If you are a new resident in the City of Bern, you must register with the Einwohnerdiensten, Migration und Fremdenpolizei (DE).

• The brochure «Living in Switzerland» has more information in many languages about renting a place to live. 

• Online apartment and house listings can be found on websites like 
  Immobilien Stadt Bern
  comparis.ch
  immoscout24.ch
  tutti.ch

Housing and poverty
The City of Bern helps people who have little money or not enough to live on. And you can get help finding somewhere to live. You don’t have enough money for the rental deposit? There is an insurance company that will pay the rental deposit for you. This helps to reduce money problems. You can find more information on the City of Bern website (DE).

The Canton of Bern has more information about personal liability insruance insurances at Hallo-bern.ch.

• The Canton of Bern has more information on this topic at Hallo-bern.ch, including information about rental contracts and your rights and obligations as a tenant.

• The Canton of Bern Schlichtungsbehörden (arbitration authorities) offer free legal advice on issues related to renting a place to live (DE, FR).

The City of Bern has more information about what can be disposed of at different waste and recycling centres (DE).

The City of Bern's Gesundheitsdienst (health services) have more information on this topic (DE).

• The «Hello Neighbour!» project provides information on the general rules of living in many languages. You can find out more information on the City of Bern's website (DE).

• The Canton of Bern has more information on this topic at Hallo-Bern.ch, including information on housing, fees for radio and television (SERAFE bills) and waste disposal.

• If you still have questions on this topic, you can contact the City of Bern's Fachstelle für Migrations- und Rassismusfragen for advice.

• The BernMobil website has more information about public transport timetables in the City of Bern.

• The LIBERO network offers point-to-point tickets, season tickets and day passes within the Canton of Bern (DE, FR).

• The SBB website has general information about point-to-point tickets, season tickets, as well as national and international timetables.

If you have a driving license from another country, it is only valid for the first 12 months you are in Switzerland. You can find out more information on the Canton of Bern's Strassenverkehrsamt (road traffic office) website (DE, FR).

If you want to exchange your foreign driving license, you must bring an application and the necessary accompanying documents in person at the Canton of Bern's Strassenverkehrsamt (road traffic office).

The Canton of Bern has more information on this topic at Hallo-bern.ch.

• Bern is a small and lively city. You can find more information about its parks, markets, playgrounds, recreational and sports activities and other events (including free or low-cost offers) on the City of Bern's website (DE).

• People with limited means can receive a KulturLegi (DE, FR). With the KulturLegi, you benefit from discounts of 30 percent or more on many cultural, sports, leisure and educational activities (including language courses) in the canton of Bern and throughout Switzerland. 

• KARIBU intercultural women's meet-up: KARIBU has been offering migrant women a safe space since 1995. It is a space where migrant women and local women can meet and chat. All women are welcome, no matter where they come from or what religion they are (DE).