FAQ Ukraine: Helpful information for people seeking protection

On 11^th of March 2022, the Federal Council voted to grant protection status S in Switzerland to people from Ukraine who are seeking protection after being forced to leave their homes due to the war. With protection status S, those concerned get a type S ID card. This card is valid for a year at the most, but may be extended. The protection status S itself remains in force until it is revoked by the Federal Council. After five years at the earliest, persons in need of protection will receive a type B residence permit, which is valid until temporary protection is revoked (Art. 74 of the Asylum Act (AsylA)).  

Due to the unforeseeable duration of the war in Ukraine, the Swiss government decided on 8th of October 2025 not to revoke protection status S before 4^th of March 2027, i.e. to extend it at least until that date. The cantonal authorities are responsible for extending the permits that have been issued to date. Support measures for persons with S protection status (Programme S) will also be extended for a further year until 4^th of March 2027.

According to the Federal Council's general ruling of 11^th of March 2022 and 8^th of October 2025, the following people are generally granted protection status S: 

• a. Ukrainian citizens seeking protection and their family members (partners, minor children and other close relatives who were fully or partially supported at the time of flight) who were resident in Ukraine before 24 February 2022. 
   
• b. Persons of other nationalities and stateless persons seeking protection and their family members as defined in pargraph a) above who held international or national protection status in Ukraine before 24 February 2022. 
   
• c. Persons of other nationalities and stateless persons seeking protection and their family members as defined in paragraph a) above who can prove by means of a valid short-term residence permit or residence permit that they have a valid right of residence in Ukraine and cannot return to their home country in safety and on a permanent basis. 

Usually, people do not receive status S if they are binational families or have already been granted protection status in another country (principle of subsidiarity). However, each case is examined individually. 

NEW from 8th of  October 2025: Return deemed “reasonable” for certain regions in Ukraine and therefore rejection of applications for S status 

On 8^th of October 2025, the Federal Council announced that a distinction will now be made between regions in Ukraine to which return is considered “reasonable” or “unreasonable”. It has issued a new general ruling on this matter. Applications from people from regions to which return is considered ‘reasonable’ will generally be rejected by the SEM. 

Currently, returning to the following regions are considered “reasonable” (the list is continuously reviewed by the SEM and adjusted as necessary): 

• Volyn 
• Rivne 
• Lviv 
• Ternopil 
• Transcarpathia 
• Ivano-Frankivsk 
• Chernivtsi 

Important:  

• The new regulation will come into force on 1st of November 2025 and will apply to all applications examined after this date, even if they were submitted before. 

• The new regulation does not affect persons who already have S protection status in Switzerland. 

• The new regulation does not affect family members of persons with S protection status who are still living in Ukraine. 

• If, in individual cases, the enforcement of the removal order proves to be inadmissible (for reasons of international law, e.g. prohibition of torture, non-refoulement) or individually unreasonable (for humanitarian reasons, e.g. lack of means of subsistence), the person in question will be granted temporary admission to Switzerland. 

• Persons who are excluded from protection status S are still free to apply for asylum in Switzerland.

• Against a negative decision the person concerned may lodge an appeal with the Federal Administrative Court (FAC). See also below: Where can I obtain legal advice?»

• Here you will find the latest figures on attacks and incidents in Ukraine, classified by region and type of attack: ACLED: Ukraine Conflict Monitor and T4P’s Database.

Persons with protection status S have the right to reside in Switzerland, where they can apply for their family members to follow (if separated due to events in Ukraine or flight), are allowed to work and will be entitled to asylum social assistance and medical care. 

Further information on specific rights relating to protection status S can be found in this Swiss Refugee Council fact sheet (German / French of 5^th January 2024), in the SEM fact sheet of 7^th of October 2025 (German) and in the regularly updated FAQ from the SEM.

NEW: From 1^st of November 2025, home visits will be limited to 15 days per half-year and no longer 15 days per quarter. 

Persons with S status may travel abroad for a maximum of 2 months without a travel permit and may travel to Ukraine for a maximum of 15 days per quarter or, from 1st of November 2025, only per half-year, and then return to Switzerland. Before travelling, you should find out about the entry requirements in your destination country. 

Protection status S can be revoked if the person in need of protection has stayed in Ukraine for more than 15 days per quarter or, from 1st of November 2025, more than 15 days per half-year. Detailed information on travelling abroad with protection status S can be found on the SEM website. 

No, S status only entitles you to attend compulsory school. You must finance your studies yourself or through a scholarship. Social benefits are not usually paid during your studies. See below for further information and websites: "Are my qualifications valid in Switzerland?” 

The following 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.

