Statelessness

A stateless person is someone who has no nationality in any country.

In Switzerland, the State Secretariat for Migration (SEM) is responsible for conducting procedures to recognize statelessness.

If you believe that you are stateless, you can apply to be recognised as a stateless person to the SEM. If your application is successful and your status as stateless is recognised, you will be granted the right to remain in Switzerland and obtain a B permit.

We recommend that you contact a legal advice office in your canton of residence to answer all your questions and understand your rights before submitting an application.

In Switzerland, UNHCR has no formal role in the statelessness recognition procedure. UNHCR generally does not intervene in individual cases, nor does it provide individual legal representation or counseling.

• Find out more information about statelessness from the State Secretariat for Migration (SEM).

• Learn more about statelessness in Switzerland from humanrights.ch (in German or French).
  • Take a look at the template for requesting recognition of statelessness status (in German or French).

• Read more about UNHCR’s general campaign to end statelessness.

• Discover more specific information (available in German and French) about statelessness on UNHCR’s website for Switzerland and Liechtenstein.

‼️Neither UNHCR, IOM nor the SEM or 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.