Swiss Review 5/2020

Swiss Review / September 2020 / No.5 27 Can I make retroactive OASI payments after re- turning to Switzerland? Question: “I have been living in Japan over the last fewyears and have not made any payments into the old-age and survivors’ in- surance scheme (OASI) during this time. Is it possible to make retroactive payments for these missing years once I return to Switzerland?” Answer: Unfortunately, you cannot make retroactive pay- ments for the years youmissedwhile youwere abroad. You have the option ofmaking retroactive payments dating back up to five years, but only if you were subject to OASI contri- butions (i.e. essentially domiciled in Switzerland) during that period. Barring certain exceptions, people living abroad are not subject to OASI contributions and therefore cannot make retroactive payments for the years that theymiss.We there- fore recommend that you contact your cantonal compen- sation office for further details before leaving Switzerland. It is also worth making prior arrangements to accrue pen- sion assets – either by taking out voluntary OASI with the Swiss CompensationOffice inGeneva (seewww.zas.admin. ch > Swiss Compensation Office SCO) or by taking out pri- vate insurance. This information does not apply to people who return to Switzerland after being domiciled in an EU/EFTA coun- try. Anyone living in the EU/EFTA will have been covered by social security in their host country and therefore can- not make any retroactive OASI payments. OSA LEGAL DEPARTMENT The OSA’s Legal Service provides general legal information on Swiss law, particularly in areas which concern the Swiss Abroad. It does not provide information on foreign law or intervene in disputes between private parties. Lasting memories Have you ever been at a camp for young Swiss Abroad? If so, we invite you to share your fondest memories with us. Unfortunately, all the camps for young Swiss Abroad have had to be post- poned this year.We have therefore de- cided to take a trip downmemory lane before welcoming young people from the “Fifth Switzerland” to their native country for more unforgettable expe- riences in 2021. We are currently sift- ing through the archive and choosing the best images fromour photo collec- tion – as we look forward to many more great camps in future. Pictures and memories have en- during value. If you or a member of your family have already been on a camp run by the Organisation of the Swiss Abroad (OSA) or the Foundation for Young Swiss Abroad (FYSA), then you will probably have your own pho- tos and reminiscences. We invite you to sharewith us yourmemories of the best, funniest and most moving mo- ments. Maybe there are anecdotes and experiences that you particularly re- member from your time at one of our camps. And if you have any good pho- tos, please share themwith us too.We hope to post a selection of photos from past camps on socialmedia (our camps date back as far as the 1930s). In addi- tion, we intend to publish the best camp-related stories in anonymised form as part of a dedicated series in the OSA newsletter and on the www.aso.ch and www.sjas.ch web- sites. Please send your photos and anecdotes to memories@aso.ch or memories@sjas.ch. If you would also kindly indicate the year and location to which they refer, it will help us to place them in context. (MB/LR) Memories of the 1942 camp – young Swiss Abroad trying their hand at winter sports in Engelberg Photo: newspaper cutting Gerda Brunner and a group of other children from the “Fifth Switzer- land” on holiday in Swit- zerland in July 1937 Photo: FYSA archive IMPRINT: “Swiss Review”, the magazine for the Swiss Abroad, is in its 46 th year of publication and is published in German, French, English and Spanish in 14 regional editions. It has a total circulation of 418,000, including 235,000 electronic copies. Regional news appears four times a year. The ordering parties are fully responsible for the content of advertisements and promotional inserts. This content does not necessarily represent the opinion of either the editorial office or the publisher. EDITORS: Marc Lettau (MUL), Editor-in-Chief; Stéphane Herzog (SH); Theodora Peter (TP); Susanne Wenger (SWE); Simone Flubacher (SF), responsible for “news.admin.ch” , Relations with the Swiss Abroad, FDFA, 3003 Berne, Switzerland EDITORIAL ASSISTANT: Sandra Krebs TRANSLATION: SwissGlobal Language Services AG; LAYOUT: Joseph Haas, Zürich; PRINT: Vogt-Schild Druck AG, 4552 Derendingen POSTAL ADDRESS: Publisher, editorial office, advertising: Organisation of the Swiss Abroad, Alpenstrasse 26, 3006 Berne, Tel.: +41313566110, Fax: +41313566101, Postal account (Swiss National Giro): 30-6768-9. Email: revue@aso.ch COPY DEADLINE for this edition: 30 July 2020 All Swiss Abroad who are registered with a Swiss representation receive the magazine free of charge. Anyone else can subscribe to the magazine for an annual fee (Switzerland: CHF 30 / abroad: CHF 50). Subscribers are sent the magazine direct from Berne. www.revue.ch CHANGE OF ADDRESS: Please advise your local embassy or consulate. Do not write to the editorial office in Berne.