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Pension question, Switzerland

Why do I need my AHV number?

The federal online portal built for people living outside Switzerland runs on an AGOV federal login, asks for the 13 digit AHV number and date of birth, posts an activation code to the correspondence address already on file, and confirms sign in through an app on a smartphone. The central register that shows which compensation office holds your account will not run without that same 13 digit number either.

  • Source: zas.admin.ch and ahv-iv.ch, read 3 October 2026

What to do next

  1. Look for the 13 digit number on old Swiss payslips, a health insurance card or tax papers.
  2. List each Swiss employer and the years you worked there.
  3. Run our free check, then order a report if you want us to identify what is held in your name.

Check your own working life for free

Tell us where you worked. The free check shows which countries may hold a pension for you, and which can be ruled out and why. No sign in, no charge.

Run the free check

Questions people also ask

When was the 13 digit AHV number introduced?

It has only existed since 1 July 2008, and it is randomly generated with no link to your name or birth date.

  • Source: zas.admin.ch and ahv-iv.ch, read 3 October 2026

Do you give advice on what to do?

No. We identify where a pension is likely held and the official route to it, and we name each source with the date we read it. We do not give financial, tax or legal advice.