Welcome
…to living with documents!
This is the electronic form of our document collection, to help you make the transition from living as a sans-papier to living and working with papers in Basel. Bureaucracy is complicated and the language is difficult, too. This folder should help you.
We, who compiled this document, are a working group of the trade union Interprofessionelle Gewerkschaft der Arbeiter:innen IGA and the Contact Point for Sans-Papiers (Anlaufstelle). In twelve chapters you will find answers and useful information.
IGA is a union for precarious workers, i.e., anyone who works without a permanent and secure job. We have founded the „Union of undocumented workers“ and welcome you as a worker without papers to our union.
The Contact Point for Sans-Papiers is a counselling centre for anyone who lives here but does not have residence papers. As soon as you get residence papers, they will help you with the first steps in your new life. But it is important that you start to get information and advice from other places as quickly as possible.
In the working group we have interviewed many former sans-papiers. We asked them what were the biggest problems they faced when starting their new life with papers. Based on their answers, we have designed this folder to help you manage your life with papers well (taxes? insurance? Yikes, all the new obligations!).
We would be happy to receive feedback on our compilation. What has helped you? What is missing? What is too complicated? Where would you like more information? You are welcome to email us at info(a)mitpapieren.ch
With our best wishes! Agnes, Claudia, Irène, Hans-Georg, Roberto, Susy
Important links for people both documented and undocumented
- GGG Migration (Basel-Stadt), free legal and social counselling in 14 languages (make an appointment beforehand)
- Hallo Baselland
- Hallo Aargau
