FAQ

The Swiss Refugee Council is a non-profit organization based and active in Switzerland that aims to defend the rights and interests of refugees and asylum seekers. As a competence centre and the umbrella organisation of Swiss aid agencies active in the field of asylum, it provides information and trainings for the public as well as background work and coordination for local legal aid services.

The Swiss Refugee Council cannot help people to reach Switzerland and cannot assist or represent individual cases.

The Swiss Refugee Council is also unable to exert any influence on individual ongoing administrative or court proceedings.

No. It is not possible to submit an asylum application in Switzerland from abroad. You can only apply for asylum within Swiss territory or at the border. If you live abroad and wish to enter Switzerland legally to seek protection, you can apply for a humanitarian visa at the Swiss diplomatic representation competent for your country of residence. Unfortunately, we must warn you that it is very difficult to obtain a humanitarian visa, and your chances are thin. For more information, see below.

Please note that the Swiss Refugee Council cannot help people to reach Switzerland and cannot assist or represent individual cases.

You can submit an asylum application either at a border crossing point (including at international airports) or at a federal asylum centre. A list of all federal asylum centres can be found here. It is not possible to submit an asylum application from abroad.

Please note that Switzerland is part of the Dublin system. If you have already sought protection in another EU or EFTA state, that state will be held responsible for your application and you will probably be transferred there from Switzerland. You will find more information on the Dublin procedure below.

If you are already living in Switzerland and would like to discuss the chances of obtaining asylum, you can contact the legal advisory service in your canton of residence (you will find a list here).

Once you have applied for asylum in Switzerland, you will be assigned to one of the six federal asylum centres with procedural functions (Basel, Bern, Boudry, Chiasso, Altstätten, Zurich). Please note that even if you apply in one federal centre, it is possible that you are subsequently assigned to another one.

The State Secretariat for Migration (SEM) will examine your application. First, it will determine whether another EU or EFTA state is responsible for your application, in which case, a Dublin decision will be issued (see below).

If Switzerland is responsible for examining your asylum application, you will be given the opportunity to explain the reasons for your need for protection in one or more personal interviews. Based on these interviews and the evidence you provide, the State Secretariat for Migration (SEM) will examine whether you qualify as a refugee under the Swiss Asylum Act. This usually takes a maximum of 140 days. During this time, you will live in a federal asylum centre. You will find more information on accommodation during the procedure on our website (in French or German).

Every person receives independent and free legal advice and representation during the asylum procedure. The office of your legal representation is in or near the federal asylum centre.

Further information on the asylum procedure in Switzerland can be found on our website.

In Switzerland, there are different forms of protection.

To qualify as a refugee and get asylum, you need to prove that in your native country, you are subject to serious disadvantages such as a threat to life, physical integrity or freedom, or have a well-founded fear of being exposed to such disadvantages, for one of the following reasons: race, religion, nationality, membership of a particular social group or political opinions. The threat must be concrete and targeted at you directly. A general situation of war does not lead to asylum.

If you do not qualify as a refugee but you cannot return to your country of origin because your life would be endangered – for example in case of war or a situation of generalised violence, or if you have severe health problems that cannot be treated in your home country – you will also get protection in Switzerland in the form of a temporary admission.

If you are recognized as a refugee and get asylum, you will get a residence permit (permit B).

If you are granted a temporary admission, you will get a permit F.

In some specific cases, you can also be recognised as a refugee but be denied asylum, in which case you will be considered a temporarily admitted refugee and get a permit F-refugee.

If your asylum application is rejected, you will be granted no permit and will be asked to leave the country.

Depending on the outcome of the procedure and the kind of permit that is issued, you will have different rights in terms of family reunification, travelling or working. The Swiss Refugee Council provides an overview of the different statuses and the rights to which one is entitled with them on its website (see this table).

Every person receives independent and free legal representation in the federal asylum centre during the asylum procedure. If you do not agree with the decision, your legal representative can inform you about further possible steps, for example with regard to lodging an appeal.

If you do not (or no longer) have legal representation, you can seek advice from a cantonal legal advisory service. You can find a list here.

If you do not receive any support from a legal advisory service, you can use the appeal templates on our website to write your appeal yourself in your own language.

Please note the appeal deadline. This is stated at the end of the decision. It is five working days in the Dublin procedure, seven working days in the accelerated procedure and 30 calendar days in the extended procedure.

