Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

It is important to use the Cultural Kiosk related to your organisation, as our ticketing platforms are separate for the two entities.

Yes. Yes. If you move to the Canton of Geneva during the school year, you must enrol your child in a school within three days of your move using the procedure for children living in Geneva.

If your child lives outside the Canton of Geneva and you wish to enrol them in a Geneva public school, you must check that they meet the enrolment conditions and then follow the enrolment procedure for children living outside the Canton.

In the Canton of Vaud

Articles 34 and 46 of the Constitution of Vaud set out the educational rights and duties relevant to all children residing in the Canton. As a general rule, children who arrive during the school year or who transfer from a private school, home schooling, a special education school or a school outside the Canton are placed in a class on the basis of their age.

Enrolment in a public school is based on the catchment area in which the parents’ place of residence is located. The procedure is different for primary and secondary schools: Enrolment at the primary level (grades 1P to 8P), Enrolment at the secondary level (grades 9S to 11S).

As an association, CAGI cannot sponsor events. However, other types of collaboration may be possible. Please contact CAGI by email at communication.cagi@etat.ge.ch

Yes, you can bring a friend on the Newcomers Programme’s excursions and outings. Simply include their first and last name when you register.

The catalogue of events proposed by the CAGI is not exhaustive and the kiosk does not have access to all ticketing platforms. All our negotiated offers are available on the Cultural Kiosk page. In addition, the CAGI is an official reseller of tickets that do not benefit from preferential rates. The prices charged are those indicated on the ticketing platform of the provider concerned.

Unfortunately, no.

Crèches and nursery schools provide care for children between the ages of 16 weeks and 4 years. regular full- or part-time care are possible

Under the Compulsory Education Act, children who have reached the age of four years on 31 July must attend school.

As soon as you know the termination date. First, advertise the housing offer on the housing platform of the International Geneva Welcome Centre (CAGI). You should also ask the “régie” (real estate agency) to advertise the offer on its website, as doing so is also in its interest. However, you will have to organize any showings of the place. To increase your chances, you can place an ad on a specialized website. And be sure to share the information with colleagues, friends and neighbours – word of mouth can be very effective.

f you live in the City of Geneva, you should register with the Bureau d’information petite enfance (Early Years Information Office), which is the only office authorized to handle registration for childcare facilities subsidized by the City of Geneva. In the City of Geneva, childcare places are allocated using the same criteria for everyone. The waiting list is very long. It is advisable to try various options such as contacting a network of approved childminders (list available from the Bureau d’information petite enfance) or approved nannies (e.g. Mary Poppins, Chaperon Rouge; lists available on the websites of: fondation 022 famille or Chaperon Rouge.

If you live outside the City of Geneva or in the Canton of Vaud, you should contact the town hall of your commune directly.

You can send your partnership request by email to the CAGI Communication Service at communication.cagi@etat.ge.ch. After analyzing the request, the team will get back in touch to define the outlines of a potential partnership and the offer at a preferential rate that will be proposed to Kiosk customers. Find out more about the current kiosk partners.

Complete the online form for each offer listed in the Cultural Agenda by filling in the required fields. A payment link will be sent to you by e-mail/sms to proceed with the online payment and the sending of the tickets. The purchase will be made by card only. You can also contact the concerned kiosks by email or phone. For UNO Geneva at info@kiosqueonu.ch and 022 917 11 11. For CERN at info@kiosquecern.ch and 022 766 94 76

Salary and/or security deposit: the banks in the Nations neighbourhood and in certain international organizations offer the advantage of having extensive experience with international clients. They are the banks that will set up a security deposit for you if necessary. f you are unable to transfer the necessary funds to set up the security deposit, you can ask the lessor if they would agree to a “caution” (type of rent guarantee not requiring a deposit) .

Upon confirmation of the accommodation support by CAGI, the delegate will be informed of the amount of the financial contribution to be paid. The delegate undertakes to pay this contribution to CAGI before leaving Geneva:

• In cash (Swiss francs) or by credit card at CAGI’s office according to our opening hours,
• By credit card online (secured payment link sent upon request).

