FAQs
Once someone has signed up for one of Exits' programs, we are available to schedule calls etc.
With the Swiss system, it is always a good idea to plan ahead. After all, a VAD is always an elective matter & you don't have to use the option, but sometimes it is nice to know you have choice.
The only age criteria for a VAD in Switzerland is to be over the age of 18 years. Children are never accepted. In reality most people who chose the Swiss option are in their later years, unless they are very seriously ill.
Yes, Exit can help advise you on flights, flight routes, airports, hotels, transfers & visas (if required). We can meet you at the airport or even travel with you to Switzerland. This is covered under the Friend Program.
Ideally, it is a good idea to start planning as soon as you think you may need a VAD in Switzerland. There is a lot of paperwork to compile & this can take longer than you might think.
It is a good idea to select the clinic & then make an application. We can help you select the clinic that is best suited to your situation. You can always apply to a 2nd or 3rd clinic if you are rejected by the first one.
Yes, refunds are given on a pro-rata basis, taking into account the time the Exit team may have spent advising & administering a VAD application.
Unfortunately, Exit cannot guarantee a green light to any applicant. Why? Because it is not until you have had a consultation with the Clinic doctor that you will 'technically' get the green light. This applies irrespective of which clinic you choose.
Visa information is available from the Swiss Government website at:
https://www.eda.admin.ch/countries/usa/en/home/visa/entry-ch.html
In the UK there is a set of factors devised by the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) that argue against or towards a prosecution. For example, the prosecution of a family member is less likely if the person's desire for an assisted death is a voluntary, clear, settled and informed decision and if the person assisting is motivated only by compassion. If the family member assisting is the beneficiary of the will (a natural enough situation) then special caution must be exercised due to the 'forfeiture rule' (which means one cannot benefit from a crime. Assisting a suicide is a crime in the UK). Legal advice is advised.
No, the Swiss are very strict about who can be helped to die. While a person does not need to be seriously ill, you do need to be:
- over the age of 18 years
- have mental capacity
- be acting of your own volition
- be acting on a long-held, considered decision to end your life.
Many, but not all, people will need to be assessed by a psychiatrist, preferably one registered in Switzerland.
No, there is no expiry date for Exit's AAP. Applicants are invited to take as long as they need to work with Exit on a VAD application to one of the Swiss clinics.