A humanitarian visa is a specific kind of visa that can be granted by Swiss authorities on humanitarian grounds. To be eligible for a Swiss humanitarian visa, an individual’s life or physical integrity must be directly, seriously, and concretely threatened in his or her home country. Humanitarian visas are issued by the State Secretariat for Migration (SEM), however there is no legal entitlement to the issuance of a visa. Current practice is very restrictive and only a very small number of humanitarian visas are issued each year (in 2022, only 142 humanitarian visas were issued under Art. 4 para. 2 VEV).

For more information on humanitarian visas and the procedure, please see the Information of the Swiss Red Cross: Humanitarian visa: Information | Swiss Red Cross. 

A humanitarian visa can only be issued if the following prerequisites are met:

• The individual’s life and physical integrity is directly, seriously and concretely threatened in their home country.
• The individual is clearly in direct danger and not merely at risk because they belong to a potentially endangered group.
• The individual no longer has any other options and their personal situation requires the urgent intervention of the Swiss authorities.

Other important factors:

• Connection to Switzerland (for example family members residing on Swiss territory)
• Prospects of integration
• Impossibility of seeking protection in another country

Please consider as well that if you apply for a humanitarian visa in a third country (which you might need to do in case there is no Swiss representation in your country of origin) the chances of getting it are even slimmer, since Swiss authorities usually argue that once in a third country you are out of the most immediate danger. Then you have to explain why you cannot stay in that third country.

Applications for humanitarian visas must be submitted in person to a Swiss diplomatic mission or consular post abroad that is entitled to issue visas (Art. 4 para. 2 VEV). A list of Swiss representations is available here.

The Swiss Red Cross provides detailed information on how to apply for humanitarian visas on their website. The first step is booking an appointment by email. Once you are invited for a personal interview, you will have to bring several documents and pieces of evidence as well as a national type D visa application form and a cover letter explaining your situation and the reasons why you are applying.

If you are from Afghanistan, please see the FAQ “Afghanistan: Useful information for people in need of protection” on our website.

There is a possibility to find out in advance whether the application for a humanitarian visa has a chance of being issued. This is particularly useful if there is no Swiss representation in your country and you need to travel abroad to apply for a humanitarian visa. You can request such informal advice on the chances of getting a visa from a Swiss representation or the SEM. This request must be done in writing and be sufficiently substantiated and proven so that a preliminary assessment can be made. You will find more information on this possibility on this fact sheet provided by the SEM.

The Dublin system aims to ensure that only one European state examines an asylum application, providing detailed regulations to determine which Dublin member state is responsible for conducting the procedure. Switzerland is part of the Dublin system since 2008.

The criteria for establishing responsibility include the presence of family members in a Member State, the possession of visa or residence permit in a Member State, and the fact of having entered the Dublin area irregularly (in which case, the first country of arrival will be considered responsible for the asylum application).

For more information, see the FAQ on SEM website or this video provided by the EUAA.

If you apply for asylum in Switzerland, Swiss authorities will first examine which Dublin country is responsible for processing your asylum application. If another country is deemed responsible (for example, if you have already been registered or have submitted an asylum application in another country), the SEM will issue a Dublin dismissal decision (NEE/NEM) and you will be transferred to the country responsible. In these cases, the Swiss asylum authority SEM does not deal with the reasons why you left your home country. This is then the task of the asylum authority of the country responsible for your asylum procedure.

A dismissal decision is also made if you can return to a so-called safe third country (a non-EU/EFTA country) (e.g. because you have got asylum there).

A Dublin procedure involves the following steps: The SEM conducts an interview (in particular on the travel route and family relations) and compares the fingerprints with the central Eurodac fingerprint database. This makes it possible to determine whether a person has already been registered in another Dublin country.

After the Dublin interview, the SEM decides whether the asylum application must be examined in Switzerland. If another European state is deemed responsible for this examination, a request is made to accept the person. If the other state is disposed to examine the asylum application or does not respond to the request within a certain period of time, that state becomes responsible for examining the asylum application. The SEM issues a so-called dismissal decision (NEE/NEM). As a rule, Switzerland has six months to carry out a transfer.

In certain cases, Switzerland can declare itself responsible on humanitarian grounds and take over the examination of the asylum application (so-called sovereignty clause). If the person is at risk of inhuman or degrading treatment in the other Dublin country due to systemic failures, Switzerland must examine the application itself.

