Social security: staff and family members

The Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations (VCDR) and the Vienna Convention on Consular Relations (VCCR) establish the general principle of exemption from social security provisions in effect in the receiving state.

This applies to the following persons:

• heads of mission with legitimation card type B
• career heads of consular post with legitimation card type KB
• diplomatic staff with legitimation card type KC
• career consular officers with legitimation card type KC
• administrative and technical staff with legitimation card type D
• career consular employees with legitimation card type KD
• service staff (transferable) with legitimation card types E or KE (NB: see information under 'Local staff' regarding non-transferable service staff with legitimation card types E or KE)
• same status family members with a legitimation card of the same type 

The persons set out above are not subject to old-age and survivors' pension (OASI) and invalidity (IV), loss of earnings (EO), unemployment insurance (UI), family allowances and occupational pension schemes. They are not permitted to join such schemes even on a voluntary basis (Arts 33 and 37 VCDR, 48 VCCR and Art. 1a para. 2 letter a of the Federal Act on Old-Age and Survivors' Insurance (OASIA)).

The persons set out above who hold a type B, KB, C or KC legitimation card do not have accident insurance cover.

The persons set out above who hold a type C, KC, D, KD, E or KE legitimation card can only obtain accident cover if the diplomatic mission or consular post employing them submits a request to the Federal Office of Public Health (BAG-Unfallversicherung@bag.admin.ch) and agrees to meet the legal obligations applying to employers (for example, paying the employer's share of contributions) (Art. 3 para. 3 of the Accident Insurance Ordinance (AIO)).

The persons set out above are not required to take out health insurance (Art. 6 para. 1 of the Health Insurance Ordinance (HIO)).

However, they may opt in to health insurance cover on a voluntary basis. Article 7 paragraph 6 of the HIO provides that persons wishing to opt in to Swiss health insurance cover must do so within six months of receiving their legitimation card. Requests for insurance cover on a voluntary basis must be submitted to the cantonal authority where the person lives.

In such cases, the cover will take effect retrospectively, i.e. from the date on which the legitimation card was received, and will expire when the person either leaves their post in Switzerland, opts out of the insurance scheme, or passes away. If the person decides to opt out, a new application cannot be made unless there is a special reason. 

The information below applies to family members who are gainfully employed in Switzerland and hold a Ci permit. It does not apply to temporary secondments under an international social security agreement (cf. FSIO, Posted workers). 

The persons set out above are required to pay compulsory old-age and survivors' pension (OASI), invalidity (IV), loss of earnings (EO), unemployment insurance (UI), family allowance and occupational pension contributions.

They are also liable to pay compulsory accident insurance contributions.

The aforementioned persons are not required to take out health insurance, with the exception of EU, European Free Trade Association (EFTA) and UK nationals who are required to take out health insurance under the Swiss-EU Agreement on the Free Movement of Persons, the EFTA Convention and the Convention on Social Security Coordination between Switzerland and the United Kingdom.

Further information on the rules applying to family members with a Ci permit is available at www.fdfa.admin.ch > Foreign policy > Diplomacy > Diplomatic and consular privileges and immunities regime in Switzerland > Residence in Switzerland.