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HEALTH

The form you need to cross the Swiss border for family reasons

Whether you’re part of an unmarried couple or you’re crossing the border to see a non-immediate family member, you’ll need to fill in the following form to clear border controls.

Published: 3 June 2020 15:41 CEST
The form you need to cross the Swiss border for family reasons
A picture taken on June 2, 2020 shows the closed border at Grand Saint Bernard pass. Photo: FABRICE COFFRINI / AFP

On May 18th, Swiss authorities announced that unmarried couples and non-immediate family members would be again allowed to cross into Switzerland with the relaxation of the country’s lockdown restrictions. 

The announcement applies only to residents of Switzerland, Germany and Austria, with the governments of each country putting in reciprocal arrangements to allow people to cross. 

For residents of other countries, they will be able to cross from June 15th onwards when border controls between Switzerland and all of its neighbours will be relaxed. 

As yet, agreement has been reached with all of Switzerland's neighbours other than Italy. However that is expected to take place before the 15th. 

Crossing during lockdown

While the lockdown restrictions were up, only citizens, residents, cross-border permit holders and immediate family members – i.e. married couples or parents and children – were allowed past border guards. 

To do so however, you’ll need to produce your passport and residency information at the border – along with a completed ‘self-declaration’ form which states the reason for travel. 

Note: the rules only apply at the countries’ land borders.

As one disappointed Swiss found out last weekend, air borders remain closed for unmarried and unregistered couples. 

Signs at the Italian-Swiss border. Photo: Miguel Medina/AFP

What form will I need? 

Known as a ‘self-declaration’ form, the document asks for basic identity details as well as the reason for crossing the border. 

The form can be filled in online but will need to be printed and signed. The form is only available in German, French and Italian, but English speakers can fill out the form by following the guide below. 

German version

French version

Italian version

The first section asks for your name, date of birth, address and telephone number. 

The second section asks the person filling in the form to provide the reason for crossing the border. 

Three options are available: 1-To visit an unmarried partner, provided the relationship started before March 2020; 2-To visit other family members, including grandchildren, grandparents, siblings, step-siblings, aunts, uncles, cousins, etc; 3-To attend family occasions such as weddings, funerals, and other religious celebrations. 

The third section asks for the name, address and telephone number of the person being visited – while the final section requires a signature. 

Those who make false declarations or abuse the rules “may be prosecuted under the law in the country concerned”, the SEM said.

“The public health requirements and recommendations valid in the relevant state will apply to those entering the country,” it added. 

For more information, click on the following links to the German, French, Italian and Austrian border authorities. 

Who is allowed to cross? 

Starting on May 16th, border restrictions between Switzerland, Germany and Austria have been eased, allowing couples, who have been separated on the opposite sides of the border since the state of emergency was declared in mid-March, to meet again.

“Thanks to the positive developments regarding the coronavirus pandemic, reflected in a sharp drop in the number of infections, Germany, Austria and Switzerland have decided to lift the travel restrictions that currently apply to unmarried couples in cross-border relationships,” State Secretariat for Migration (SEM) announced on its website.

Restrictions are also lifted for people visiting relatives or attending weddings or funerals, or who own a property in a neighbouring country, have to carry out agricultural work, or take care of animals.

As it states on the form, couples needed to be together before the lockdown measures were implemented in March of 2020. 

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HEALTH

How you can save money on healthcare in Switzerland

Between insurance premiums and over-priced drugs and other costs, healthcare in Switzerland comes at a steep price. Clare O'Dea looks at why the costs are so high and some of the ways you can save money.

Published: 18 December 2023 10:40 CET
How you can save money on healthcare in Switzerland

On the surface, the Swiss healthcare provision model looks egalitarian. All residents are obliged by law to purchase the same basic package of insurance, and the premiums are subsidised for those on low incomes. So why is cost such a bone of contention?

The problem is that the healthcare itself is very expensive, the second most expensive system in the world after the United States. And most of the cost is shouldered by households one way or another. This hurts those on low to middle incomes the most.

Between health insurance premiums, out-of-pocket expenses and over-priced drugs, households are spending a significant chunk of their income on health. Amazingly, Swiss residents fund 59 per cent of the national expenditure on health, according to the Federal Office for Public Health figures for 2020. The rest comes from state coffers, and, to a small extent, from employers.

