Switzerland
Do you have a protection status (Status S) in Switzerland? On this page you can find information about your right to continued stay and access to services in Switzerland, short and extended stay in Ukraine and how it affects your Status S and assistance that you receive from the state. If you consider returning to Ukraine permanently, you can also find information about administrative procedures that you need to complete in Switzerland before your departure.
Switzerland extended the duration of Status S until 4 March 2026.
Consular services in Switzerland
If you are in need of consular services such as issuance of passport, certificate for return to Ukraine or other, please contact Embassy of Ukraine in the Swiss Confederation.
switzerland.mfa.gov.ua
Feldeggweg 5, 3005 Bern, Switzerland
Questions on short and extended stay in Ukraine
If I decide to return to Ukraine for a short visit, what will happen to my temporary protection status?
You can travel back to Ukraine for a short visit lasting a maximum of 15 days in any quarter without affecting your temporary protection (status S) and social benefits. If you stay longer, temporary protection may be revoked (see Art. 78 para. 1 let. c AsylA; Art. 51 AsylO 1). Whether such a decision is taken will depend on the specific circumstances of each case. Accepted reasons for an extended stay include compelling reasons (e.g. a death or serious illness in the family) or preparations for permanent return to Ukraine.
Find more information on the State Secretariat for Migration’s (SEM) webpage under “Entering and leaving the country”: Questions and answers for refugees from Ukraine
If I decide to return to Ukraine permanently, what will happen to my temporary protection status?
If you decide to return permanently to Ukraine, your temporary protection status (status S) will expire. According to Art. 79 AsylA, temporary protection (status S) expires if a person actively renounces it or if they permanently relocate abroad (if a person “has transferred the focus of their living conditions abroad”), such as returning to Ukraine.
The Swiss State Secretariat for Migration (SEM), which is responsible for granting and withdrawing temporary protection (status S), presumes that a person has left Switzerland if they have been living abroad for more than two months.
Find more information on the State Secretariat for Migration’s (SEM) webpage under “Entering and leaving the country”: Questions and answers for refugees from Ukraine
If I decide to return to Ukraine permanently, can I deregister and inform the relevant authorities in Switzerland, online or should I go in person?
If you decide to return to Ukraine permanently, please inform State Secretariat for Migration (SEM).
If you wish to renounce temporary protection (status S), you can provide a written request using this dated and signed document to the address below:
- State Secretariat for Migration SEM
Quellenweg 6, CH-3003 Bern-Wabern
A valid declaration of renunciation results in termination of temporary protection (status S).
- The competent cantonal migration authorities in your Canton of residence
A list of the cantonal migration authorities is available here.
- The social services of the municipality you are living in.
If I decide to return to Ukraine permanently, what will happen to the assistance that I am receiving in Switzerland?
All support and assistance (e.g. social aid, health insurance and accommodation) which you are receiving in Switzerland will be discontinued as soon as temporary protection (status S) is terminated. If you stay in Ukraine for over 15 days and do not have special circumstances that require your extended stay, the assistance also will be discontinued.
If I decide to permanently return to Ukraine, can I get return assistance?
You can contact the Return Counselling Service in your canton for information on available assistance for your permanent return to Ukraine. There is the option of financial return assistance amounting to a maximum of 500 Swiss Francs for adults, 250 Swiss Francs per child and a maximum of 2000 Swiss Francs per family. Please, note that this financial aid is only provided once; if you re-enter Switzerland at a latter point, you will no longer be eligible.
Can I travel back to Ukraine permanently and re-enter Switzerland if/when I want to?
If you return to Ukraine, temporary protection (status S) can be requested again if you re-enter Switzerland. Switzerland allows Ukrainian citizens who wish to seek temporary protection in Switzerland to (re-)enter the country even without a biometric travel document and visa. You will however need to register again and the Secretariat for Migration (SEM) will examine whether you continue to fulfill the requirements for temporary protection (status S).
If you re-enter Switzerland for another reason than to seek temporary protection (e.g., tourism, visit, work, study) the normal rules of entry apply (i.e. a visa requirement for persons without a biometric passport or with gainful employment).
Border crossing
Is it allowed to return to Ukraine without an international passport?
You do not need an international passport to leave Switzerland, but you may need one to travel through other or to use means of transportation (planes, trains, buses). An international passport or a certificate for return to Ukraine is necessary to cross the border with Ukraine. To obtain such documents, please consult the Ukrainian Embassy in Switzerland:
Embassy of Ukraine in the Swiss Confederation
Feldeggweg 5, 3005 Bern, Switzerland
+41 (0)31-352-23-78
I do not have any identification documents – can I return to Ukraine?
Documents that can be used to enter Ukraine:
- Biometric passport (passport for traveling abroad)
- Diplomatic or service passport
- Valid child’s travel document
- Crew member ID card/seaman ID card
- Certificate for return to Ukraine
A citizen of Ukraine cannot be denied entry to Ukraine; however, you do need identification documents to cross the border in a timely and efficient manner. Regarding requirements to enter Ukraine please consult the Ukrainian Embassy in Switzerland:
Embassy of Ukraine in the Swiss Confederation
Feldeggweg 5, 3005 Bern, Switzerland
+41 (0)31-352-23-78
I am of a nationality other than Ukrainian, and I used to live in Ukraine before the war. However, I fled due to the war. Can I return to Ukraine?
