People who are leaving Ukraine due to the war and seeking protection may currently enter Switzerland legally (and free of charge on public transport), even without a valid travel document or visa: Ukrainian nationals, people of other nationalities and stateless people – each with their family members – who can prove, by means of a valid short stay or residence permit, that they have the legal right to reside in Ukraine.

Refugees from Ukraine are permitted to enter Switzerland, where they will be given accommodation and receive temporary protection (protection status S) if they need it.

Your application to obtain protection status ‘S’ is handled by the State Secretariat for Migration (SEM). As part of this procedure, SEM will allocate you to one of Switzerland's 26 cantons. From then on, that canton will be responsible for your living accommodation and other care. This may include the payment of social assistance benefits, if necessary, to cover your basic daily needs in Switzerland.

More information here .

Questions can be sent to

ukraine@sem.admin.ch

or you can call the Ukraine helpline on

+41 (0)58 465 99 11, Monday to Friday, from 10am to 12am and 2pm to 4pm.

Chatbot to help Ukrainians around the world from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine

The chatbot can simultaneously serve several users and provide advice on the most common questions, namely:

• rules of entry to a foreign country;
• registration of temporary protection;
• social security;
• return to Ukraine;
• consular services.

You can get help through the chatbot at the link .

In addition to the chatbot, citizens can also contact the call center at +38 (044) 224-57-20.

You can enter Switzerland with any of the following documents:

• A biometric passport.
• Ukrainian ID. According to the Ukrainian State Border Guard Service (DPSU), the citizens of Ukraine who can leave Ukraine with an internal passport are currently only those evacuating from occupied territories or territories where hostilities are taking place, the list of which is approved in accordance with the Order of the Ministry on Reintegration of the Temporarily Occupied Territories of Ukraine of December 22, 2022 No. 309 . Citizens from other territories must have a biometric passport to travel abroad.
• Children under the age of 16 traveling with their parents must have a birth certificate. Children have the right to cross the border with one parent (without the official permission of the other parent). If the child is traveling with acquaintances or relatives, she/he needs to have a travel permit from one of the parents, certified by a notary.

In order to prove family/marital status, birth certificates and a marriage certificate are required.

The telephone number of the DPSU hotline ("Trust" Service) is 1598. You can use it for questions of a consultative nature within the competence of the State Border Service of Ukraine.

For more information about the documents with which you can cross the border, and about the categories of citizens who are allowed to travel outside Ukraine, see here .

Persons who arrive in Switzerland after fleeing Ukraine can report directly to one of the six federal asylum centres with processing facilities and register for protection status S. Waiting times at the centres may be long due to the large number of people currently trying to register. The website of the Swiss State Secretariat for Migration (SEM) provides information on how busy each individual centre is. In any case, it is best to register quickly to ensure access to medical care and smooth processing of any claims for asylum social assistance (see the relevant section below).

In order to avoid waiting times, the SEM recommends that all persons seeking protection who are already accommodated apply for registration via RegisterMe as quickly as possible as a first step. The person seeking protection will then receive written confirmation from the SEM that the application for temporary protection has been submitted. People seeking refuge who do not yet have accommodation do not have to register for a registration appointment via RegisterMe. They can go directly to one of the six federal asylum centers with a procedural function to be accommodated and registered. There, the examination and decision regarding the request for temporary protection will take place. Subsequently, people seeking protection are then allocated to a canton .

Arrival centers for Ukrainians to Switzerland:

• Bundesasylzentrum Boudry: Rue de l’Hôpital 60, 2017 Boudry
• Bundesasylzentrum Bern: Morillonstrasse 75, 3007 Bern
• Bundesasylzentrum Basel: Freiburgerstrasse 50, 4057 Basel
• Bundesasylzentrum Altstätten: Schöntalstrasse 2, 9450 Altstätten
• Bundesasylzentrum Zürich: Duttweilerstrasse 11, 8005 Zürich
• Bundesasylzentrum Chiasso: Via Gerolamo Porta / angolo Via Comacini, 6830 Chiasso

Refugees from Ukraine have the opportunity to use public transport (2nd class) free of charge to travel to their destination in Switzerland or for transit.

