Residence permit or removal

In our experience, only around 10 per cent of asylum seekers are recognized as refugees. Most asylum seekers do not fulfil the criteria embodied in the Asylum Act for the recognition of refugee status. When an asylum application is rejected after a thorough examination, the authorities set an appropriate deadline for their departure from Switzerland: in the case of a decision to dismiss an application without entering into the substance of a case, the deadline expires quickly; in the case of substantive decisions, on the other hand, they expire as a rule after two months, whereby account is taken of personal circumstances. Persons requiring return assistance are provided with support by the FOM. The FOM also offers assistance to the canton responsible for executing removal.

Question: What happens to Mamadou B., Ahmed H. and Sadiye C. afterwards?

Mamadou B. evidently fails to take advantage of the opportunity for appeal which is open to all asylum seekers. Mamadou B. obviously prefers to remove himself from the sphere of influence of the cantonal authorities. Although he is legally obliged to report there regularly, his current whereabouts are unknown.

Ahmed H. accepts the FOM order. He is grateful to the Swiss Government for granting him the right to stay in Switzerland temporarily – until the situation in his native country Somalia shows some improvement.

Sadiye C. remains in Switzerland and receives a residence permit B, after five years she would normally be granted a permanent residence permit C. Sadiye C. benefits from her refugee status, which guarantees her protection from persecution in her native country. When she no longer needs this protection, she can renounce asylum or her asylum status can be revoked. Thus, for example, if she voluntarily returns to Turkey.