German office words from Switzerland, explained

The words you see in official letters in Switzerland, in plain English.

Abholungseinladung: A note from the post that a letter is waiting for you. You have 7 days to pick it up.
AHV: The Swiss state pension (old-age and survivors’ insurance). Almost everyone who lives or works in Switzerland pays into it.
Arbeitsbemühungen: Your job applications. You must show them to the RAV every month, by the 5th of the next month.
Arbeitslosenkasse: Unemployment fund. It pays your unemployment money.
Ausländerausweis: Permit card for foreigners. L = short stay, B = residence, C = settlement, G = cross-border worker.
Beschwerde: Appeal or complaint to a higher office or a court.
Betreibung: Debt collection through the state. Anyone who says you owe them money can start one — without proof.
Betreibungsamt: Debt collection office. A state office for your area.
Betreibungsregisterauszug: Extract from the debt collection register. Landlords and employers often ask for it.
Einschreiben: Registered letter. You sign when you get it.
Einsprache: Objection. You ask the same office to look at its decision again.
Einstelltage: Days without unemployment money, as a penalty — for example after a missed appointment.
Einwohnerkontrolle: Residents’ office of your town. You register here within 14 days when you move in, and tell them when you move out.
Franchise: Deductible. The part of your medical costs you pay yourself each year before the insurance pays. A higher Franchise means a lower premium.
Frist: Deadline.
Gemeinde: Your town or village (municipality).
Gläubiger: Creditor. The person or company that says you owe them money.
Grundversicherung: Basic health insurance. It’s required by law for everyone who lives in Switzerland.
innert: Within. “Innert 10 Tagen” means within 10 days.
IV: Disability insurance. It is run together with the AHV.
Kanton: One of the 26 states of Switzerland. Taxes and many rules differ by canton.
Kündigung: Notice that ends a contract.
Mahnung: Payment reminder. You paid late or not at all.
Mietzinsdepot: Rental deposit (Kaution). At most 3 months’ rent, kept in a bank account in your name.
Nebenkosten: Extra costs on top of the rent, like heating and hot water.
Ordnungsbusse: Fixed fine for a small offence, for example parking. It doesn’t go on your criminal record.
Pfändung: Seizure. The Betreibungsamt takes part of your wages or things to pay a debt.
Prämie: Premium. The amount you pay for insurance, usually every month.
Prämienverbilligung: Money from your canton to help pay health insurance if your income is low. In many cantons you must apply yourself.
QR-Rechnung: Swiss bill with a payment part and a QR code. Scan the code with your banking app to pay.
Quellensteuer: Tax taken directly from your salary. Common for people with a B or L permit.
Ratenzahlung: Paying in instalments.
RAV: Regional employment centre. It helps you find work and checks that you are looking for a job.
Rechtliches Gehör: Your right to give your view before an office decides about you.
Rechtsmittelbelehrung: The part at the end of a decision that tells you how, where and by when you can object.
Rechtsvorschlag: Your objection to a Zahlungsbefehl. It stops the debt collection until a court or office decides.
Rekurs: Appeal. You ask a higher office or a court to change a decision.
Schlichtungsbehörde: Conciliation office for disputes, for example with your landlord. For rent disputes it costs nothing.
Selbstbehalt: Your share of the costs after the Franchise: 10%, up to a yearly limit.
Serafe: The company that collects the radio and TV fee from every household.
Steuererklärung: Tax return. The form where you list your income and wealth. The deadline is usually in spring.
Strafbefehl: Penalty order from the prosecutor or a fines office. If you don’t object, it counts as a final judgment.
Stundung: Postponing a payment.
Taggeld: Daily allowance. Unemployment money is counted per working day.
Veranlagung: Tax assessment. The office’s calculation of your tax, based on your tax return.
Verfügung: Formal decision by an office. It becomes final if you don’t object in time.
Verlustschein: Certificate of loss. It shows a debt that could not be collected. The creditor can try again for up to 20 years.
Vorladung: Summons. You must come to the police, the prosecutor or a court.
Zahlungsbefehl: Payment order in a debt collection. It is not a court decision: nobody has checked yet if the debt is real.
Zustellung: Delivery of the letter to you. Many deadlines start on the day after.