Travelling

Asylum seekers have to hand in any identification documents available to the SEM (original). These documents will not be handed out during the asylum procedure and only exceptionally afterwards (unless the person concerned is leaving Switzerland). If travel documents are needed for urgent issues (e.g. funeral, sick family members), a request for special travel documents can be made in person with the cantonal migration authorities (very strict regime ap- plies though). Accordingly, traveling outside of Switzerland is generally not possible for asylum seekers. Doing so nevertheless may lead to the closure of the asylum procedure.

A person having refugee status (B or F) will get a refugee passport upon request (request has to be made with cantonal migration authorities), in addition to the B permit (which is similar to an ID). With the refugee passport, s/he is able to travel within Europe without visa (for 90 days) and to return to Switzerland. The identification documents handed in to the SEM before will not be handed out again though.

 
ATTENTION! Traveling to the home country will lead to the revokation of the refugee status! 

Temporarily admitted foreigners cannot travel for the first three years of their temporary admission (only for urgent reasons they get a travel document as asylum seekers). Afterwards, they can request travel documents which ensure that they can return to Switzerland. Such request has to be made with the cantonal migration authorities in person, the request will then be forwarded to SEM. Again, for people with F, the identification documents deposited with SEM will not be handed out again, unless it is required for urgent reasons (e.g. to get a pass- port from the home country). 

For people with F, contact with the embassy of the country of origin is not critical and may be necessary to get the required documents.

In case of a negative decision, the person in question does not get any documents ("sans papier"). The identification documents by the home country, which have been submitted to SEM, will only be handed out again at the time of (voluntary or forced) return. If the person leaves Switzerland, chances for hardship permits are further reduced - therefore, advise people in these situations not to leave Switzerland in order not to loose this option. 

People who have a refugee passport from an EU/EEA country (e.g. refugee status in Italy) may travel within Switzerland for 90 days with such document. For working, a working permit is required. Certain permits of subsidiary protection of European countries allow for the entry for 90 days as well, see for details https://www.sem.admin.ch/sem/de/home/publiservice/weisungen-kreisschreiben/visa/liste1_staatsangehoerigkeit/leg_visum.html