To bring it down to an individual level, Swiss residents shell out 478 francs per person per month on health costs. Compulsory health insurance premiums account for 252 francs of that total on average. The rest goes on supplementary (top-up) health insurance premiums (42 francs), co-payment on policies plus out-of-pocket expenses (174 francs) and ‘other funding’ (10).

Politicians across the spectrum seem to be incapable of doing anything to curb health inflation. The latest is that health insurance premiums are set to increase by 8.7 per cent in 2024. That’s not a projection but a fact, as announced by the health minister in September.

KEY POINTS: What you need to know about Switzerland’s health insurance price hikes

Public purse

The worst thing would be to miss out on your entitlements. To find out if you qualify for premium subsidies, you’ll have to go through your home canton. Each canton has its own reduction rates and rules on eligibility. In some, there are systems in place to identify and notify eligible people but in others, you have to check and apply yourself.

This possibility is definitely worth looking into if you think you might be eligible – around a quarter of the population qualify for these payments. In some cantons, the proportion of recipients is higher. Moneyland.ch has put together a list of the contact information for premium reductions in each canton.

Take the initiative

Generally speaking, to save money on healthcare costs, the insured have to take the initiative themselves. New arrivals to Switzerland are required to take out a policy within three months, and should definitely shop around. Pricing comparison websites such as moneyland.ch , comparis.ch and Priminfo (in the national languages only) help to cut through the noise and find the best deal for your individual circumstances.

Age and location are important criteria. There are infinite tiny pricing variations between the 40+ non-profit insurers (known as “Krankenkasse”, “caisse maladie” or “cassa malati”), which means you may even find a better deal by buying policies from different insurers for different members of the family.

For those who already have a policy, it makes sense to do an annual price check up when the following year’s rates are announced in the autumn. Chopping and changing, which everyone has a right to do once a year, can really pay off.

The window for changing providers has just closed but you can be ready to notify your current provider by November 30th next year. Handily, the comparison websites also provide template letters for cancelling a policy.

READ ALSO: Which Swiss health insurance providers have the lowest rates in 2024?

Different models

Even if you decide to stay with the same insurer, you can obviously change the type of policy to a cheaper version. The so-called standard model is the most expensive. Under this arrangement, you decide which doctor you’d like to see, including specialists, and make appointments when you feel the need. 

There are other cheaper managed care models which are designed to cut down on unnecessary visits to the doctor. With these, you have to have a telemedicine consultation or visit a pharmacy before you get the green light to make an appointment with a doctor. There is another model where you have to see your general practitioner to get a referral to a specialist.

Calculations

The best way to save overall is to get clever with your deductible. That’s the share of medical expenses that you have to pay from your own pocket in the space of the year before your insurer starts reimbursing. The lower the deductible, the higher the premium.

Making the right choice involves a certain risk. But it is at least possible to make an educated guess based on past experience. There are several bands between 300 and 2,500 francs per year for deductibles (the amounts are lower for children).

If you tend not to need medical care and think your health costs are likely to be low in the coming year, it would make sense to go for the maximum deductible, which can translate into a saving up around 40 per cent on premiums. If you have reason to believe your bills will add up to 2,000 francs or more, then you’re better off going for the minimum deductible.

Don’t double up

That’s all speaking about the mandatory insurance package, which includes illness, accident and maternity care. But make sure you really need that accident insurance. Anyone who is employed for more than 8 hours per week is covered by their employer’s accident insurance, in which case it should be removed from their personal policy.

If you are looking to save money on health insurance, chances are you won’t be looking for additional insurance, also known as supplementary insurance. These policies give you more freedom over choice of hospital, and also cover therapies and treatments that are not included in the basic mandatory package. You can have both policies from the same provider or mix and match.

Though it can be irritating to hear this, especially if you already have a health condition, there is one final way that you can save on health costs – don’t get sick. What this advice really means is to lead a healthy lifestyle by taking exercise, eating a balanced diet, not consuming too much alcohol and cutting out smoking. Those are things we have control over, unlike genetics and luck.

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