Menu

OASI/DI outside the EU/EFTA

Anyone who emigrates to a state outside the EU/EFTA area has the option of joining the voluntary OASI/DI scheme.

Voluntary insurance is designed to prevent a situation in which no pension can be paid out at all or a pension can only be paid out on the basis of contributions made during the contribution years in Switzerland covered by compulsory insurance. Failure to pay even one single year’s contribution leads, as a general rule, to a reduction in pension.

To be entitled to join the voluntary insurance scheme, the following three conditions must be met:

Anyone who wishes to join the voluntary OASI insurance scheme should submit their request to the Swiss Compensation Office (SCO) in Geneva. This request must be submitted within one year of leaving the compulsory insurance scheme.

A Swiss citizen living abroad who is admitted to the voluntary insurance scheme is automatically insured both with the OASI and the disability insurance.

When considering whether to join the voluntary OASI/DI insurance scheme, you should bear in mind that legislation on national old age and disability insurance in certain countries makes provision for reductions in pensions when the insured person has other sources of revenue, particularly foreign pensions.

More details and calculation information can be found in the voluntary OASI/DI brochure.

Pension request with residence outside the EU/EFTA

Anyone who is entitled to a pension (OASI at least one full contribution year, DI at least three full contribution years) should submit the request a few months before reaching retirement age (women covered to the age of 64, men to the age of 65).

Information concerning early withdrawal or deferral of the pension can be found in the “Flexible pension withdrawal” leaflet from the OASI/DI information centre.

Requests should be submitted to:

Swiss Compensation Office
Av. Edmond-Vaucher, 18
Case Postale 3100
1211 Geneva 2
Switzerland

Tel. +41(0)58 461 91 11
Fax +41(0)58 461 97 05

Email: sedmaster@zas.admin.ch
Website: www.zas.admin.ch

It is possible to have your pension paid to your residence abroad if this is allowed by the law of the country of residence. Payment is made directly by the Swiss Compensation Office in the currency of the country of residence. The person entitled to the pension may also have it paid into a personal postal giro account or bank account in Switzerland (in CHF).

Please note: you can request a pension calculation forecast based on the contributions you have made to date from the Swiss Compensation Office (SCO) in Geneva. You can arrange this on the SCO website.

top