For free trips to the authorities, federal asylum centers or cantonal welfare authorities, you can be provided with appropriate travel tickets.

Ukrainian citizens and Ukrainian resident permit holders can travel in the Schengen area without biometric travel document or visa for up to 90 days.

Many European companies are offering free transport options for refugees fleeing Ukraine. For more information on this and on protection in the EU Member States please consult the following page: Information for people fleeing the war in Ukraine | European Commission

Refugees from Ukraine have the opportunity to use public transport (2nd class) free of charge to travel to their destination in Switzerland or for transit.

For free trips to the authorities, federal asylum centers or cantonal welfare authorities, you can be provided with appropriate travel tickets.

You can stay in Switzerland for 90 days visa free. Once arrived you can apply for status S within these 90 days. Status S resident permit is currently limited to maximal 1 year, there is however the possibility to prolong it. After five years, persons in need of protection may receive a B residence permit, which is valid until the temporary protection is lifted.

Persons who are granted protection status S may travel abroad and return to Switzerland without a travel permit. They may engage in gainful employment (including self-employment) without a having to wait a certain period to do.

It is very important that you register your arrival with the Swiss authorities so that you can obtain all the help you need. Go to the closest federal asylum centre (BAZ) with processing facilities. You can find the addresses here . Swiss migration authorities (SEM) can also be contacted via email at ukraine@sem.admin.ch or via the hotline +41 58 465 99 11

If you have arrived in Switzerland alone, make sure you inform the authorities and explain where your parents and you family are, if you know it. If you had problems during your journey, please share this information. If you need help you can also contact the following organizations which have experience in helping young people. Best is to talk to your parents or a trusted adult first, but you can also contact them on your own.

• Social Service International Switzerland : They can be contacted via their hotlines: 0041 22 731 67 00 (in Geneva) and 0041 44 366 44 77 (in Zurich) or via their contact form.
• Save The Children : They can be contacted via phone 0041 44 267 74 70 or email info@savethechildren.ch.
• Ombuds Office Children’s Rights Switzerland : They can be contacted via phone +41 52 260 15 55 or email kinderjugendliche@kinderombudsstelle.ch.
• The UNHCR Office for Switzerland and Liechtenstein can be contacted via email swibe@unhcr.org or phone 0041 31 309 60 80.

Important tips

Take good care of your identity documents (such as ID card or passport) and show them only to the authorities or trusted organisations.
Always keep the contact details of your family or parents with you.
Help is free to all people. Nobody is allowed to make you work or ask for sexual or any other favours (things or money) in exchange for assistance or help.

Do not trust people you don’t know and that do not belong to any trusted organization, who offer to take you away from your family to give you a place to stay, for work or school. Don’t accept these offers if you don’t feel comfortable.
No one has the right to treat you badly. If someone has hurt you or touched or treated you in a way that makes you feel uncomfortable or scared, or if you are afraid that someone will, tell an adult person that you trust or one of the organisations mentioned above. If someone you know has experienced someone hurting them, encourage them to get help. REMEMBER that this is not your fault, and you are not to blame. It is important that you receive the support you need. You don’t need to be ashamed or shy to ask for help.

It is normal to feel upset after having to leave your country and seeing or hearing about so many terrifying things. You may have difficulty to put things that you saw or experienced out of your mind. You may be separated from people you love and worried about them or worried what will happen next. You may feel like nothing is familiar. Talk to someone you trust about how you are feeling. Don’t hesitate to ask for help.

There are also no quarantine restrictions. People fleeing Ukraine may also enter Switzerland without being vaccinated.

Information relating to coronavirus can be found on the FOPH website . Asylum seekers and refugees are granted the same access to vaccinations against COVID-19 in Switzerland as the rest of the resident population.

