It has become much more difficult for Ukrainians in Switzerland to obtain S protection status. This is primarily due to the fact that the processing time for applications has increased and the number of refusals has risen to record levels since the beginning of the full-scale invasion of Ukraine. In addition, Ukrainians are increasingly facing the revocation of their S status, which is argued to be due to abuse by refugees. Read more about the current situation, difficulties in obtaining protection, and reasons for refusing to grant it in the article below.

Why has it become more difficult for Ukrainian refugees in Switzerland to obtain S status?

The special migration regime aimed at obtaining protection for Ukrainian refugees quickly and without bureaucracy used to work quite effectively. In particular, at the beginning of 2023, 97% of applications for S protection status were approved, and the decision was made on average within 2 weeks.

However, according to the SRF, the situation changed at the end of 2023: the duration of the review increased and the number of refusals increased. Since the beginning of 2024, one third of the decisions on status have been negative. During the first quarter, only 80% of applications were approved.

In total, according to the State Secretariat for Migration (SEM), almost 2,500 people from Ukraine have been denied protection since the beginning of the war.

"This is due to the fact that more and more applicants who have already received protection status in other countries are applying for S status. Therefore, these people will no longer receive protection status in Switzerland," emphasizes SEM spokesperson Magdalena Rast.

At the same time, according to swissinfo.ch, since the spring of 2024, Ukrainians' documents have been checked even more thoroughly. And as SEM confirms, more and more applications are now being rejected. In May alone, there was a record number of rejections for the entire period - 170 people from Ukraine were not approved for protection.

It is noted that the number of applications for S status has been decreasing recently. In June, just under 1,200 applications were filed.

Please note! From June 12, 2024, only those Ukrainians who came from the occupied territories or regions with active hostilities can apply for S status. Details are available here.

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What is the reason for the thorough verification of refugee documents for temporary protection in Switzerland?

In April 2024, local media reported that some people had used forged or illegally acquired Ukrainian passports to obtain a residence permit in Switzerland. This led to suspicions that not all those who applied for protection in this country were really entitled to it. In this regard, the country's authorities began to check documents more thoroughly. At the same time, since the beginning of the year, S status has been issued only at the Federal Asylum Center in Bern.

Currently, it takes almost three months to review documents on an application for SEM protection. This leads to an increase in the number of pending applications. As of April 2024, more than 6,300 such cases had been accumulated - almost as many as there had been after the outbreak of war. It was noted that 38 employees are working on their processing.

What are the most common reasons for denial of S status?

It is noted that the most common reason for refusal is that Ukrainians arrive in Switzerland not from Ukraine, as at the beginning of the war, but from other European countries where they have already received protection and where they can return later.

Ukrainians, in turn, are trying to appeal the refusals of protection in court. However, in recent months, the Federal Administrative Court has rejected several dozen such appeals from people who have already been granted protection status in Belgium, England, Lithuania, or Romania or who had a residence permit there.

In addition, citizens who had visas to Canada or the United States were also denied.

Revocation of temporary protection and S status in Switzerland: reasons

According to SEM, about 67 thousand Ukrainians currently enjoy temporary protection in Switzerland. About 26,000 people have renounced protection due to leaving the country. At the same time, in 104 cases, the S status granted earlier was revoked due to the detection of abuse.

"If there are indications that people have fraudulently obtained protection by providing false information or concealing material facts, we constantly initiate proceedings to cancel temporary protection," the officials said.

In addition, it is noted that after the status checks, people who commit criminal offenses, make prohibited trips home or stay in third countries may be deprived of protection.

If you need legal assistance on migration issues, please contact Visit Ukraine lawyers. Our specialists will answer your questions, help you solve urgent problems with submitting or obtaining the necessary documents, and advise you on the current rules for leaving Ukraine, changing the country of temporary protection, or other migration issues.

You can order a specialist consultation on our website at this link.

We remind you. Migration trends among Ukrainians, in particular with the aim of changing the country of temporary protection, are increasing, as the conditions of stay and financial assistance are changing. Read about which countries will provide repeated temporary protection in 2024 and what is needed to move in our previous article.

Want to know more? Read the latest news and useful materials about Ukraine and the world in the News section.

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Ihor Usyk is the Head of Legal Department at Visit Ukraine

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