What is UNHCR’s role in Switzerland and Liechtenstein?
The Swiss Government is responsible for the protection of asylum-seekers, refugees and stateless persons in Switzerland. The State Secretary for Migration (SEM) has the responsibility to process asylum claims and to decide whether somebody is granted asylum or an alternative form of protection in Switzerland.
UNHCR supports the Swiss Government in maintaining an asylum system which complies with international standards and advocates for the rights of asylum-seekers, refugees and stateless persons.
UNHCR has an office for Switzerland and Liechtenstein, but the Office is not involved in the Swiss asylum procedure, does not intervene in individual cases and cannot offer individual counselling. Legal counselling for asylum-seekers and refugees is offered by specialized counselling organisations (for further information, please see here: Legal counselling – UNHCR Switzerland.
For more information about UNHCR in Switzerland, please visit this website: Switzerland | UNHCR.
You can also contact us via e-mail at [email protected]. Please note that individual queries for assistance sent to this email address will generally not be responded to.
If you need assistance with a personal situation, you may contact UNHCR via the Regional Contact Centre at the toll-free number 800110165 OR
The hotline is available from Monday through Friday from 9am to 5pm and can be called only from within Switzerland and Liechtenstein.
If you are currently located in Liechtenstein, please visit: UNHCR Liechtenstein – Help for refugees and asylum-seekers.
‼️Neither UNHCR, IOM, SEM, nor the legal advice offices in the federal reception centres take money for any services. Their help is always free of charge. You should not be asked, at any point, to pay for any of the services provided.
Is Switzerland for UNHCR the same as the UNHCR Office for Switzerland and Liechtenstein?
Switzerland for UNHCR (CH4U) is not the same as the UNHCR Office for Switzerland and Liechtenstein. CH4U is a Swiss foundation, not a UN agency. It is UNHCR’s national partner in Switzerland with the principal task is to raise funds for UNHCR’s global programmes and activities from the private sector. It uses information provided by UNHCR and has the same branding. Click here to find more about national fundraising partners.
Switzerland for UNHCR does not offer individual support to asylum seekers and refugees in Switzerland. To know more about the work of Switzerland for UNHCR, click here to visit their website.
Data protection and privacy notice
The UNHCR Office for Switzerland and Liechtenstein does not collect or process personal data of forcibly displaced and stateless people unless it is for a legitimate specific purpose and when we have a legitimate basis to do so in line with UNHCR’s data protection policies. To find out more about when the UNHCR Office for Switzerland and Liechtenstein may exceptionally collect or process your personal data, as well as about the rights that you have in relation to this data, please consult our full Data protection and privacy notice.