Persons who arrive in Switzerland after fleeing Ukraine can report directly to one of the six federal asylum centres with processing facilities and register for protection status S. Waiting times at the centres may be long due to the large number of people currently trying to register. The website of the Swiss State Secretariat for Migration (SEM) provides information on how busy each individual centre is. In any case, it is best to register quickly to ensure access to medical care and smooth processing of any claims for asylum social assistance (see the relevant section below).

In order to avoid waiting times, the SEM recommends that all persons seeking protection who are already accommodated apply for registration via RegisterMe as quickly as possible as a first step. The person seeking protection will then receive written confirmation from the SEM that the application for temporary protection has been submitted. People seeking refuge who do not yet have accommodation do not have to register for a registration appointment via RegisterMe. They can go directly to one of the six federal asylum centers with a procedural function to be accommodated and registered. There, the examination and decision regarding the request for temporary protection will take place. Subsequently, people seeking protection are then allocated to a canton .

You can also apply online for temporary protection status.

If a person has already been granted protection status in another EU country, he will not be granted S protection status in Switzerland, unless the EU country that granted it is a country particularly burdened by the war in Ukraine or a large number of migrants (e.g. Poland).

The State Secretariat for Migration of Switzerland (Staatssekretariat für Migration SEM) reports. Therefore, you can try to apply to this country, but first consult whether the host country is on the list of countries with a large number of refugees.

Confirmation of information here .

The Swiss authorities have announced that the country has decided to extend the temporary protection directive for Ukrainian refugees until March 4, 2024. The status will be extended automatically. Source .

You must send the form via email to : anmeldung_ukraine@sem.admin.ch Following your online registration you should receive an invitation to present yourself at one of the 6 federal centres.

Persons with protection status S have the right to reside in Switzerland, where they can apply for their family members to follow, are allowed to work and will be entitled to asylum social assistance and medical care.

Under protection status ‘S’, the persons concerned receive an S permit. This is limited to a maximum of one year, but can be extended. After five years, persons in need of protection may receive a B residence permit, which is valid until the temporary protection is lifted.

The Swiss State Secretariat for Immigration (SEM) reports that if Ukrainians travel to Ukraine for more than 15 days a quarter, their S protection status may be revoked. During this period, travel to Ukraine and return to Switzerland is allowed. This rule does not apply if you have left to prepare for the final departure home or have stayed in Ukraine longer for a good reason (for example, seriously ill relatives) and you can prove it. Revocation of a residence permit can also occur if the person has been in a third country for more than 2 months and the SEM may assume that you have moved your life there.

The SEM also determined that binational couples are not entitled to S protection status in Switzerland if one of the two persons is a citizen of the EU / EFTA countries, the United Kingdom, Canada, the United States, New Zealand or Australia. Also, if a person has already been granted protection status in another state, the protection status S will not be granted to him/her in Switzerland.

Ukrainian refugees in Switzerland are compensated for the cost of tickets to Ukraine. On average, the country pays about 500 Swiss francs for an adult and 250 francs for a child, but no more than 2,000 francs for a family. Refugees should go to the Migration Service (SEM). Source .

Relinquish temporary protection status:

Regardless of the country of residence, temporary protection must be waived. Your status will be revoked by the state body or institution where you issued the documents. However, citizens of Ukraine can re-obtain this status if they decide to return abroad.

Make sure your documents are valid:

Citizens who left Ukraine with a valid foreign passport will not face any difficulties. The expired document can be extended in diplomatic institutions for another five years - this decision was made by the Cabinet of Ministers, because it is not possible to issue biometrics abroad. You can also add a child's data to an adult's passport.

Ukrainians who have only an internal passport or who left Ukraine without documents should also contact the embassy or consulate. Employees of the institution will issue a special document - an identity card for returning to Ukraine (it is not necessary to pay the consular fee during martial law).

