Published on 1 February 2026

Social assistance for Swiss citizens abroad who are in Switzerland

If you are a Swiss citizen and were living abroad, but have now returned to Switzerland permanently, or you are still living abroad but in Switzerland for a short period of time, the social service office where you are resident or currently staying will be responsible for any social assistance payments.

If a Swiss citizen living abroad returns to Switzerland permanently, the social service office where they are now resident or currently staying will be responsible for any social assistance payments.

In certain circumstances, the social service office in the relevant canton may provide emergency assistance to Swiss nationals who are staying in Switzerland temporarily and are facing financial difficulties which they cannot resolve by their own means or by making their own arrangements.

The federal government will reimburse the costs to the canton concerned provided the following conditions are met:

  • the beneficiary is a ‘Swiss citizen abroad’, as defined in Article 3 let.a of the Swiss Abroad Act (SAA, SR 195.1),
  • the beneficiary has a proven financial need,
  • the canton where the beneficiary is staying has tried to recover the funds from the latter or from third parties, however these efforts have proven unsuccessful (Art. 41 para. 3 Swiss Abroad Ordinance, SAO, SR 195.11).

Documents

Contact

Innovation and Partnerships
Federal Department of Foreign Affairs FDFA
Consular Directorate CD
Effingerstrasse 27
3003 Bern