International Options
Educational overview only. This site does not facilitate international MAID travel, act as an agent for any foreign organization, or provide travel logistics for MAID abroad.
Legal disclaimer: International laws change. This summary reflects information available as of April 2026. Non-residents accessing MAID abroad face complex legal, logistical, and financial considerations. Consult a healthcare attorney before acting on any international option. This is educational information, not medical or legal advice.
Switzerland — The Only Non-Resident Option
The only country in the world accepting non-residents for assisted suicide
Switzerland does not have a law explicitly legalizing assisted suicide — rather, it has never passed a law banning it, and the Swiss Criminal Code does not prohibit assisting a death as long as the assisting party acts without self-interested motive. This legal environment has allowed several Swiss non-profit organizations to operate legally for decades.
Switzerland is the only country in the world that accepts non-residents for assisted suicide. All other countries with legal MAID or euthanasia (Canada, Netherlands, Belgium, Spain, Australia, etc.) require citizenship or long-term residency.
Approximate 2024 usage by non-Swiss patients: 200+ per year across Swiss organizations. Roughly 1,000+ people travel to Switzerland annually from around the world; the proportion from the US is small but growing as MAID laws expand awareness.
Swiss organizations accepting non-residents
Dignitas
Schwerzenbach / Zurich region — founded 1998
Annual membership
~CHF 80/year
Full process cost
~CHF 7,500 (~USD 8,200–8,500)
Typical timeline
3–4 months from application
Administration
Self-ingestion (oral)
Process: Written application + medical records → preliminary assessment (CHF ~4,000) → provisional green light → travel to Switzerland → minimum 2 face-to-face consultations with Swiss physicians → prescription → self-administration at a time of the patient's choosing.
Eligibility: Terminal illness, unendurable incapacitating disability, or unbearable and uncontrollable pain; 18+; decision-making capacity; ability to self-administer.
open_in_newdignitas.chPegasos Swiss Association
Basel — founded 2019
Accepts non-residents. Administers medication intravenously (not oral self-ingestion). Accepts applications from people in countries where MAID is not legal. Reported to process applications somewhat faster than Dignitas.
open_in_newpegasos-assisted-dying.comAthanasios
Basel — founded 2025
Newer Swiss organization; limited publicly available process documentation as of April 2026.
Exit International
Australia-based advocacy; Swiss partner relationships
Exit International is primarily an advocacy and information organization for end-of-life choices globally. They have facilitated Swiss connections for non-residents. They also advocate for MAID law changes in Australia and internationally.
open_in_newexitinternational.netPractical and legal considerations for US patients
- No US federal law prohibits a US citizen from traveling to Switzerland for assisted suicide. The act is legal in Switzerland; you are not breaking a US law by traveling there.
- State laws vary; some states have laws broadly worded enough that assisting someone in traveling to Switzerland could create legal exposure for family members or companions — consult a healthcare attorney before traveling.
- Life insurance: check your policy carefully. Some policies have suicide exclusions within the first 1–2 years; after that period, coverage typically applies. Swiss death certificates may describe the cause of death differently than US state laws.
- Total cost including travel, accommodation, and organization fees is typically USD 15,000–20,000+.
- This site does not act as an agent for any Swiss organization or provide travel assistance. The organizations listed above should be contacted directly.
Other countries — residents only
The following countries have legal MAID or euthanasia but require citizenship or long-term residency. Educational overview only.
Canada — Medical Assistance in Dying (MAID)
Legal since 2016, expanded 2021. Most expansive Anglophone program — 13,241+ deaths in 2022 (4%+ of all deaths). Track 1 (natural death reasonably foreseeable) and Track 2 (not foreseeable). Mental illness-only eligibility delayed to March 2027. Canadians only; no non-residents.
Netherlands
Euthanasia and assisted suicide legal since 2002. Includes non-terminal conditions with unbearable suffering; psychiatric grounds permitted. Age 12+ with parental consent under 16. Residents only.
Belgium
Euthanasia legal since 2002. Incurable condition with constant and unbearable suffering; non-terminal permitted; minors permitted with conditions. Residents only.
Spain
Euthanasia and assisted suicide legal since June 2021. Serious and incurable disease or chronic debilitating condition with intolerable suffering. Spanish residents and citizens only.
Australia
Voluntary Assisted Dying (VAD) now legal in all Australian states (2019–2025). Terminal illness with 6–12 month prognosis. State residency required in all jurisdictions.
New Zealand
Assisted dying legal since November 2021. Terminal illness likely to end life within 6 months. Requires NZ citizenship, permanent residence, or 5+ years ordinary residency.
Disclaimer: This page provides educational information about international assisted dying options. This site does not facilitate international MAID, act as an agent for any foreign clinic or organization, provide travel logistics, or provide legal advice about traveling abroad for MAID. Laws change; verify current requirements through the organizations listed or a healthcare attorney. This information is not a recommendation to pursue any particular course of action.
Sources: Dignitas (dignitas.ch), Dying with Dignity Canada, World Population Review, Wikipedia Legality of Euthanasia (April 2026 version), Death with Dignity National Center. Last reviewed April 2026.