If Switzerland makes a dismissal decision (NEE/NEM), the person concerned will be transferred to the Dublin state responsible for examining the application. An appeal against the Dublin dismissal decision can be lodged with the Federal Administrative Court within 5 days.

If you do not agree with the decision, your legal representative can advise you on the further possible steps, for example with regard to filing an appeal. If you no longer have a legal representative (resignation of mandate), you can seek advice from another legal advisory service. You will find a list here. Please note: the deadline for lodging an appeal is 5 working days.

Please be aware that statistically, few appeals are approved by the Federal Administrative Court and that the appeal might have as a consequence the extension of the deadline for executing the transfer. This is because in most cases the Federal Administrative Court will order that you may not be transferred to the other country during the appeal proceedings (suspensive effect). However, this also means that if the appeal is rejected, the six-month deadline for the transfer will start again from the beginning.

The deadline for the transfer (meaning that you are brought to the responsible Dublin state) is normally 6 months from the time of the other state's consent. If you file an appeal, the start date of the deadline can be postponed. You will be informed of this by your legal representative. Your whereabouts must be known to the authorities at all times. If you go into hiding or the authorities do not know your whereabouts, the deadline for the transfer can be extended to a maximum of 18 months.

If the deadline has expired and you are still in Switzerland, the SEM will be responsible for processing your asylum application. This means that the national asylum procedure will be initiated. You will be interviewed in Switzerland about your reasons for asylum (reasons why you left your home country).

If you are looking for support in another country, you will find the ELENA-Index very useful. For certain Dublin Countries, you’ll find information and contacts points in this publications from Raphaelswerk: Dublin Verordnung - Raphaelswerk e.V. Dublin-Verordnung Infoblätter.

If you are looking for information on the procedure in another Dublin Country, you will find a lot of information in English in the regarding AIDA-reports: Home - Asylum Information Database | European Council on Refugees and Exiles.

Reports and statements of the Swiss Refugee Council regarding certain Dublin Countries can be found here: Dublinländer und sichere Drittstaaten.

Recognised refugees who have been granted asylum may have their family members (spouse, registered partner and children under 18 years of age) join them in Switzerland. These family members will be recognised as refugees and granted asylum provided that the family was already living together before the flight and that there are no special circumstances preventing it (Art. 51 AsylA). If the family was only formed after the flight, family reunification under immigration law is possible in accordance with Art. 44 FNIA if the relevant criteria are met.

More information on family reunification can be found on the website of the Swiss Red Cross.

Temporarily admitted refugees and temporarily admitted foreign nationals can submit an application for family reunification to the cantonal migration authorities at the earliest 18 months after being granted temporary admission. To be eligible for family reunification, the family must live together in the same household, have suitable accommodation, not be dependent on social assistance and be able to communicate in the national language spoken at the place of residence. The legal basis is Art. 85c FNIA.

Important: The deadlines must be observed. The application for spouses and minor children under the age of 12 must be submitted within five years. If the application concerns children over the age of twelve, it must be submitted within twelve months (Art. 74 para. 3 VZAE). If a child turns twelve before the application for family reunification is submitted, the time limit of one year applies from this point in time.

If the conditions are not met, there is the possibility of applying for a humanitarian visa, although the chances of obtaining such a visa are slim. See above for more information.

The legal advisory services for asylum seekers can support you with your application. If your legal advisory service is unable to help you, you can contact the Swiss Red Cross Family Reunification Centre.

As a recognised refugee, you can apply for a travel document for refugees at the migration office in your canton of residence. This allows you to travel abroad and back to Switzerland. To apply, you must go to the office in person. The travel document is issued by the SEM and is usually valid for five years. You can find more information on the SEM website (in French or in German).

Please note: The travel document for refugees does not automatically authorise entry into other countries. Entry to countries within the Schengen area for tourism purposes is generally possible without a visa for a period of up to three months. A visa may be required to enter other countries.

No. The travel document for refugees does not authorise entry into the home country or country of origin. If a recognised refugee or a temporarily admitted refugee travels to their home country or country of origin, their refugee status may be revoked.