From June 1, 2022, Ukrainians who have fled to Switzerland will be subject to the same public transport conditions as all other refugees. For the time being, the regulation that refugees from Ukraine may use public transport free of charge for entry to their destination in Switzerland or for transit remains unchanged. For all other travel on public transport, regular tickets must be purchased from June 1, 2022.

Ukrainian nationals can legally stay in the Schengen area, and therefore also in Switzerland, for 90 days (even if they have not registered for protection status S).

Persons fleeing Ukraine who wish to apply for temporary protection (status S) in Switzerland: 

• If you do not have any (private) accommodation in Switzerland: Report to the Federal Asylum Centre (BAZ) Urtenen-Schönbühl (MZH Sand-Schönbühl, Moosstrasse 28, 3322 Urtenen-Schönbühl) or, if necessary, to another federal asylum centre. Refuse any offers of accommodation from strangers. This will ensure that you find official accommodation, are registered correctly and, if necessary, receive protection status. 

• If you already have (private) accommodation in Switzerland and have identity documents, you can book a registration appointment directly online at RegisterMe; it is best to do this as soon as possible. This will help you avoid waiting times. You will receive an appointment from the SEM and written confirmation that your application for temporary protection has been submitted. The registration itself will take place at the Federal Asylum Centre (BAZ) in Urtenen-Schönbühl (MZH Sand-Schönbühl, Moosstrasse 28, 3322 Urtenen-Schönbühl). After the application for temporary protection has been reviewed and a decision has been made, those seeking protection will be assigned to a canton. 

• Persons in need of protection aged 18 and over from Ukraine who do not have identity documents but have accommodation in Switzerland should contact the Federal Asylum Centre (BAZ) Urtenen-Schönbühl (MZH Sand-Schönbühl, Moosstrasse 28, 3322 Urtenen-Schönbühl) or, if necessary, to another Federal Asylum Centre.

It is advisable to register quickly in order to ensure reliable medical care and to facilitate any necessary use of emergency assistance or, later, asylum social assistance.

Register with the health service at your accommodation (center) or with the health service in your canton of residence if you are staying with relatives. There you will receive the help you need. 

After submitting their application, persons seeking protection are covered by health insurance (general insurance benefits only; private insurance must be taken out for any additional benefits). If medical care is required before the appointment at the accommodation, it is essential to present written confirmation of the application and a passport or identity card to the doctor or hospital. The costs of essential medical treatment will be covered.

In emergencies, medical assistance is provided at hospitals, even without documentation. Visit migesplus.ch to find brochures, fact sheets and video clips about various health-related topics and associated insurance matters. This information is also available in Ukrainian and Russian. The Swiss Cancer League has compiled specific information for cancer patients from Ukraine. You can access it here in Ukrainian, Russian and English. 

... and their caregivers in Ukrainian and Russian. Pro Juventute provides a free and confidential counselling service on Whatsapp and Telegram. Click here for more information.

Refugees from Ukraine are entitled to asylum social assistance from the date of registration at a federal asylum centre or from the date on which they submitted their application. However, asylum social assistance can only be paid once the refugee has received confirmation of their protection status S from the SEM. This will be sent by post. It will take some time before you receive this written confirmation (issue process, post delivery time). Municipalities or the authorities responsible for asylum social assistance need confirmation in order to pay the money correctly. In the event of major financial difficulties, municipalities can provide you with emergency assistance before you have received SEM confirmation. Here you can find the websites for the individual canton with their points of contact for those fleeing Ukraine. 

In the interests of treating all those accessing social benefits equally, the Conference of Cantonal Social Directors (SODK) has decided to extend the requirement for the value of any current assets, including cars, to be deducted from benefit payments to include asylum seekers from Ukraine, provided they have been in Switzerland for 12 months. Each individual canton is responsible for enforcing this. 

Further information on social assistance can be found on the website of the Swiss Conference on Social Assistance (SKOS).

For 90 days, Ukrainian nationals can legally stay, even without registering, with relatives and friends, etc. in Switzerland, and those who put them up are not liable to prosecution. There is no entitlement to social welfare services or health insurance cover during this 90-day visa-free period, although an exception is made here for emergency (medical) assistance. Anyone who is likely to want to stay in Switzerland for any longer than this is therefore asked to register without delay.

Postfinance has a basic service mandate and is obliged to provide an account to every person residing in Switzerland. However, a valid identity card and the S permit must be presented for this purpose.

Depending on the canton, accommodation may be provided in shared accommodation, individual accommodation or with host families. The SEM provides detailed information about canton allocation on this page.

