A Swiss man reportedly exploited a loophole in the country’s new simplified sex-change legislation and registered as a woman so that he could become eligible for a pension a year earlier than it would otherwise be due [1].
From January 1, a ten-minute-long interview and a payment of 75 Swiss francs (about €71) is enough for a person in Switzerland to change their sex on paper. Such procedures as a physical examination and hormonal testing have been eliminated.
In Lucerne, where the retirement age for men is 65 years, compared to 64 for women, and the pensions are generous, one man decided not to wait another year for the money, by simply going and registering as a female with the authorities.
The sex change only occurred on paper, with the claimant later confirming to family and friends that it was done only to speed up the retirement, according to local media reports.