As a temporarily admitted person, you cannot travel freely. In justified cases (e.g. serious illness or death of family members), you can go to the cantonal migration office in person and apply for a return visa. If you are unable to obtain a passport from your home country, you can apply for a travel document for a foreign person that allows you to travel on the basis of Art. 10 RDV. This may only be used for the authorised journey. However, the practice regarding the issuing of travel documents for foreign nationals due to the impossibility or unreasonableness of obtaining a passport is very restrictive.

You can contact a legal advisory service for asylum seekers in your canton for more information and assistance with your application. You can find a list here.

The Swiss Refugee Council provides an overview of the most important rights (including the right to travel abroad) sorted by status here (pdf-table available in French or German).

The Swiss Refugee Council is only competent for questions regarding the asylum system that is for people coming to Switzerland to seek international protection.

If you want to move to Switzerland to work, please find more information on the website of the State Secretariat for Migration SEM (see also the FAQ on this topic provided by SEM).

You are not allowed to work during your stay in a federal asylum centre. The ban on working ends when you are assigned to a canton. However, as a non-EU/EFTA national, you may only work in Switzerland during the asylum procedure (N permit) under certain conditions. Your future employer must show that it is in Switzerland's economic interest to employ you and that they have been unable to find suitable staff on the Swiss and EU/EFTA labour markets.

Recognised refugees with asylum in Switzerland (B permit) are allowed to work, be employed or self-employed, anywhere in Switzerland. The competent cantonal authorities in the canton where the person is working must be notified when a person starts or leaves a job. The employer can notify the employment via the EasyGov.swiss online counter. More information here.

Temporarily admitted persons (F permit) and refugees are allowed to work, be employed or self-employed, anywhere in Switzerland. The competent cantonal authorities in the canton where the person is working must be notified when a person starts or leaves a job. The employer can notify the employment via the EasyGov.swiss online counter. More information here.

The Swiss Refugee Council provides an overview of the most important rights (including the right to work) sorted by status here (pdf-table available in French or German).

Recognised refugees are entitled to a change of canton if they are not unemployed and there are no grounds for revocation under Article 62 FNIA (e.g. dependence on social assistance or significant or repeated offences against public safety and order).

Applications to change canton must be submitted to the cantonal migration authorities in the canton of the intended future place of residence.

Temporarily admitted refugees are entitled to a change of canton if they are not unemployed and there are no grounds for revocation under Article 62 FNIA (e.g. dependence on social assistance or significant or repeated offences against public safety and order). There is also an entitlement in the event of separation of the nuclear family or if there is a serious risk to the health of the person concerned or other persons (cf. Art. 85b FNIA and 67a VZAE).

The request to change canton must be submitted to the SEM, which makes the final decision after hearing the cantons concerned.

Temporarily admitted persons with an F permit are entitled to a change of canton if they are independent of social assistance and they have been employed for at least 12 months or it is unreasonable to expect them to remain in their canton of residence due to the commute or working hours. There is also an entitlement in the event of separation of the nuclear family or if there is a serious risk to the health of the person concerned or other persons (cf. Art. 85b FNIA and 67a VZAE).

The request to change canton must be submitted to the SEM, which makes the final decision after hearing the cantons concerned.

If you need support, you can find a list of cantonal legal advisory services that can assist you with your application here.

No. In Switzerland there is no right to choose the canton of allocation for asylum seekers. However, you can express your wishes regarding the canton of allocation during your stay at the federal asylum centre. These will be taken into account wherever possible. Please note that you should state these wishes together with a good reason (e.g. presence of family members) as early as possible.

This is usually not possible, besides in exceptional cases. The SEM can only agree to a cantonal request made during the asylum procedure if the family is entitled to family unity, if the asylum seeker is at serious risk or if there is a relationship of dependency (cf. Art. 27 AsylA). Other constellations require the consent of the cantons concerned.

The Swiss Refugee Council provides an overview of the most important rights (including the right to change canton of residence) sorted by status here (pdf-table available in French or German).

The federal government's programme for the promotion of integration is aimed at “foreign nationals who are lawfully resident in Switzerland for the longer term" (Art. 4 para. 2 FNIA). In the area of asylum, recognised refugees, temporarily admitted foreign nationals and refugees are supported with targeted measures to ensure that they are integrated into the labour market, education and society as quickly and sustainably as possible. The federal government and cantons have jointly developed the Swiss Integration Agenda for this purpose. The cantons are responsible for implementing the agenda. The federal government provides an integration allowance of CHF 18,000 per person. Integration support is implemented through the cantonal integration programmes (KIP/PIC).