No.Refugees are distributed between the cantons according to an allocation formula proportionate to population. Those who already have private accommodation will have to provide good reasons to support their request to be allocated to their present canton of residence (e.g. family connections). This will be taken into account when allocating refugees to cantons where possible. Currently, only close family connections or specific vulnerabilities can be considered for cantons that have already accommodated a lot of refugees. Here is the latest information from the SEM regarding cantonal allocations.

Applications for a change of canton are only approved in order to reunite the extended nuclear family (spouses; parents and their minor children; parents and their adult children, provided they are residing in Switzerland without their own families; and grandparents).

In addition, in exceptional and justified cases under certain circumstances (with the consent of both cantons), to reunite vulnerable persons with close relatives outside the extended nuclear family if the commute to work in the other canton takes more than two hours or the working hours are unreasonable or because of necessary medical treatment. Here is the latest information from the SEM on cantonal allocation or change and the specific requirements for working in another canton.

People with protection status S may work without observing a waiting period. However, a work permit is also necessary. People need to apply for this, before taking up any position, from the cantonal employment market authority for the canton concerned. Many cantonal authorities have websites with useful information on the application process as well as forms; also on the website arbeit.swiss. Also for self-employment, a work permit must be applied for by the cantonal labour market authority. 

The amendment to the law, whereby this permit requirement for taking up employment (whether self-employed or employed) is replaced by a simple registration requirement, is not yet in force.

• The State Secretariat for Education, Research and Innovation (SERI) has compiled FAQs on the recognition procedure for professional qualifications, as has recognition.swiss (both general). Specifically for people from Ukraine, the information sheet ‘Recognition of Ukrainian diplomas for the purpose of practising a profession’ is available at the bottom of this page (or here in German, Ukrainian, Russian, English, French, Italian). 

• Swissuniversities has compiled an overview of opportunities for Ukrainian refugees: Ukraine - swissuniversities.  

• A list of universities that allow people with S protection status to study can be found at: Individuals with status S. 

• In addition, the organisation SaveAfricans-Ukraine supports students who have fled Ukraine and come from non-European countries with questions about studying.

The employment offices in the cantons have information on vacancies in their cantonal territory. The e-mail addresses of the cantonal employment offices can be found here and on the site of arbeit.swiss.

The federal government is responsible for registration and the procedure for granting S status. 

What arrangements has your canton made to help those fleeing Ukraine? Who is responsible for this? Here is an overview of all the relevant websites at cantonal level. These contain further information about your individual canton.

The European Council on Refugees and Exiles (ECRE) provides useful information on how other European countries are dealing with Ukrainian refugees.

People applying for temporary protection/S status are entitled to free legal advice and representation. This is provided by the Bern Legal Advice Centre for People in Need (RBS Bern). It is responsible for legal protection throughout Switzerland in first-instance S-procedures, until a decision is issued, covering all stages of the proceedings. 

Depending on the situation and their resources, Legal Advisory Services may be able to provide legal support (e.g. in the event of an appeal, asylum-related issues, etc.). You can find a list of the various Legal Advisory Services for each canton here. 

The Swiss Platform Against Human Trafficking provides information and contact details for those affected by human trafficking and exploitation. In addition, each canton has a specialist centre that provides free advice throughout Switzerland to people who have been victims of various forms of violence (more information and addresses here). 

The State Secretariat for Migration (SEM) has also launched a campaign against human trafficking. Information can be found here in Ukrainian and Russian. 

Important: Do not go with unknown people who offer you accommodation directly (during the journey, on arrival at the station, on the Internet). Be sure to register first at the Federal Asylum Centre if you do not yet have any friends or relatives or accommodation in Switzerland (ideally at the Federal Asylum Centre (BAZ) Urtenen-Schönbühl MZH Sand-Schönbühl, Moosstrasse 28, 3322 Urtenen-Schönbühl).

These include, among others, unaccompanied minors, elderly and sick people. It is advisable to pre-register vulnerable persons whose arrival is known with the Federal Asylum Centres (ideally at the Federal Asylum Centre (BAZ) Urtenen-Schönbühl: MZH Sand-Schönbühl, Moosstrasse 28, 3322 Urtenen-Schönbühl).

Basic offers you can find here: SIM-Karten & Mobiltelefonie | Hello Ukraine.

The International Commission on Missing Persons (ICMP), in collaboration with the Main Investigative Department of the National Police of Ukraine and the Secretariat of the Commissioner for Missing Persons under Special Circumstances, is organizing a DNA collection campaign in Switzerland. If you have a family member who has gone missing or disappeared as a result of the military aggression of the Russian Federation in Ukraine, you may submit your reference DNA samples to ICMP.  To register for participation, kindly provide information about the missing person through the following link or by contacting ICMP in Ukraine at +38(068)791-00-00 (Telegram, Viber, and WhatsApp messengers are also available).