Ukraine: Protection status S may be revoked on prolonged travel home

Bern-Wabern, 02.06.2022 - Following consultation with the cantonal and city authorities, the State Secretariat for Migration (SEM) has decided that it may revoke the protection status S of persons who have fled Ukraine if they return to their home country for more than 15 days in a quarterly period. The same applies if they move their main place of residence to a third country.

The decision on revoking the protection status S of persons who return to Ukraine for prolonged periods was approved at the 8th meeting of the Special Task Force on Asylum (SONAS). The Conference of Cantonal Directors of Social Affairs (CDSS), the Conference of Cantonal Justice and Police Directors (CCJPD), the Swiss Cities' Association and the Association of Cantonal Migration Authorities (VKM) had previously agreed to a proposal to that effect by SEM. Persons holding protection status S are generally permitted to travel to Ukraine and then return to Switzerland. If they visit Ukraine for more than 15 days in a quarterly period, however, their permit may be revoked. This also applies if a Ukrainian refugee spends more than two months in a third country, and SEM can therefore assume that they have moved their main place of residence to that country.

In addition, SEM has decided that binational couples will not be entitled to the S protection status in Switzerland if one of them holds citizenship of an EU/EFTA member state, the United Kingdom, Canada, the USA, New Zealand or Australia. Moreover, a person who has already been granted protection in another Schengen state will not be granted protection status S in Switzerland.

Ukrainian refugees to remain longer in federal asylum centres

At the request of the cantons, Ukrainian refugees arriving at a Federal Asylum Centre (FAC) from now on will remain there seven days longer than was previously the case. Until now, they have generally been assigned more quickly to accommodation in a canton. Those who have secure private accommodation and who have been allocated to that particular canton by SEM may stay there. Particularly vulnerable persons may remain in a federal asylum centre until suitable accommodation has been found and care tailored to their specific needs has been organised.


Address for enquiries

Daniel Bach, Head of Communication SEM, +41 79 570 37 81


Publisher

State Secretariat for Migration
https://www.sem.admin.ch/sem/en/home.html

https://www.admin.ch/content/gov/en/start/documentation/media-releases.msg-id-89100.html