Switzerland restricts travel for refugees, but will make an exception for Ukrainians

The Swiss authorities are preparing strict new restrictions for asylum seekers, people with temporary residence permits and those in need of protection. They will now be banned from travelling outside the country - neither to their home countries nor to third countries. Swissinfo writes about this.

However, refugees from Ukraine are not expected to be affected by this ban. The government is preparing a special amendment that will preserve the right of Ukrainians to travel freely as long as their special protection status S is in force.

The State Secretariat for Migration (SEM) plans to implement the new rules in the near future. Travelling out of the country will be possible only in exceptional cases - for example, due to the death of a close relative or serious illness.

This decision is part of the reform of the Foreigners and Integration Act, adopted in 2021 but not yet implemented due to peculiarities related to the Ukrainian crisis," the portal points out.

According to the authorities, the new restrictions are designed to control migration and ensure security, but at the same time not to infringe on the rights of Ukrainians, to whom freedom of movement is now particularly important.

The changes are expected to come into force after final approval, while the special regime for Ukrainians will remain in place until their protection status is cancelled or revised.