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HEALTH

Unmarried partners again allowed into Switzerland

Swiss authorities have lifted restrictions on entry to people from third nations whose ‘significant other half’ lives in Switzerland.

Published: 30 July 2020 16:54 CEST
Updated: 4 August 2020 12:31 CEST
Unmarried partners again allowed into Switzerland
A couple ride their bicycle at sunset near Noville, western Switzerland, on June 2, 2020. Photo: FABRICE COFFRINI / AFP

At a press conference on Thursday, July 30th, State Secretariat for Migration (SEM) representative Barbara Büschi said unmarried couples will again be able to reunite in Switzerland from Monday, August 3rd. 

In order to enter, couples will be subject to strict rules and will need to prove the existence of their relationship to authorities. 

They will also require an invitation to enter. The invitation must be in writing and come from the member of the couple living in Switzerland.

People from all countries will be allowed to enter, however anyone entering from 'high risk' countries will need to comply with Switzerland's quarantine requirement. 

READ: Everything you need to know about Switzerland's new quarantine requirement 

In order to enter, travellers must prove to authorities that the relationship has been ongoing for 'a long time'. 

“A short vacation friendship is not enough” said Büschi. 

Letters, photos, plane tickets and stamps in passports can all be used to prove the legitimacy and the length of the relationship. 

What is the situation until Monday?

As residents of many countries outside the EU and Schengen zone are not allowed to enter Switzerland, couples where one partner lives in Switzerland and the other abroad have been separated since the beginning of the Covid-19 pandemic.

The only third-country nationals permitted to come to Switzerland at the present time are people from Algeria, Australia, Canada, Georgia, Japan, Morocco, New Zealand, Rwanda, South Korea, Thailand, Tunisia and Uruguay.

Also residents of some EU states outside the Schengen area — Bulgaria, Ireland, Croatia, Romania and Cyprus — are granted access.

READ MORE: Switzerland opens borders to travellers from certain countries outside Europe 

But people from other nations considered to be ‘at-risk’ due to the high number of coronavirus infections are kept away.

 

 

Love is not tourism

A large-scale social media campaign, “LoveIsNotTourism”, has been launched in Denmark, Norway and Austria to demand that states make an exception and lift their restrictions on unmarried couples waiting to be reunited.

The governments of these three countries agreed to let the foreign partners in.

Now Switzerland is set to follow this example.

“We have a lot of understanding for people in this situation. We will adjust our entry conditions as quickly as possible”, Barbara Büschi, deputy director at the State Secretariat for Migration (SEM) said in an interview.

However, strict criteria will be set regarding the eligibility of foreigners to reunite with their partners in Switzerland.

“We are in contact with customs and the Department of Foreign Affairs to set the criteria for entry clearance”, Büschi said.

What is certain is that people who met on online dating sites but who have not yet met in person will not qualify to enter.

Nor will anyone trying to immigrate to Switzerland under the guise of a reunion.

Editor's note: Please keep in mind that this article, as with all of our guides, are to provide assistance only. They are not intended to take the place of official legal advice. 

 

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HEALTH

How can a foreign resident apply for Swiss disability insurance?

This particular benefit is part of the compulsory social insurance scheme for all persons living in Switzerland — including foreign citizens.

Published: 17 June 2024 13:53 CEST
How can a foreign resident apply for Swiss disability insurance?

Disability insurance (DI), also known in Switzerland as ‘invalidity’ insurance, may sound as though you have to be physically handicapped in order to be eligible to receive this benefit.

But that is not so.

It is intended to replace lost income if you can’t work for long periods of time due to health problems — whatever the type of your ailment.

According to a government brochure on this subject, “the law defines invalidity as a total or partial incapacity to work or inability to perform previous tasks. The reason for the invalidity must be an impairment of physical, mental or psychological health that cannot be overcome with medical treatment and reintegration measures. Possible causes of the health impairment are a congenital infirmity, an illness, an occupational disease or an accident.” 

Are foreigners eligible for this insurance?

Everyone working Switzerland, regardless of the nationality, is insured for DI when they pay their compulsory social security contributions.

Note, however, that you will be entitled to draw full amounts (read more about this below) only if you contribute into the social security scheme from the time you turn 21 without any gaps.

You will receive these payouts for as long as you remain in Switzerland

However, if you move away, there will be some differences  based on whether you come from the EU / EFTA states (Norway, Iceland, Liechtenstein), or a third country.

Nationals of  EU / EFTA have the same DI rights as Swiss citizens — they will continue to receive the benefits even if they move back.

But if you come from elsewhere, benefits may be limited once you return to your country of origin, if that country doesn’t have a social security agreement with Switzerland.

How can you apply for these benefits?

In order to receive the DI, you will first need to complete an application form for IV/AI benefits (form available in German, French and Italian).

You will have to provide various documents, including medical certificates and other relevant paperwork detailed in the form that will allow authorities to determine whether you are eligible to receive disability  in the first place and, if so, how much (see below).

It is in your interest to register as soon as possible.

If you wait too long, your benefits may be reduced.

How much can you expect to receive?

These payments are intended to cover your essential needs, so don’t expect huge amounts.

The benefits are determined by two factors: your average salary before you become disabled, as well as the degree of your disability, which will be determined by health professionals designated by your social security office.

Logically, the more (and longer) you earned and contributed into the system, the more you will receive.

Generally speaking, the lowest possible full DI pension is currently 1,225 Swiss francs per month.

The highest is 2,450 francs per month — if  you earned 86,040 francs or more per year and you have paid uninterrupted contributions from age 21.

What if these amounts are not enough for you to live on?

In this case you could receive supplemental benefits at a level considered adequate to maintain a reasonable standard of living.

Whether or not you are eligible for these benefits depends on your combined income and your personal wealth. You can only receive supplemental benefits as long as you live in Switzerland, though — unlike the basic DI, they are not transferable abroad.

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