No payment should be made to the hotel.

All requests must be sent to the CAGI Communication Department by email to communication.cagi@etat.ge.ch, which will analyze the content. The Department reserves the right to only accept requests that are related to its field of activity. The CAGI will give priority to events for which it is a partner or which are related to the CAGI’s mission to facilitate the integration of internationals in Geneva or which concern local cultural life.

Registration is possible on the homepage of the Cultural Kiosk. The proposed offers are exclusively intended for employees of the International Geneva with access to the UN Geneva and CERN.

If the association you want to set up is a legal entity under Swiss law, it will have to meet the relevant criteria listed on our site. We recommend that you consult the following pages:

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• FAQ

De manière pratique, afin de créer une association, il faudra convoquer une assemblée générale constitutive, lors de laquelle vous adopterez les statuts de l’association et élirez les membres du Comité. Les décisions seront consignées dans un procès-verbal.

Suite à l’adoption des statuts par l’assemblée générale, l’association dispose de la personnalité juridique. Elle peut commencer à développer ses activités.

A noter qu’en Suisse, une association (art. 60 et suivants du Code civil) n’a pas besoin de s’enregistrer auprès des autorités publiques pour pouvoir exercer une activité. Elle doit néanmoins remplir une déclaration fiscale sur une base annuelle. Pour ce faire, l’association doit s’enregistrer auprès de l’administration fiscale (voir: “Guide de la déclaration 2020“) et peut bénéficier d’une exonération fiscale sur demande (si les conditions sont remplies – cf. page fiscalité).

L’inscription d’une association au registre du commerce est souvent facultative. L’inscription est toutefois obligatoire lorsque l’association exerce une activité en la forme commerciale pour atteindre son but idéal ou est soumise à l’obligation de faire réviser ses comptes. L’inscription au registre du commerce ne joue dans tous les cas aucun rôle dans l’acquisition de la personnalité juridique. Pour davantage d’informations, nous vous invitons à consulter la page “Enregistrement“.

The International Geneva Welcome Centre (CAGI) is not a language school and does not offer courses.

The aim of its Conversation Exchange Programme (BEL) is to bring together 2 partners wishing to improve a foreign language orally in exchange for their own. Each participant must have an intermediate level to be able to converse with the person they are matched with. The Programme does not accept beginners or children.

The Programme is free of charge and is intended to complement, rather than replace, school-based courses.

For registration, a form must be completed online.

do I go about finding housing? Sign up with the housing platform of the International Geneva Welcome Centre (CAGI) to receive housing offers that you would not necessarily find elsewhere and also to receive offers from the portal: www.immobilier.ch. Request email notifications from the website www.comparis.ch for offers posted on most real estate platforms. Word of mouth also works! Your acquaintances can be a good source of information.

Please complete the online form.

Once we receive your registration, someone from the Programmewill contact you as soon as possible to match you with a suitable conversation partner. Finding a suitable person can sometimes take three to four weeks, depending on the language combination involved.

The Welcome Programme membership form can be requested by email (welcome.cagi@etat.ge.ch).

If you are an international civil servant, a member of a permanent mission, a consulate, an NGO, you work for a multinational company or you are a professor at HUG/UNIGE, and you have just arrived in Geneva have the right to enroll in the Host Program.

