Switzerland
Regulations on entry, stay, residence, and treatment access for people living with HIV
The categories of restriction are:
- No restrictions on entry or staying.
The types of restriction are:
- No restrictions.
Restrictions on entry to Switzerland
We found no evidence of any official restrictions on entry to Switzerland based on HIV status.
According to UNAIDS and the US Department of State, Switzerland does not have any HIV-related restrictions on entry.
Nothing in the list of documents required to request a visa, available on the website of the Embassy of Switzerland in Washington, suggests an HIV-related restriction on entry.
The Secretariat of Migration of Switzerland states that ‘entry requirements differ according to the citizenship of travellers.’ However, it provides a general list of requirements that ‘citizens of all other countries must meet’ including ‘to pose no risk to public order, domestic security, public health or international relations with a Schengen country.’ It should be noted, however, that Schengen regulations do not contemplate HIV as a condition that poses risk to public health.
Restrictions on short-term stay in Switzerland
We found no evidence of any official restrictions on short-term stay in Switzerland based on HIV status.
According to UNAIDS and the US Department of State, Switzerland does not have any HIV-related restrictions on short-term stay.
The Secretariat of Migration of Switzerland provides a list of supporting documents that should be included with a visa application and none of those documents makes reference to HIV or the general health of the applicant.
The Federal Department of Foreign Affairs FDFA provides a list of supporting documents that should be included with a work visa application and none of those documents makes reference to HIV or the general health of the applicant.
Restrictions on long-term stay in Switzerland
It is unclear whether Switzerland imposes restrictions on short-term stay of people living with HIV.
According to UNAIDS and the US Department of State, Switzerland does not have any HIV-related restrictions on long-term stay.
Residence decision resides within the cantonal office and requirements are, in some cases, subject to approval from the respective cantonal authority. We have no evidence of HIV status being a grounds for refusal.
Historic regulations in Switzerland
In 2004, according to press reports, the authorities responsible for public healthcare planned to introduce mandatory HIV tests for people seeking asylum. After protests by the press and experts, the test remains voluntary.
Treatment access in Switzerland
The following summarises available information on access to healthcare for people living with HIV in Switzerland. However, it is not clear whether non-nationals are able to access this treatment in the same way as nationals.
Non-nationals moving to Switzerland will be confronted with a rather complex health and social insurance system. Access to the basic insurance system is guaranteed by law, regardless of existing pre-conditions. The basic insurance basically covers anything a person living with HIV needs.
Additional information on the types of health insurance is available here, provided by the Swiss AIDS Federation.
There are specialised testing and treatment centres and regional AIDS service organisations all over the country.
Sources
The HIV Justice Network's Global HIV Criminalisation Database
People living with HIV may be criminalised in Switzerland. While there are no HIV-specific laws in force, we are aware of reported prosecutions of alleged HIV ‘exposure’, non-disclosure, and/or transmission under general criminal laws.
Visit the Switzerland page on the Global HIV Criminalisation Database to see more information about known HIV criminalisation laws in this country, an overview of how the laws are used, and any significant advocacy developments.
Share
If you want to refer to this page when travelling and may not have internet access, you can use your browser to Save or Print this page - how you do it will depend on the device and browser you are using.
