Become a Refugee Protection Partner

Your monthly gift is extremely valuable: it allows us to respond rapidly to emergencies and to support refugees, and all the people we protect, over the long term.

On our online donation platform, you can choose from the following recurring payment methods:

• TWINT
• PayPal
• Direct debit (PostFinance direct debit / LSV through your bank)
• Credit card
• Standing order

If you would like to change the amount or frequency of your recurring donation, please contact us and we will update your details.

If you would prefer to make your donation directly at the post office counter or at your bank, please get in touch with our donor relations team.

Simply let us know your postal address and the amount you would like to give. We will be happy to send you a QR-bill by post.

You can download a QR-bill from our online donation platform. The banking details on the QR-bill allow you to make the transfer from your e-banking service or your TWINT app.

You can also make a bank transfer directly to the following account:
IBAN: CH62 0900 0000 1561 7329 8

Unrestricted donations are the most valuable, because they allow UNHCR to help those most in need across every country in crisis — including those that are no longer in the news.

That said, you can also make a donation dedicated to a region or programme close to your heart through our emergency pages.

By making a legacy gift to UNHCR’s work, you ensure that your philanthropic values live on and change the lives of many refugees.

To include UNHCR in your will, you can write your provisions by hand in a holographic will. For the will to be valid, it must name the foundation “Switzerland for UNHCR” and include the date, the place, and your signature. There is no need to add our foundation’s address or account number.

For more information, download our legacy brochure or contact our Donor Relations team.

Yes. Switzerland for UNHCR is a Swiss foundation registered in Geneva. As a donor, you will receive a donation receipt at the beginning of the year following your gift(s), indicating the total amount of your contributions from the previous year to include in your tax return.

Donations to organisations recognised as being of public utility are, in most cantons, eligible for tax deductions. We invite you to check the rules in force in your canton of residence for the exact applicable percentage.

For any question regarding your donation receipt, please get in touch with our donor relations team. We will be happy to send you a new copy.

Please note: your donation receipt includes all gifts made during the previous calendar year. We refer to the bank value date — that is, the date on which the funds arrived in our account. If you made a donation at the end of December, the bank may have processed your payment after 31 December. In that case, the amount will appear on your donation receipt for the following year.

If you have lost your donation receipt, please contact our donor relations team. We will be happy to send you a new copy.

Unfortunately, fraudsters regularly try to exploit the suffering of people forced to flee by asking for money through fake donation pages, letters and other marketing tactics. These scams increase further during humanitarian emergencies.

Here are a few tips to help you recognise an official communication:

• Spelling and grammar: if a communication contains mistakes, it is unlikely to be an official UNHCR communication.
• Banking details: we will never ask you for your banking credentials. Donations to UNHCR or to the Switzerland for UNHCR foundation are made either through secure online payments on our official websites, or through payment slips that clearly display our banking details and address.
• If in doubt: do not make the payment. First contact our donor relations team to confirm that the request genuinely comes from an official UNHCR source.

We use several accounts. This allows us to identify the specific campaign, project or region you want to support with your donation.

If you have any doubt about the authenticity of a donation request, do not make the payment. First contact our donor relations team to confirm that the request genuinely comes from an official UNHCR source.

Our donor relations team is at your disposal to update your contact details, such as your address, phone number or email address. We will confirm the update once it has been made.

As a donor, you will receive information about the impact of your donations in support of refugees. We will also reach out to you in the event of humanitarian emergencies.

Our aim is to keep you informed of our work in support of refugees. If you would like to change or reduce the number and type of communications you receive from us, please contact our donor relations team.

You can subscribe to our newsletter through our website. When a crisis unfolds, you will be among the first to know what is happening on the ground, what humanitarian aid UNHCR is providing, and how you can help save lives.

If you never subscribed to UNHCR mailings, you probably received a donation appeal in the context of a crisis. We source the names and contact details of potential donors from an address list rental provider. You can ask to be removed from our mailing list at any time.

Swiss Post allows many charitable organisations, including the Switzerland for UNHCR foundation, to distribute non-profit mailings. The “no advertising” sticker therefore does not apply to fundraising mailings.

Please note, however, that we do not hold your postal address until you have made a donation to our foundation.