CAGI maintains a database of international NGOs that have their head office or a representative office in the Canton of Geneva and meet all of the following conditions:

• § Operates on a non-profit basis
• Is able to prove regular and concrete activity in the Canton of Geneva
• Has a physical address (post office box alone is not sufficient) in the Canton of Geneva
• Works in one or more of the following five areas of excellence of International Geneva: (1) peace, security and disarmament; (2) humanitarian action and law, human rights, migration; (3) labour, economy, trade, science, telecommunications; (4) health; and (5) environment and sustainable development
• § Has a relationship with an international organization (e.g. consultative status or proven collaboration)
• § Is active in at least two countries
• § Does not participate in political or religious proselytizing

NGOs are added to the database free of charge. The following documents must be submitted:

• Copy of signed statutes
• Signed minutes of the constitutive general assembly and/or the most recent general assembly
• List of Board members (if not included in the minutes)
• § Most recent activity report (or, if the association has just been created, a detailed description of the association, its aims and projects)
• Most recent balance sheet and profit and loss account (or, if the association has just been created, a projected budget)

The inclusion of an institution in the NGO Service database is purely informal and does not entail any official recognition. NGOs must complete an up-to-date profile approved by the NGO Service before they can take advantage of the services and advice available. They must update their profiles once a year by submitting an activity report, a financial report and the minutes of the general assembly.

A foundation is an entity with legal personality. One of its essential characteristics is that its assets are intended for use in pursuing an ideal goal. Rules on foundations are governed by articles 80 et seq. of the Swiss Civil Code.

The foundation must be set up by a public deed signed before a notary. A foundation is created by allocating assets for a particular purpose and is subject to oversight by the public law corporation (Confederation, canton or commune) to which it belongs by virtue of its purpose. This oversight body ensures that the foundation’s resources are used in accordance with its objectives.

This is a relatively rigid legal structure. Once the objectives have been adopted at the time of incorporation, they cannot be changed without the approval of the oversight authority.

According to the practice of the Swiss Federal Supervisory Board for Foundations, the minimum initial capital is CHF 50,000.

The foundation must have:

• a Foundation Board
• an Audit Board

In order to acquire legal personality, the foundation must be registered in the Commercial Registry. Foundations that operate internationally can also register with the International Geneva Welcome Centre (CAGI) . Foundations that operate internationally can also register with the CAGI.

Individual requests are to be made online via the “Visiting Delegates Application” accessible from a web browser. The Android application can also be downloaded on the Play Store.

The delegate must create a profile in order to apply for support.

He/she can submit and follow up his/her requests for accommodation support via his/her personal account. The delegate may share the required documents and consult his/her booking confirmation.

For more information, please refer to the Conditions of Allocation and General Booking Conditions.

Group requests must be centralised by a coordinator who is the sole interlocutor with CAGI during the whole process.

Applications are to be made online via the “Visiting Delegates Application” accessible from a web browser. The group coordinator must create a user account. He/she can then invite people to join the group and is able to follow and coordinate the requests of the whole delegation.

For more information, please refer to the Conditions of Allocation and General Booking Conditions.

The Conversation Exchange Programme is based on conversation only, an intermediate level is required to facilitate language exchanges between participants. We advise you to contact one of the many language schools in Geneva: https://www.ecole-club.ch/Offres/Langues https://www.ifage.ch/formation/langues/ https://learning.unog.ch/fr

https://www.ecole-club.ch/Offres/Langues
https://www.ifage.ch/formation/langues/
https://learning.unog.ch/fr

Regardless of whether or not a visa is required, third-country nationals (non-EU/EFTA) must have travel documents that meet the following requirements (SEM, point 3) for a stay of no more than 90 days per 180-day period (short-term stay) :

• be valid for at least three months beyond the intended date of exit from the Schengen area,
• have been issued less than ten years ago (the date of issue concerns only the entry into the Schengen area).

You can ask the lessor if they will accept a “caution” (a type of rent guarantee not requiring a deposit). Be aware that most companies offering “caution”-type guarantees will not work with you if you have a “carte de légitimation”.

Sometimes it is difficult to find a suitable person. In such cases, we suggest you try some of the numerous language schools in Geneva. https://www.ecole-club.ch/English/Languages https://www.ifage.ch/formation/langues/ https://learning.unog.ch/

https://www.ecole-club.ch/Offres/Langues
https://www.ifage.ch/formation/langues/
https://learning.unog.ch/fr

Otherwise, please try contacting the Programme again.