No financial resources are paid out for asylum seekers during their asylum procedure. Although they can also be supported, they are not part of the primary target group of the Swiss Integration Agenda.

The addresses and websites of the cantonal and municipal contact points for integration can be found here. The KIP/PIC website can be found here.

You can also find more information on asylum and integration on our website (in French or German).

If you have an F permit, you can apply for a residence permit based on Art. 84 para. 5 of the Foreign Nationals and Integration Act (FNIA) in conjunction with Art. 30 para. 1 lit. b FNIA (change from F to B). Whether the application is approved depends on various criteria, in particular professional and private integration, the existence of a dependency on social assistance, family circumstances and the reasonableness of a return to the home country.

You must submit your application to the cantonal migration authority in your canton. The approval of both the canton and the SEM is required. You can find a list of the cantonal migration authorities here.

In the case of a hardship application, the authorities require the person to "disclose their identity", i.e. to submit identity documents. In practice, a passport is usually required. Exceptions can be made, but only in special cases where the person can prove that it is impossible for them to obtain papers. You must therefore be able to prove that you have been to a representative office and have done everything possible to obtain travel documents. Unfortunately, the authorities will not accept the argument that you are afraid and/or at risk at the embassy, unless you have been recognised as a refugee.

You can contact a legal advisory service for asylum seekers in your canton for more information and assistance with your application. You can find a list here.

If your asylum application has just been rejected, you might still be able to appeal against the negative decision. For more details see above.

If your appeal was rejected or you missed the deadline for appealing, you will be considered a rejected asylum seeker and must leave Switzerland. Cantonal authorities are in charge of enforcing your removal from Swiss territory and will summon you for discussing the details of your departure.

If you are willing to accept to return to your home country, you might still benefit from some return assistance depending on your nationality and specific situation. Here you will find more information provided by the SEM on Return Assistance and a list of the cantonal return advice offices. The International Organisation of Migration is also active in this field (information in German and French).

Under certain circumstances, cantonal authorities are allowed to use measures of constraint to enforce deportation. This includes pre-removal detention.

Asylex provides legal counselling to persons in immigration detention. You can contact them at this email address: asylex@detention.ch.

If you are in a Dublin procedure and have been placed in administrative detention, you can apply to have the legality of your detention reviewed. You will find here a template for this purpose that you can fill out and submit to the detention centre: Detention review request template.

In principle, the Asylum Act provides for the possibility of regularising the stay of rejected asylum seekers by means of a so-called hardship application after 5 years at the earliest (Art. 14 para. 2 AsylA). The general prerequisite for this is that a return to the home country can no longer be reasonably expected due to very good integration in Switzerland (also in comparison to other, "averagely" integrated persons). Specifically, at least the following criteria must be met (in brackets, how the corresponding point can/must be proven):

• At least five years of residence in Switzerland;
• The place of residence was always known to the Swiss authorities (no "absconding");
• "Advanced integration", i.e.
  • No criminal record entries; exceptions can be made for offences under "immigration law" such as illegal residence or similar (extract from criminal record);
  • If possible, no entries in the debt enforcement register (extract from the debt enforcement register);
  • Good language skills (certificates/course confirmations);
  • Participation in economic life; in the case of undocumented migrants, it is sufficient if you can provide confirmation of future employment (confirmation of employment)
  • Further integration, e.g. membership of an association, voluntary work, friends in Switzerland, etc. (confirmation of membership, letter of reference, etc.)

Such an application must be submitted to the cantonal migration office at the migrant’s place of residence. If the migration office is willing to issue a permit, it forwards the application to the State Secretariat for Migration (SEM).

The practice for issuing permits differs from canton to canton, but is generally quite strict. In 2023, a total of 284 permits were issued based on Art. 14 para. 2 AsylA. The official statistics per canton can be found on this website (in French or German).

If the situation in your country of origin has significantly changed, if you have new reasons for claiming protection (for example a new threat targeting you) or if you have got new pieces of evidence sustaining your asylum claim, you might ask Swiss authorities to reexamine your case. Such request must be done in writing. In order to evaluate the possibility of submitting such demand, please contact your (former) legal representation or a legal consultation office from this list.

