Switzerland

Changes at the Swiss Italian Border (update from august 12th, 2016)

Since a couple of weeks, the Swiss border guards and police are heavily controlling the border between Switzerland and Italy. Please find here a leaflet on the current situation in english, here in french, here in arab, here in farsi, here in tigrinya and here in italian.

Switzerland > Contacts

There are several specialised groups and NGOs for legal advice on asylum as well as for undocumented persons. The main solidarity groups as well as meeting points and autonomous schools are listed here.

Switzerland > Overview

Switzerland is not a member of the EU but it is part of Dublin II. In addition, Switzerland hasn’t repealed its boarders. Because Switzerland is so small, almost the entire territory is considered as boarder regions. The rail traffic going through (in and out) Chiasso, Geneva, Basel, Kreuzlingen/Konstanz and Buchs/Feldkirch is frequently controlled, as well as the high ways and feeder roads. Train stations are also as much as possible avoided by undocumented persons.

Switzerland > Dublin III

Even if not member of the European Union, Switzerland is part of the Schengen and Dublin agreements. You will find detailed statistics on Dublin-deportations at the end of the documents listed here. You can find further informations here. Should you or someone you know be affected by a ‘Dublin Decision’ (“Nichteintretensentscheid gemäss Art. 31a Abs. 1 Bst. b AsylG”), you have only five working days to appeal. It is advisable, to consult one of the free legal advisory centres for asylum seekers – follow this link – as soon as possible. We also advice you to read the German Dublin-section of our Webguide.

Switzerland > Asylum

Switzerland is the depository state for the Geneva Convention on Refugees (and its first protocol) and member of the European Convention on Human Rights. However, in the last 30 years the Swiss Asylum Act, which contains national procedural and material provisions, was revised more than a dozen times, making it more and more restrictive. The last revision was accepted through public referendum in June 2016 and will come into effect in 2019. On this page, you find an overview.

Switzerland > Minors

Unaccompanied children are children who are not accompanied by one of their parents (or another person who had the same role as a parent already back in the country of origin). They receive special protection in Swiss asylum procedures.

Switzerland > Detention

If you are or are facing any form of detention, we strongly advise you to get legal help and political support (see contacts). Furthermore, it is crucial, that you know in which detention you are. A legal aid center can help you to find out. This article describes the different forms of detention in Switzerland.

Switzerland > Deportation

This page explains the deportation procedure in Switzerland. Switzerland deports people to many countries. You can find an overview of deportations from Switzerland here. Switzerland also has readmission agreements, which facilitate deportations, with many countries. You can find a list of all migration and readmission agreements between Switzerland and other countries here.

Switzerland > Living

Since 2008, rejected asylum seekers don't have the right of social help anymore in Switzerland and can only grant urgent help consisting in living in totally inhuman conditions. Several Swiss NGO's and Human rights groups are campaining against this situation.

Switzerland >Medical Assistance

Most sans-papiers (undocumented persons), migrants without valid residence permits as well as refused refugees,do not have health insurance and therefore no or only limited access to health care.

Switzerland > Work

Unia and Syndicom, two different Suisse unions offer consults in labour-rights concerns to their members.

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