Assisted suicide is legal in Switzerland on compassionate grounds. 

While article 115 of the Swiss penal code prohibits assisted suicide for “self-serving reasons” and article 114 prohibits “causing the death” of a person for “commendable motives, and in particular out of compassion for the victim”, assisted suicide for non-selfish reasons is not specifically prohibited as long as certain conditions are met. 

This is relatively rare, both in Europe and worldwide. Only a handful of countries allow for some form of assisted suicide, including the Netherlands, New Zealand, Spain and Canada. 

Some American and Australian states allow for assisted suicide, despite not being permitted at a federal level. 

As a consequence, Switzerland has become a potential destination for people seeking assistance to end their life. 

But what are the rules for foreigners accessing assisted suicide in Switzerland? Here’s what you need to know. 

What are the rules for assisted suicide and euthanasia in Switzerland? 

One important distinction to make is between euthanasia and assisted suicide. Assisted suicide still requires the person in question to administer the suicide themselves, while euthanasia is where a doctor takes this final step. 

Euthanasia is not permitted in Switzerland, while assisted suicide is allowed for both locals and foreigners. 

READ MORE: What you need to know about assisted suicide in Switzerland

The main associations administering assisted suicides are Exit, Dignitas, Ex International, and lifecircle.

Exit and Dignitas are the largest groups in Switzerland.

Exit only provides assistance for citizens or long-term residents of Switzerland while Dignitas is the only organisation to provide assisted suicide services to foreigners.

According to Dignitas, assisted suicide is popular among foreigners, with 90 percent of those who received help dying in 2018 coming from abroad. The majority of those who received assisted suicide were German. 

How can foreigners receive assisted suicide in Switzerland? 

In order to access assisted suicide as a foreigner, you will need to become a Dignitas member. This can be done from abroad, provided you are deemed to be of full mental capacity and are an adult. 

You need to apply on the website and will need to fill out a form and provide a declaration of membership. 

Once this is accepted, you will receive an invoice with payment instructions.  

How much does it cost to receive assisted suicide in Switzerland? 

While the direct costs of having an assisted suicide process administered in Switzerland are relatively low, the indirect costs are high. 

In order to join Dignitas, it will cost you a one-off fee of 200 Swiss francs, followed by an annual membership fee of 80 francs.

However, while this might seem cheap, there are other costs to consider – particularly if you are a foreigner. 

The UK-based Campaign for Dignity in Dying, an organisation which agitates for greater access to assisted suicide, estimates that it costs between £6,500 (CHF8,269) to over £15,000 (CHF19,080) for each person receiving assisted suicide in Switzerland, at an average of £10,000 (CHF12,720). 

These costs include travel costs to Switzerland, along with accommodation costs and medical expenses. 

Many of those interviewed said they also booked return flights which they didn’t intend to use in order to not arouse suspicion among the authorities and to have an option in case they changed their minds. 

How long will the process take? 

Dignitas says the process can take three months or longer to become a member. 

Dignitas specifies that for non-members, submission of a declaration of membership is a mandatory first step although it also notes there is no waiting period between become a member and applying for assisted suicide.

In order to receive assisted suicide with Dignitas, you will need to go through a processes that includes making first contact (either directly or through a family member), counselling and personal interviews, submission of medical documents and an exploration of other treatment options including palliative care. 

A prescription for lethal medication will then be ordered from a doctor.

Dignitas also notes there is a lot of paperwork involved when foreigners choose assisted suicide in Switzerland and this can be time-consuming.

Dignitas is a non-profit organisation which invests all of its surplus money in expanding its services as well as providing suicide prevention advice. 

A 2011 referendum in Zurich sought to target foreigners by making assisted suicide legal only for residents, however this was rejected at the ballot box by 78 percent.