Admission

An asylum application is not bound to any formal provisions. It may be submitted verbally or in writing to a Swiss representation abroad, to a border post or to the border control at a Swiss airport. Should the applicant already be in the possession of a Swiss residence permit, the asylum application may also be filed at the aliens police authorities in the canton of residence. On filing an asylum application, the claimant gives the Swiss authorities details of his identity, supporting this if possible by means of official documents. He names his grounds for leaving his native country. Asylum seekers who are aware of the significance of proceedings endeavour to substantiate their statements on their personal situation by presenting relevant evidence.

Asylum proceedings begin with the registration at a Federal Office for Migration (FOM) reception and procedure centre. Irrespective of their method of entry, asylum seekers have to report to one of the four FOM reception and procedure centres in Chiasso, Vallorbe, Basel or Kreuzlingen. Most asylum applications are submitted directly to an FOM reception centre.