The Information & Communication staff office is the point of contact for all media enquiries on matters in SEM’s field of competence. Enquiries sent directly to SEM staff are forwarded to the media service.
SEM strives to reply to media enquiries as quickly as possible ‒ usually on the same day. However, some enquiries or statistical evaluations may require longer and be subject to a charge.
Freedom of Information Act FoIA
Media representatives may consult official documents which the Federal Administration has not, or not yet, published. Information on procedures and restrictions is available on the website of the Federal Data Protection and Information Commissioner at
Zugang zu amtlichen Dokumenten
(This document is not available in English)
For enquiries to SEM please send an email to medien@sem.admin.ch.
Further links:
Federal asylum centres
The federal asylum centres are not accessible to the public because asylum seekers have an unconditional right to privacy (see Art. 3 of the FDJP’s operating regulations for the management of federal centres and accommodation at airports; this document is not available in English).
SEM organises information events and open house days for the public. It also conducts public tours, or in some cases private tours, of federal asylum centres on request.
Authorised partners and accredited representatives from civil society and religious communities have free access to the federal asylum centres.
Last modification 10.10.2020