Unfortunately, it is not possible for you to register. The language exchanges take place in Geneva and are intended solely for people living in Geneva or the Lake Geneva region.

Yes, you may decline the offer when you get the call that your application has been accepted. That way, you will avoid any fees.

The kiosk is only available to people with access to UN Geneva and CERN (access badge or accreditation).

No, there is no registration fee. The cost of all our events and conferences is covered by the International Geneva Welcome Centre (CAGI). However, a small financial contribution may be requested for certain excursions, for example for equipment rental.

It is essential that you renew (reactivate) the registration every 6 months and provide the documents concerning your professional situation. Yes, you must renew (reactivate) your registration. If you do not, your file will be cancelled and you will have to register again and wait even longer.

If you live outside the City of Geneva or in the Canton of Vaud, you should contact the town hall of your commune directly.

Yes, children who do not speak French can enrol in a public school.

hildren between four and six years of age will be placed in a regular class and given individual support if necessary. Children over six years of age will spend 50 per cent of their time in a regular class and 50 per cent in specialist French-language classes. They will spend a minimum of 12 months taking French classes.

Students with special educational needs or disabilities are enrolled in the same way as other students.

The “diplomatic clause” is (in principle) part of the general conditions applicable in Canton of Geneva. It involves paying an indemnity for early termination of the lease of up to 3 months’ rent after the keys are returned to the lessor. The inclusion of a “liberatory clause”, which must be requested before the lease is signed, allows the lessee to terminate their lease without penalty as from the second year, so long as a three-month notice period is observed (the language of the clause and the specific terms and conditions may vary).

“Standard” leases: these have an initial term of one year and are renewable on a yearly basis thereafter, unless notice is given at least three months before the (annual) expiry date.

Multi-year leases: these often provide for a three-year term (never less); the rent for the initial period of the lease is fixed in advance. The rules for renewal and termination are usually the same as for standard, one-year leases.

Indexed leases: these have a term of at least five years, and the rent may be adjusted in accordance with the Swiss Consumer Price Index (ISPC) once a year. After an initial term of at least five years, such leases may be renewed for another five years every five years, or for one further year on a yearly basis (depending on the régie or real estate agency), unless notice is given at least three months before the (yearly or five-yearly) expiry date.

Fixed-term lease: often for a period of one year, but can be longer. There is no need to formally terminate the lease on the expiry date, as the end date is known from the start. It is possible to request an extension; however, that request may or may not be accepted by the lessor

Reminder: regardless of the type of lease, it is always possible to terminate a lease early by presenting a solvent buyer tenant; more information.

Your application must include the following documents:
1. the agency’s application form, 2. a copy of your I.D., 3. a copy of your permanent residence permit (“C” permit) or carte de légitimation, 4. a statement certifying your salary or a copy of your last three monthly payslips, and a statement (“attestation de non poursuite”) issued by the Debt Collection and Bankruptcy Office (Office des poursuites et faillites).

Ideally, as soon as you know the desired termination date, but at least three or four business days before the 15th or end of the month preceding the termination notice date.

The NGO database of the International Geneva Welcome Centre (CAGI) is an internal tool that is not accessible to the public.

The International Geneva website lists the main Geneva-based international NGOs (i.e. those that employ staff and can prove official status or collaboration with an intergovernmental organization). The site is for informational purposes and does not grant any special status.

NGOs incorporated in the form of a foundation, as well as associations that have chosen to register with the Commercial Registry, can be accessed via the Commercial Registry search engine.

CAGI can provide support to :

• A representative of a civil society organisation from a developing country,
• A representative of a government of a Least Developed Country (LDC),
• A representative of a government of a Small Island Developing State (SIDS),
• A representative of a subnational government (city/region) from a developing country,
• A representative of an organisation for the defence of minorities,
• A representative of an organisation of indigenous peoples’,
• A refugee

1. Countries eligible to receive official development assistance (ODA). LDC: Least Developed Country.
2. SIDS: Small Island Developing State according UN DESA list.
3. Person who has been granted a refugee status by the host country.