Cancel receiving cash assistance abroad:

When returning home, refugees cannot receive state benefits. If you do not notify the relevant institution about your departure from the country, it will be considered an offence. In such a case, a Ukrainian may be fined or even banned from entering the country.

By the way, it is not necessary to declare cash payments received abroad in Ukraine.

Before you leave the country, you need to give up your S status. There is only one step you need to take - submit a special application . Sign it and send it to the following address: Staatssekretariat für Migration SEM, Quellenweg 6, 3003 Bern-Wabern.

Please note that although the airspace of Ukraine is still closed, there are many options to return home by land. Buy plane tickets to the nearest airports, bus and train tickets only from reliable carriers .

Persons who are granted S status in accordance with the decision of the Federal Council of 11 March 2022 may travel abroad and return to Switzerland with a valid recognised passport without a travel permit. The entry regulations of the respective countries of entry apply.

Currently it is not possible to apply for asylum as a Ukrainian. All procedures have been put on hold. It depends on how the situation will develop. The temporary protection (Status S) has been introduced to facilitate the arrival of refugees from Ukraine.

Under protection status ‘S’, the persons concerned receive an S permit. This is limited to a maximum of one year, but can be extended. After five years, persons in need of protection may receive a B residence permit, which is valid until the temporary protection is lifted.

Under protection status ‘S’, the persons concerned receive an S permit. This is limited to a maximum of one year, but can be extended. After five years, persons in need of protection may receive a B residence permit, which is valid until the temporary protection is lifted.

Switzerland is showing solidarity and will grant exemptions to Ukrainian citizens who do not have a biometric travel document and visa, unless there are compelling reasons in an individual case for refusing entry.

To cross the border with Switzerland, it is enough to have a civil passport of Ukraine.

In order to issue a foreign passport, you need to contact the Ukrainian Embassy .

A foreign passport is issued to a person who has reached the age of 16 on the basis of an application-questionnaire submitted by him personally. At the same time, the issuance of a foreign passport to a person who has been recognized by the court as having limited legal capacity or incapacity is carried out on the basis of an application-questionnaire of the guardian or other legal representative.

The following are attached to the application:

• previous passport to be exchanged (if the passport is not issued for the first time);
• internal passport in the form of a booklet (if available);
• or ID card (if available);
• a document confirming permanent residence or temporary stay abroad (if available);
• certificate of registration of the place of residence in Ukraine / certificate of registration of the place of residence of a temporarily displaced person (if available);
• a certificate of assignment of the registration number of the taxpayer's registration card (RNOKPP; if available).

In case of loss or theft of the previous passport, a document (report, certificate, etc.) issued by the competent authority of the state in which the passport was lost or stolen is attached to the application, confirming the fact of the owner's application regarding its loss or theft. Such a document is submitted without legalization and translation into Ukrainian.

In the case of issuing a passport in connection with a change in personal data (surname and/or first name), a document confirming such a change (marriage certificate, divorce certificate, court decision, etc.) is attached to the application. When issuing a foreign passport with a new surname and/or first name, the "domestic" passport (ID card) must be reissued.

In the event that the applicant has not previously been issued with an identity document, confirming Ukrainian citizenship and/or granting the right to leave Ukraine and enter Ukraine, a certificate of registration of the person as a citizen of Ukraine is provided (with the exception of cases when the person's parents at the time of his were citizens of Ukraine at birth).

You can register the birth of a child only at the consulate. There, the determination of his origin and the assignment of his surname, first name, and patronymic are carried out.

The application for registration must be submitted immediately, but no later than one month after the birth of the child, and in the case of a stillborn child - no later than three days.

The registration process takes place at the place of birth or at the place of residence of the child's parents or one of them (with a written application). At the same time, in case of illness, death of the parents or for other reasons it is impossible to register the birth - the application can be submitted by relatives or other persons authorized by the representative of the health care institution in which the child was born or is currently.

What is required for registration?