Persons of other nationalities who lived in Ukraine before the war and want to return should enquire at the Ukrainian Embassy in Switzerland whether and under which conditions they are allowed to return before starting to organize the return travel.
Embassy of Ukraine in the Swiss Confederation
Feldeggweg 5, 3005 Bern, Switzerland
+41 (0)31-352-23-78
Health
Is it possible to collect my health records if I decide to return to Ukraine permanently? If yes, how and where?
You can request your health records from your family doctor, the medical cabinets, or hospitals from which you have received specific treatment during your stay in Switzerland. If you have questions, you can contact your health insurance provider in Switzerland.
I have a disability document/ID issued in Switzerland. Will it be recognized in Ukraine?
The disability document issued in Switzerland will not be recognized in Ukraine. You will need to obtain a disability certificate issued in Ukraine. It can be done on arrival or remotely – please check the instructions on the governmental portal.
The Swiss Confederation and the Government of Ukraine have not signed any convention regulating social security matters. As soon as you permanently leave Switzerland you will no longer be entitled to any disability insurance benefit. If you are receiving disability insurance in Switzerland, you can ask further information at the cantonal disability insurance office of your Canton of residence.
Child protection and education
My child(ren) is/are enrolled in school, do we need to take any specific steps before returning to Ukraine?
If your children are enrolled in a Swiss school, you may want to consider whether it is possible to allow your children to finish the schoolyear.
Please inform the board of the school which your children are attending that you and your children are planning to leave Switzerland permanently and de-register your children.
The Ukrainian Government advises that returning children need to ask their schools in Switzerland to provide information regarding subjects taken, results of exams and a description of the evaluation system, etc.
The full checklist can be found on the Ministry of Education and Science webpage.
Can an unaccompanied child (below 18) return to Ukraine on their own?
If you are an unaccompanied child and you would like to return to Ukraine, you need the authorization of your legal guardian. You should talk to them first and not travel to Ukraine on your own.
Citizens of Ukraine cannot be denied entry to Ukraine under no circumstances. Children are subject to the same entry and exit control as adults. Please refer to State Border Guard Service of Ukraine for detailed information. Those crossing the border should have a passport or other document confirming their identity or at least a birth certificate. Children can cross the border with a birth certificate issued abroad.
In case there are no documents, in all countries apart from those where consular relations are ceased (i.e. Russian Federation), children would need to be assisted in obtaining a return certificate based on any documents that can confirm connection to Ukraine (and possessing its citizenship). Consulates may issue a return certificate based on copies of documents.
If a child is entering alone or with a non-parent adult, State Border Guard Service of Ukraine shall contact local child protection services, unless they have information about parents awaiting the child. It is advised to inform the Border Guard post that the parent is expecting the child on the Ukrainian side of the border in advance.
Please note that a child should also meet the exit requirements of the host country – please contact your local Ukrainian consulate to ask for information and get the required documents for return. In some cases, a birth certificate cannot be used as a travel document.
How to sort out my bank account if I decide to return to Ukraine permanently?
You should contact your bank services provider to inquire on formalities to close your bank account and to transfer money to a bank account in Ukraine.
Livelihoods
How to sort out my social insurance in Switzerland if I decide to return to Ukraine permanently?
The Swiss Confederation and the Government of Ukraine have not signed any convention regulating social security matters.
Ukrainian nationals who were working in Switzerland and decide to leave Switzerland permanently may request a refund of their contributions to the AHV/AVS (Old-age and survivor’s insurance), provided that they have been paid in full for at least one year and do not entitle to a pension.
In the case of 2nd pillar pension assets, insured persons may request cash payment from the pension fund when they leave Switzerland permanently.
If you have questions, you can contact the cantonal compensation office in your Canton of residence.
What are my tax obligations if I decide to return to Ukraine permanently?
The Swiss Confederation and the Government of Ukraine have signed a convention to avoid double taxation. If you had taxable revenue or fortune in Switzerland and you have decided to return to Ukraine, you can reach out to the State Secretariat for international financial questions:
Secrétariat d’État aux questions financières internationales SFI
Fiscalité
Bundesgasse 3
3003 Berne
Tel. +41 (0)58 462 71 29
How can I check for my pet documentation if I want to return to Ukraine permanently?
Before they can travel, dogs, cats and ferrets need at least a pet passport, a microchip, and a valid rabies vaccination.
More information on travelling with pets is available here: Dogs, cats and ferrets (admin.ch)
You can contact the Federal Food Safety and Veterinary Office if you have further questions on formalities to exit Switzerland with pets:
+41 58 463 30 33
Where can I find information on services available upon arrival in Ukraine?
You can consult UNHCR dedicated Help page here.
Return counselling services in your Canton of residence may provide you further information.
