evidence of eligibility.

Check the requested name separately from the applicant

An eligible .swiss applicant still cannot choose any available word. For an individual, the name must contain a permitted personal name or a qualifying protected designation; additional words can be combined with it. An organisation needs an objective connection to the requested designation. Generic names have special rules. Keep a second note beside the applicant details recording the exact spelling and the connection you can explain. An availability result does not answer that question. If you already hold the matching .ch name, do not treat its invoice as evidence of .swiss eligibility. Availability, naming eligibility and completed allocation are different checks.

A planning example: a studio based abroad

Imagine a studio with its registered office and administration in Germany preparing an offer for Swiss customers. This is a fictional planning example. For the .ch check, it uses its real German business details rather than inventing a Swiss branch or address. For .swiss, it first checks the applicant category: wanting Swiss customers does not replace the requirements. A staff member’s Swiss citizenship does not automatically make the foreign company eligible. If a Swiss person abroad applies in their own capacity, the official restrictions to private, charitable or association purposes matter; this route does not allow commercial activities carried out from abroad.

Plan around confirmation, not an assumed instant purchase

For .swiss, OFCOM performs a preliminary check. Applications meeting the conditions are published for 20 days, during which competing applications can be submitted. That publication stage is not a promise of a total delivery time of 20 days: preparation, review and possible questions also take time. Avoid committing print runs or a fixed campaign to a name that has only been applied for. Record the intended main address, its confirmation status and a usable alternative in your launch plan. A payment for a .ch order is also not by itself a final registration confirmation. Check the confirmed status before treating the name as allocated.

If .ch fits, compare the actual .ch offer

At chname.ch, an available new .ch domain at the standard rate costs €9.99 to register and €12.99 for an annual renewal. The €27 offer includes registration plus two future annual renewals. These amounts are not a .swiss quote. We do not currently offer .swiss; use the .swiss registry’s official provider directory for that extension. For .ch, the linked commercial page and domain search let you check your exact name. Before adding it to the cart, record the correct holder and the term you actually need. The related guides explain preparation without a Swiss address and the registration steps. If you later use two extensions, choose a clear main address and track their renewals separately.

A useful question

Do I need a Swiss passport for .ch?

Generally no. Switch allows .ch without Swiss citizenship, residence or a Swiss business location. Accurate holder details and the other registration rules still apply.

Can an individual apply for .swiss?

Yes, if resident in Switzerland or holding Swiss citizenship. The additional naming rules and any restrictions on use from abroad must also be satisfied.

Does buying .ch also give me .swiss?

No. They are independent names with separate processes and conditions. chname.ch does not currently offer .swiss registration.