Published on 4 March 2026

Social assistance for Swiss citizens living abroad

Swiss citizens abroad who cannot support themselves by their own means and have no access to private funds or assistance in their country of residence may apply for financial assistance to the relevant Swiss representation.

Are you unable to support yourself by your own means and have no access to private funds or assistance in your country of residence? Then you may apply to the relevant Swiss representation for financial assistance.

Application for financial assistance (German, French, Italian)

Swiss representations work closely with Social  services for Swiss Citizens Abroad (SSA). The SSA assesses applications for assistance, obtains further information and makes decisions in accordance with the Swiss Abroad Act (SAA, SR 195.1).

• Multiple nationalities

  Swiss citizens abroad with multiple nationalities are not usually granted social assistance if a foreign nationality takes precedence (Art. 25 SAA). The SSA is responsible for determining whether a Swiss or foreign nationality takes precedence in accordance with Article 16 SAO.

• Social assistance payments

  • Recurring benefits (monthly)
  • One-off benefits (e.g. for medical expenses, hospital costs for treatment in public hospitals)
  • Returning permanently to Switzerland

  • SSA information sheet - Return to Switzerland

    (German)

    PDF254.51 kB21 April 2026

  Social assistance is intended to enable beneficiaries to live a simple  and dignified life. The representation will assess the financial and personal circumstances on the basis of a budget. The calculation criteria are based on the methods used for Swiss social assistance, which are adjusted to reflect the situation in the host country. Debts are not covered by social assistance.

• Repayment

  Beneficiaries whose financial circumstances improve are required to repay some or all of the social assistance provided.

• Swiss abroad facing financial hardship in Switzerland

  If you are a Swiss citizen who used to live abroad, but have now returned to Switzerland permanently, the social assistance office where you are now resident or currently staying will be responsible for any social assistance payments.

  Are you a Swiss citizen who officially lives abroad, but is temporarily residing in Switzerland?  Are you facing financial difficulties that you cannot resolve by your own means or by making your own arrangements? Then you should contact the social assistance office in the canton where you are staying, which may, in certain circumstances, provide emergency assistance.

  List of private and public advice and information centres in Switzerland, Swiss Conference for Social Welfare (SKOS) (German, French)

• Application forms

  The completed, signed forms must be submitted to the relevant Swiss representation.

  • AS 1 - Rights and Obligations

    PDF175.30 kB21 April 2026

  • AS 2 – Application for support

    (German)

    PDF290.15 kB21 April 2026

  • AS 4 – Form for persons with multiple nationalities

    (German)

    PDF324.92 kB21 April 2026

  • AS 5 – Transportation costs

    (German)

    PDF691.58 kB21 April 2026

  • AS 11 – Budget for simple flat-rate calculations

    (German)

    XLSX50.55 kB21 April 2026

  • AS 12 – Budget for flat-rate calculations with header quota

    (German)

    XLSX53.66 kB21 April 2026

  • AS 13 – Budget for individual calculations

    (German)

    XLSX52.08 kB21 April 2026

  • AS 14 – Budget for combined calculations with header quota

    (German)

    XLSX53.67 kB21 April 2026

Links

• Consular assistance while abroad (German, French, Italian)
• Federal Act of 26 September 2014 on Swiss Persons and Institutions Abroad (Swiss Abroad Act, SAA, SR 195.1)
• Ordinance of 7 October 2015 on Swiss Persons and Institutions Abroad (Swiss Abroad Ordinance, SAO, SR 195.11)

Documents

• Social assistance for Swiss citizens abroad, directives

  (German)

  PDF603.20 kB21 April 2026

• Social assistance for Swiss citizens temporarily residing in Switzerland – Circular dated February 1, 2020

  (German)

  PDF248.35 kB21 April 2026

• Form AS2-a – Supplement to the circular dated February 1, 2020

  (German)

  PDF662.53 kB21 April 2026

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