Asylum Info

Information for asylum seekers
The progressive web app "Asylum-Info" contains information about the asylum procedure, about life in federal asylum centers and in Switzerland. It is designed to help asylum seekers navigate the complex asylum procedure and make information easily accessible.
Client
State Secretariat for Migration
Year
2021
Categories
Progressive Web App, Concept and design, Web development
Links
Image of the Asyl-Info website on a desktop screen and an iPhone

Asylum seekers arriving in Switzerland have to find their way around a largely unfamiliar environment and complex legal procedures. The web app provides relevant information on the asylum procedure, the Federal Asylum Centers (FAC) and life in Switzerland in currently 13 languages, so that asylum seekers have all the information they need at their fingertips during the procedure. Asylum-Info is intended to make it easier for asylum seekers to arrive and find their way around Switzerland and thus make a positive contribution to social coexistence.

Asyl Info in unterschiedlichen Sprachen

Reaching Asylum Seekers

Until now, the State Secretariat for Migration (SEM) provided information to asylum seekers mainly in the form of flyers and leaflets. These documents were primarily distributed upon entry into a federal asylum center. However, studies by the UNHCR (United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees) have shown that only 2 - 3% of refugees are aware of flyers and brochures as a means of communication. In contrast, 75% regularly obtain information via smartphone. The desire to find information online is therefore great. This is also shown by SEM surveys of the target group: ⅔ of respondents want information online - also in video and audio formats. 

Thanks to push messages, asylum seekers can also be reached promptly and comprehensively. With Asyl-Info, the SEM is responding to the need for online communication. In this way, information reaches the target group more easily, more quickly and at lower cost.

Pascal Schwendener, Project Manager SEM

"Thanks to asylum-info.ch, asylum seekers now carry all the info they need on their cell phones, close at hand at all times, and thus navigate safely through Switzerland and the asylum procedure. The information is easy to find and easy to understand thanks to video and audio formats. This is extremely appreciated - by the asylum seekers themselves, by our staff in the asylum centers as well as by the NGOs. Thanks to the web app, we now have a direct line to the asylum seekers, can better understand their information needs and respond to them even better."

Pascal Schwendener, Project Manager SEM

Location-dependent Information 

Information that is specific to a federal asylum center or the services for asylum seekers in this region, such as house rules or the lunch menu, is displayed to users depending on their location. This means that only information that is actually relevant for the users in their location is available.

Implementation in Line with the Target Group

From the very beginning, asylum-info.ch was designed with the target group in mind. The web app is currently available in 13 languages, and thanks to the integrated screen reader, users can have content read aloud to them in their own language. Illustrations and explanatory videos help to illustrate complex topics in a simple way. 

Overview
Sara Weibel
Sara Weibel
Co-Head of Project Management
She manages to finish everything that looked at one time like it would never end. Her forebears once worked on the pyramids at Giza, the Chinese wall and the Eiffel tower.
Rémy Böhler
Rémy Böhler
Head of Web Development
If he wanted to, he could program a website with his little toe while blindfolded... but he doesn’t want to. Our secret weapon when it comes to web development.
Michael Schranz
Michael Schranz
Senior Consultant Strategy & Products
In Michael, superhuman marketing and business know-how are tightly crammed into one person. Two green thumbs and a previous life as a builder make him survivor of the fittest. But careful: he’s not only the master of the art of speed pitching and public speaking but also of the filibuster.
Sophia Villiger
Sophia Villiger
Creative Web Development
Web developer with an eye for detail. There is no Javascript framework she can't control and her curiosity for new things keeps us up to date on web trends even before questions arise on Stackoverflow. With 12 years of experience in coffee-drinking, projects with her are completed even faster.
Benedikt Gottstein
Benedikt Gottstein
Software Testing
He once explored space and the planets, but has since opted for a somewhat less offbeat career: He puts our developments through their paces and makes sure that the test equipment park is always up to date and equipped with the latest gadgets. A little bit of fancy technology is still allowed.
Matthias Tschanz
Matthias Tschanz
Technical Lead Backend Development
Plant power gives him his calmness, strength and height. As well as many programming languages, he also knows a few very potent magic spells that turn people into animals – so watch out!
Maya Walther
Maya Walther
Marketing & Sales, UX-Writing
Highly qualified know-how, pragmatism, efficiency, creativity: she has it all. Fresh texts and new ideas lift our marketing team to the next level.
We just noticed that you surf with Internet Explorer. Unfortunately, our website does not look so nice with it.

You want to know why that is?
We have written about it.

Blog

You need help with the changeover?
Get in touch. We are happy to help

Contact

Install a new browser?
There's lots of choice.

Browser