• a document from a medical institution about the birth of a child, passports certifying the identity of the parents;
• application (written or addressed orally) to enter information about the father.

Registration is free, and based on its results, parents are issued a birth certificate.

How to return to the homeland with a child born in the Switzerland?

In order for Ukrainians to return home with a child born in the Switzerland, they must have with them:

• a document certifying his identity;
• a child's birth certificate issued by a consular institution.

Is the status of a citizen of Ukraine preserved during the birth of a child in the Switzerland?

A newborn Ukrainian in the Switzerland retains the status of a citizen of Ukraine. Data on citizenship and nationality in the act record of birth and certificate are not filled in, which is why a corresponding entry is made in the column "For marks".

In addition, a person whose parents or one of his parents were citizens of Ukraine at the time of his birth is a citizen of Ukraine. The place of birth of the baby does not affect the possibility of him acquiring Ukrainian citizenship.

There are several steps involved in the process of body repatriation from abroad to Ukraine:

1. Notify the authorities.

The first step of body repatriation from abroad to Ukraine is to contact the local authorities in Switzerland (the cantonal civil registry office), so you can register the death. Ukrainian embassy should also be able to help you in the process of registering the death abroad.

2. Arrange the correct documents.

You’ll need to have all the right paperwork before you can repatriate your loved one home from abroad to Ukraine. If you are repatriating a body to Ukraine for burial or cremation, the documents you will need include:

• Death Certificate.
• Certificate or Affidavit from the local health authorities stating that the cause of death of the individual to be shipped to Ukraine was not a communicable disease or infections.
• A Document about the absence of any excessive objects inside the casket or urn with the ashes.
• The Certificate of Cremation issued be the Funeral home or Cremation office.

All the mentioned documents should be authenticated, legalized and translated into Ukrainian by the certified translator. The originals of abovementioned documents and notarized translations, must accompany the casket containing the deceased, or urn with ashes, to Ukraine.

The passport of the deceased person should be sent to the Embassy of Ukraine along with a notarized and authenticated copy of the Certificate of Death, and a translation to Ukrainian. The Embassy is to make correspondent procedures with the passport and can forward it back if it is required to accompany the casket containing the deceased, or urn with ashes, to Ukraine.

The Embassy is to be informed of the date, time, and the place of delivery of the casket containing the deceased, or urn with ashes, to Ukraine. Only the next of kin relatives of the deceased, or persons correspondingly authorized by them, can receive the casket or urn.

3. Transport the deceased to Ukraine.

The casket containing the body, or urn with ashes, must be sealed by the Funeral Home. There are no strict requirements with respect to the urn with ashes; however, the body should be transported in a metal casket, made of zinc-plated steel or tinplate not more than 0,4 thick.

For the air cargo transportation, it is necessary to specify a cemetery in Ukraine as well as Ukrainian Funeral Home which will take care of the casket, or the urn with ashes, in Ukraine. Both are a subject of private choice by the relatives or friends of the deceased person. Source .

There is a possibility to create a bioometrci photo online. e.g. here and here .

There are also many shops that offer such services. Look for printer shops and copy centers on Google Maps.

You can contact certified translators .

You can translate your documents at any translation agency in your city. Search for «Übersetzung von Dokumenten» on Google.

Some companies such as Sunrise and Swisscom have announced to support Ukrainian Refugees by distributing free sim cards receive a free SIM card that is valid for 12 months. The SIM card enables unlimited calls, SMS and mobile data in Switzerland as well as unlimited calls from Switzerland to Ukraine.

The free SIM cards are available in every Sunrise Shop in Switzerland
Terms and Conditions: Unlimited calls from Switzerland to Ukraine
Valid for 360 days from activation at no additional cost
Available in every Sunrise shop
CHF 20.- prepaid credit for calls to other countries
Available exclusively for Ukrainian refugees in Switzerland – to be identified by means of passport or ID and Swiss identity card S (for persons in need of protection).
You can find more information here .