Switzerland will fast track visa procedure for earthquake victims
Keystone / Erdem Sahin
The Swiss government will give priority to processing visa applications from victims of the earthquake in Turkey and Syria who can be temporarily hosted by close relatives in Switzerland.
This content was published on
1 minute
Keystone-SDA/ac
Italiano
it
La Svizzera accelera la procedura di rilascio dei visti per le vittime del terremoto
A valid visa is still required for entry, with some exceptions. Victims whose homes have been destroyed will also have to invoke urgent medical reasons to benefit from an accelerated procedure, according to the Swiss State Secretariat for Migration.
A “fast-track” form was available to interested persons at the Swiss representation in Istanbul. The procedures for granting visas will continue to be in accordance with Schengen law.
Additional staff will be sent to Turkey to help the Swiss Consulate General in Istanbul process visa applications. The goal is to ensure that visa applications from earthquake victims with close relatives in Switzerland can be processed quickly.
The Swiss authorities are in close contact with their Turkish counterparts to facilitate the procedures, in particular the rapid issue of a rescue passport. Coordination is also in place with the European Union (EU).
How is your country dealing with the return of stolen artifacts?
Western nations like Switzerland often have to deal with the process of recovering or returning looted artifacts which have been illegally imported. What’s the situation like in your country?
What do you think Switzerland’s Alain Berset can bring to the Council of Europe?
The former interior minister is to become the first Swiss Secretary General of the Council of Europe – which issues should his five-year term focus on?
Sylvain Saudan, ‘skier of the impossible’, dies aged 87
This content was published on
The Swiss father of extreme skiing pioneered descents from the Alps to the Himalayas – and became the sport’s first star.
Hayek family buys additional Swatch shares for nearly CHF11 million
This content was published on
Following the acquisition of registered shares worth over CHF20.6 million on Monday, the Hayek family made another purchase on Tuesday.
Suicide capsule to be used in Switzerland this year, says euthanasia organisation
This content was published on
The organisation “The Last Resort” has confirmed that the suicide capsule Sarco is to be used in Switzerland. This should happen this year, it said.
Ukrainian children flown to Switzerland for cancer treatment
This content was published on
The Swiss air rescue service Rega flew two Ukrainian children with cancer to Switzerland from a hospital in Kyiv hit by Russian missiles.
Swiss Solidarity raises over CHF10 million for victims of extreme weather
This content was published on
The money raised will be used to help those affected by the recent storms and flooding in the cantons of Ticino, Graubünden, and Valais.
Swiss giant Roche given green light for lung cancer drug in Canada
This content was published on
According to a recent study, Roche’s Alecensaro reduced the risk of recurrence or death by 76% compared to chemotherapy alone.
Swiss luxury watch market hit hard by China-led slump
This content was published on
Sales of Swiss-made luxury watches are in sharp retreat as nervous consumers reconsider splashing out on expensive timepieces and demand slumps.
You can find an overview of ongoing debates with our journalists here . Please join us!
If you want to start a conversation about a topic raised in this article or want to report factual errors, email us at english@swissinfo.ch.