Private Investigator in French-Speaking Switzerland: Our Service Areas

AGOP is a licensed private detective agency based in Geneva. We operate primarily in the six cantons of French-speaking Switzerland: Geneva, Vaud, Valais, Neuchâtel, Fribourg, and Jura.

We are licensed in Geneva and Neuchâtel, the only two French-speaking cantons that require a license to practice. Here is where and how we operate, canton by canton.

A Geneva-Based Agency Serving All of French-Speaking Switzerland

Our agency is based in Geneva. It is from this city that we handle most of our assignments, and it is where you can reach us.

Our area of operation covers all of French-speaking Switzerland. Distance does not change our methods: a tailing operation in Sion follows the same rules as one in Carouge, with the same resources, the same documentation, and the same strict standard of proportionality. What changes is the logistics.

In practical terms, outside the canton of Geneva, we handle:

• surveillance and tailing, in a private or professional context
• fact-finding reports intended for submission to a court, an insurer, or an employer
• service of judicial and extrajudicial documents, particularly for foreign clients
• service of judicial and extrajudicial documents, particularly for foreign clients
• searches for individuals, debtors, or heirs

Every assignment begins with an initial consultation, whatever the canton. This is when we determine what is feasible, within what time frame, and on what terms.

Our Service Areas, Canton by Canton

Geneva

Geneva is our home canton and the one where we operate most. We handle our full range of services there, from private fact-finding to corporate investigations.

Our work covers the entire canton, with a particularly regular presence in Carouge, Lancy, Vernier, and Meyrin, in the Trois-Chêne area (Chêne-Bougeries, Chêne-Bourg, Thônex), and on the residential Left Bank, from Cologny to Vandoeuvres and Collonge-Bellerive. The proximity of the airport, international organizations, and the French border creates specific situations, particularly in cross-border surveillance and people tracing.

Vaud

The canton of Vaud is our second area of operation. We work there regularly across the Lake Geneva region: the Nyon district and Terre Sainte, a direct extension of Geneva; Lausanne and its metropolitan area; the Morges region; and the Riviera, from Vevey to Montreux. No cantonal license is required there, which simplifies our work without changing the applicable federal framework.

Valais

We operate in French-speaking Valais: Sion, Martigny, Sierre, and the Chablais, as well as in the resorts, led by Crans-Montana and Verbier. These resorts attract an international clientele and a large number of second homes, with the asset and inheritance issues that come with them. Assignments there often involve fact-finding related to property use, neighbor disputes, or family situations.

Neuchâtel

Neuchâtel is one of the cantons that require a license to practice, which we hold. We operate on the lakeshore (the Littoral), in Neuchâtel, and in the Montagnes region, in La Chaux-de-Fonds and Le Locle. The local watchmaking industry creates specific needs: protection of know-how, partner vetting, internal investigations. We also handle the standard assignments of a detective agency there: tailing, fact-finding, people tracing, and private investigations.

Fribourg

We cover the French-speaking part of the canton of Fribourg: Greater Fribourg, the Gruyère region around Bulle, the Broye, and the Veveyse. Since the canton is bilingual, we also operate in the Singine (Sense) and Lac (See) districts, particularly for service of documents.

Jura

Our work in Jura is less frequent and done on request, mainly in Delémont and Porrentruy. The canton has a very high proportion of cross-border workers, which steers some assignments toward situations that straddle Switzerland and France.

Our Services, Wherever the Investigation Takes Place

Surveillance and Tailing

Observation of a person or a location, documented in a time-stamped report. The framework is strict: proportionality, no intrusive methods, respect for privacy.

People Tracing

Locating debtors, heirs, witnesses, or relatives and friends who have lost touch, using lawful and documented methods.

Corporate Investigations

Partner vetting, background checks, internal investigations when fraud, unfair competition, or information leaks are suspected. Learn more about our corporate investigations.

Fact-Finding and Documentation

Establishing facts in a usable form: written report, photographs, timeline. The value of a finding depends on whether it was obtained lawfully and on the traceability of how it was collected, not on its relevance alone.

Working Beyond French-Speaking Switzerland

Some assignments extend beyond French-speaking Switzerland. We operate directly in other regions of Switzerland, and internationally through a network of partner private detective agencies, selected for their knowledge of the field and of the local legal framework.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can a Geneva private investigator work in another canton?

Yes. No rule restricts an investigator to their home canton. However, in cantons that require a license to practice, the investigator must hold one. AGOP holds the licenses required in French-speaking Switzerland.

Do you need a license to be a private investigator in Switzerland?

It depends on the canton. In French-speaking Switzerland, Geneva and Neuchâtel require one. Vaud, Valais, Fribourg, and Jura have no specific licensing requirement. Ticino also requires one.

How much does it cost to hire an investigator outside their home canton?

Travel expenses are added to the hourly or flat rate for the assignment. The amount depends on the distance, duration, and type of work. See our rates page for ballpark figures.

Is the evidence obtained valid in every canton?

Federal law applies throughout Switzerland. A finding obtained lawfully is admissible everywhere; one obtained by unlawful means may be excluded, whatever the canton. What matters is how the evidence was gathered, not where.

Before You Contact Us

Where we operate is never the only question to ask. The more useful question is: in your situation, what can be lawfully established, by what means, and in what form will the result be usable?

An initial conversation usually answers this in a few minutes. Contact us.