Contact points and information for migrants without residence status can be found here.

The Swiss Refugee Council is only competent for questions regarding the asylum system, that is for people coming to Switzerland to seek international protection.

If you want to enter Switzerland as a tourist, for example to visit family members residing here, you need to request a “C Visa” at a Swiss embassy or at a consular office competent for visa issuance. The visa is valid for the whole Schengen area and for a maximum of 90 days. In order to get a visa, you need to provide evidence that you will return to your country of residence before your visa expires.

You will find more detailed information on the website of the State Secretariat for Migration as well as here: Tourist visa for entering Switzerland.

Have a look at this link to find out if you need a visa according to your nationality: Overview of ID and visa provisions according to nationality*.

The Swiss Refugee Council is only competent for questions regarding the asylum system, that is for people coming to Switzerland to seek international protection.

To be able to study in Switzerland, you need confirmation of admission issued by the educational establishment you have chosen. With this document, depending on your nationality, you can apply for a residence permit in a canton or submit a visa application to the Swiss representation responsible for your place of residence.

You will find more information here: Visa & Permits - study in switzerland+

Have a look at this link to find out if you do need a visa according to your nationality: Overview of ID and visa provisions according to nationality*.

The Swiss Refugee Council is only competent for questions regarding the asylum system that is for people coming to Switzerland to seek international protection.

As a national of a non-EU/EFTA country, you can only be authorised to work in Switzerland under certain conditions. Your future employer must demonstrate that your employment is in the country's economic interests and that he or she has been unable to recruit the necessary staff on the Swiss labour market or on that of EU/EFTA member countries.

In Switzerland, it is up to your future employer to take the necessary steps to obtain a work permit from the cantonal migration or labour market authorities.

If you want to move to Switzerland to work, please find more information on the website of the State Secretariat for Migration SEM (see also the FAQ on this topic provided by SEM).

A stateless person is a person who is not recognised as a national by any state under its laws. Stateless persons therefore have no nationality and are particularly vulnerable.

An application for recognition of statelessness can be submitted in writing to the SEM. It must contain specific reasons and the available evidence.

It cannot be ruled out that a stateless person also fulfils refugee status. An application for recognition of statelessness submitted during a pending asylum procedure is generally suspended until a legally binding asylum decision is made, provided that instruction measures in connection with identity are necessary.

If a person is recognised as stateless based on the Convention, they are entitled to a residence permit in Switzerland (B permit). In terms of personal status and residence, recognised stateless persons are treated in the same way as refugees with asylum recognised under the 1951 Refugee Convention. Upon application, recognised stateless persons are issued a Swiss travel document.

You can find more information on statelessness on our website (in French or German) and on the SEM website.

Please find helpful information for people from Ukraine seeking protection here: Ukraine: Helpful information for people seeking protection

Please find helpful information for people from Afghanistan seeking protection here: Afghanistan: Useful information for people in need of protection

You can find more information on the asylum procedure on our website as well as on the website of the State Secretariat for Migration. The SEM has also developed an App available in several languages: Information for asylum seekers | Asylum Info. In addition, UNHCR provides a Help page in English for refugees and asylum seekers in Switzerland.

You can also download the Sui app developed by the Swiss Red Cross. The app provides information on everyday topics (including the asylum procedure) as well as online psychosocial support from trained counsellors (currently in German and Arabic and soon available in other languages).

The AIDA Switzerland report, drafted in English by the Swiss Refugee Council and updated every year, provides detailed information on the asylum system, including the legal grounds, the practice of the Swiss Secretariat for Migration and Federal Administrative Court, and yearly statistics.

The texts of the most important legal bases can be found on our website (in French or German).

The Swiss Refugee Council publishes several reports on the situation in the countries of origin. These can be very useful for legal representatives of asylum seekers, especially to prepare an appeal. You will find all the reports published on our website. Other reports can be found at refworld.org.

Some of the information and reports on which the SEM bases its decision is available on their website.

If you need a personal consultation, you can contact one of the legal advisory services active in your canton of residence. You will find a list here. If you are still in a federal asylum centre, you will find the list of the legal protection units here.

You will find more lists of advice centres in Switzerland on the website of the Schweizerische Konferenz für Sozialhilfe SKOS (French version here).

If you are looking for support in another European country, you will find the ELENA-Index very useful.