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Certain asylum seekers no longer allowed to leave Switzerland

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Certain asylum seekers no longer allowed to leave Switzerland
A torn Swiss flag. Photo: FABRICE COFFRINI / AFP

The Swiss government put in place a range of law changes for asylum seekers on F permits, including a prohibition on leaving the country while their application is being considered.

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Known as 'temporarily admitted persons' or 'F Permit holders', they are individuals who have been expelled from Switzerland but whose expulsion has been delayed or otherwise suspended. 

The rules now mirror those put in place for asylum seekers or refugees. 

Temporarily admitted persons will only be allowed to leave the country in ‘exceptional circumstances’ pursuant to the new rules. 

The travel ban extends to the person’s home country as well as to other countries. 

While a comprehensive guide of what amounted to ‘exceptional circumstances’ was not given, one example provided was to obtain important paperwork. 

Those who do travel abroad may be punished via a fine or a lapse of their admission status. 

Swiss news outlet 20 Minutes reports that if a person successfully applies again after status has lapsed, they will not be granted a residence permit for a minimum of ten years. 

While temporary residents will be restricted from leaving Switzerland under normal circumstances, there were additional freedoms provided for asylum claimants under the new rules. 

Temporary residents will now no longer be restricted from moving from one canton to another if they have a job in another canton. 

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What are temporary residents or temporarily admitted persons? 

Temporarily admitted persons are those who hold an F Permit which allows them to live in Switzerland. 

The definition according to the Swiss government is as follows: 

Temporarily admitted persons are persons who have been expelled from Switzerland, but the enforcement of the expulsion has proven to be inadmissible (violation of international law), unreasonable (specific risk to the foreigner) or impossible (enforcement reasons). 

Temporary admission is therefore a substitute measure. Temporary admission can be ordered for 12 months and extended by the canton of residence for 12 months at a time. The cantonal authorities can grant temporarily admitted persons a permit to work regardless of their work or economic situation. 

 

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