Switzerland's temporary protection status S: who qualifies, what rights it confers, how long it lasts, and what comes next — the complete overview.
Current status: On 19 June 2026 the Federal Council again extended the general decree on Protection Status S. Temporary protection now applies until at least 4 March 2027. Source: SEM.
Protection Status S is the central residence mechanism for Ukrainian protection seekers in Switzerland. This overview explains who qualifies, the associated rights and obligations, how long the status lasts, and what options exist afterwards.
What Protection Status S is
Status S is a temporary collective grant of protection under Art. 4 in conjunction with Art. 66 ff. of the Swiss Asylum Act (AsylG). It is aimed at groups of persons who need protection because of war, general violence or a serious general danger.
The Federal Council activated Status S for the first time on 11 March 2022, in response to the flight from Ukraine. It was the first activation ever of this instrument, which had been part of the Asylum Act since 1998.
Important: Status S is not asylum, and it is not a regular residence permit B or C. It ends as soon as the Federal Council terminates it.
Who can obtain Status S
The Federal Council's general decree defines the eligible group. Currently this includes:
- Ukrainian nationals and their family members who were resident in Ukraine before 24 February 2022 or had to flee immediately after the war began;
- persons of other nationalities who held international or equivalent national protection in Ukraine, together with their family members;
- third-country nationals with a valid Ukrainian residence permit B (settlement) who cannot safely return to their country of origin.
Family members are spouses or registered partners and unmarried minor children; other close relatives can be considered on a case-by-case basis.
Important: Where a person has already received temporary protection or an equivalent status in another EU state, the chances of obtaining Status S in Switzerland are typically lower. This is a demanding scenario, covered in detail in our article Protection Status S in Switzerland after prior protection in another country.
How to apply
There are three pathways to registration:
- With accommodation and identity papers: book an appointment at a Federal Asylum Centre (BAZ) via RegisterMe.
- With accommodation, without identity papers: attend the BAZ without an appointment. The BAZ in Bern at Morillonstrasse 75 is open Mondays and Thursdays.
- Without accommodation: attend the Bern BAZ directly — open around the clock.
Once granted, the SEM informs the cantonal authorities. Status S holders receive an invitation to a Permit Centre, where their photograph and signature are recorded. The Ausweis S is then produced and delivered via the home municipality or collective accommodation.
Rights and obligations
Residence: lawful stay in Switzerland for as long as Status S applies.
Housing: accommodation in cantonal collective housing or privately (with relatives or host families). Private accommodation requires registration with the municipality.
Health insurance: mandatory insurance under KVG, usually organised by the cantons.
Employment: Status S holders may work as employees or self-employed persons. This requires prior notification of the competent cantonal authority by the employer or the self-employed person.
Social assistance: entitlement to asylum social assistance, with amounts and procedures governed by cantonal law. A rental compensation can also be sought for private hosts.
Education: school-age children have a right to schooling in their canton of residence. Adults can attend language courses and, depending on the canton, vocational training.
Travel to the country of origin: maximum 15 days per six-month period. Longer stays can jeopardise the status.
Cantonal transfer: possible if the person is not unemployed and no grounds for revocation exist. Requirements should be clarified with the migration authority in advance.
Family reunification: the closest relatives (spouses, registered partners, unmarried minor children) may be reunited, subject to the SEM's published practice.
How long Status S lasts
The Ausweis S is generally issued for one year and can be renewed if the conditions remain met.
At a higher level, the Federal Council decides on the duration of the collective protection. As of June 2026, Status S has been extended until at least 4 March 2027.
Permit renewal: the SEM sends an expiry notice roughly one month before the permit ends. It must be completed, signed and returned to the responsible authority at least 14 days before expiry. Where the holder is employed, the employer must also complete part of the form. The existing permit must be enclosed.
When Status S ends
Status S can end in several ways:
- Lifting by the Federal Council when the situation in the country of origin allows a safe return.
- Voluntary return to the country of origin (beyond the permitted 15 days per six months).
- Grounds for revocation, for example obtaining a regular residence permit in another state, or serious breaches of obligations.
- Transition to a Permit B after five years — this Permit B remains tied to the persisting Status S (Art. 74 AsylG).
- Hardship Permit B as a stand-alone residence regulation in an individual hardship case (Art. 14 para. 2 AsylG with Art. 31 VZAE).
What comes after Status S
With longer stays in Switzerland, new questions arise: is a move to a regular permit possible? What options exist if Status S is one day lifted?
Two pathways are currently relevant:
- Permit B under Art. 74 AsylG: after five uninterrupted years on Status S, the canton can grant a residence Permit B — but it remains tied to Status S and ends when the Federal Council lifts the regime.
- Hardship Permit B: a stand-alone B permit in a serious personal hardship. It requires a separate application; the cantonal migration office reviews and SEM approves.
Both routes are explained in detail in our article Permit B for Ukrainians with Protection Status S, including the important distinction between the two permit types.
When legal advice is useful
Status S is, in principle, a well-documented administrative process. Legal advice is, however, recommended in the following situations:
- Rejection of the S application by the SEM — an appeal to the Federal Administrative Court is possible (short deadlines).
- Existing protection status in another country — see our dedicated article on Status S after protection in another country.
- Family reunification in complex constellations (non-Ukrainian family members, missing documents).
- Cantonal transfer in cases of unemployment or potential grounds for revocation.
- Preparation of a hardship Permit B — argumentation and documentation are decisive here.
- Planned longer stay in the country of origin beyond the 15-day threshold.
- Termination or revocation order issued by the SEM.
Early legal clarification is usually more efficient and less costly than repairing a flawed application.
Related topics
Permits in detail
Official sources
This overview draws on official material of the federal government and the cantons:
Frequently asked questions
Who can obtain Protection Status S in Switzerland?
Primarily persons who fled Ukraine after the start of the war on 24 February 2022 — Ukrainian nationals, their family members, and third-country nationals who were lawfully resident in Ukraine with protection status. The exact categories are set out in the Federal Council's general decree (current version of 19 June 2026).
Where is Status S applied for?
In person at one of the Federal Asylum Centres (BAZ) run by the SEM. Appointments can be booked via the RegisterMe platform. Those without accommodation can also approach the Bern BAZ at Morillonstrasse 75 without an appointment — that office is open around the clock.
What rights does Status S confer?
Lawful stay in Switzerland, mandatory health insurance under KVG, accommodation via the canton or privately, the right to work (subject to the employer's prior notification), entitlement to social assistance (governed by cantonal law), schooling for children, and family reunification for the closest relatives under defined conditions.
How long is Status S valid?
The Ausweis S is generally issued for one year and renewed automatically as long as the Federal Council maintains the temporary protection regime. As of June 2026, Status S has been extended until at least 4 March 2027.
When does Status S end?
When the Federal Council lifts it, on voluntary return to the country of origin, on grounds for revocation (e.g. obtaining a regular permit in another state), or on transition after 5 years to a Permit B under Art. 74 AsylG or a hardship Permit B.
What comes after Status S?
After five uninterrupted years in Switzerland, a residence Permit B under Art. 74 AsylG can be granted by the canton — but this permit remains tied to Status S. Alternatively, a hardship Permit B (Art. 14 para. 2 AsylG with Art. 31 VZAE) may be granted on an individual, stand-alone basis.
When is legal advice useful?
On rejection of the S application, on termination or revocation notices, before a cantonal transfer in difficult circumstances, in complex family reunification cases, before applying for a hardship Permit B, where protection status already exists in another country, or before a planned longer stay in the country of origin.