German nationals in Switzerland, and Swiss residents planning a trip to Germany, can contact the Embassy of Germany in Bern.
Contact Details
| Address | Willadingweg 83, 3006 Bern, Switzerland |
| Telephone | +41 31 359 41 11 |
| Fax | +41 31 359 44 44 |
| info@bern.diplo.de | |
| Website | www.bern.diplo.de |
| Social Media | X |
| Head of Mission | Markus Potzel, Ambassador |
| Consular district | Bern, Lucerne, Uri, Obwalden, Nidwalden, Glarus, Zug, Fribourg, Solothurn, Schaffhausen, Appenzell Ausserrhoden, Appenzell Innerrhoden, St. Gallen, Aargau, Thurgau, Neuchâtel and Jura |
Consular Section
| Telephone | +41 31 359 41 11 +41 31 359 43 43 +41 31 359 43 48 |
| info@bern.diplo.de konsulat@bern.diplo.de |
Opening Hours – Consular Section
| Day | Hours |
|---|---|
| Monday | 08:15 - 12:00 / 13:30 - 16:00 |
| Tuesday | 07:45 - 12:00 / 13:30 - 16:00 |
| Wednesday | 08:15 - 12:00 / 13:30 - 16:00 |
| Thursday | 07:45 - 12:00 / 13:30 - 16:00 |
| Friday | 08:15 - 12:00 |
| Saturday | Closed |
| Sunday | Closed |
Embassy office hours: Monday to Thursday from 08:00 to 12:30 and from 13:30 to 16:30; Friday from 08:00 to 12:30 and from 13:30 to 15:00. Hours may differ on public holidays. Please confirm before your visit.
Location of the Embassy
Before your visit
- Checklist: identity document, completed forms, originals plus one copy of each supporting document.
The embassy and its staff
Ambassador Markus Potzel has headed the embassy since September 2025. According to the Swiss diplomatic list, the embassy has 30 accredited staff members. Its defence attaché works from the embassy. The consular section covers Bern, Lucerne, Uri, Obwalden, Nidwalden, Glarus, Zug, Fribourg, Solothurn, Schaffhausen, Appenzell Ausserrhoden, Appenzell Innerrhoden, St. Gallen, Aargau, Thurgau, Neuchâtel and Jura.
Embassy or honorary consulate?
The consular section of the embassy is responsible for German citizens in Bern, Lucerne, Uri, Obwalden, Nidwalden, Glarus, Zug, Fribourg, Solothurn, Schaffhausen, Appenzell Ausserrhoden, Appenzell Innerrhoden, St. Gallen, Aargau, Thurgau, Neuchâtel and Jura. Four honorary consulates (Basel, Geneva, Lugano and Zurich) can help with information and some formalities.
Documents checklist
What German citizens usually need to bring for the most common requests, based on official German government information:
German passport (application abroad)
- Apply at the German mission for your place of residence – some embassies and consulates do not handle passports, so check its website first
- Personal appearance is required: fingerprints are taken, so postal applications and proxies are not possible
- Biometric passport photos that meet the official requirements
- Application form, fee and appointment booking: see the website of the responsible mission
- Some honorary consuls accept passport applications and forward them for an extra fee
Lost passport – travel document for the return trip
- The consular section can issue a Reiseausweis als Passersatz (passport substitute) for the return to Germany
- It is valid for at most one month
Sources: German Federal Foreign Office – where to apply for a German passport, German Federal Foreign Office – passports and ID cards, German Federal Foreign Office – travel documents (checked October 2026). Requirements and fees can change and individual posts may ask for more – confirm the current list with the embassy before your visit.
Do I need an appointment?
Simple questions can usually be settled by e-mail; personal appearance is needed mainly for passports.
Visa and entry information
For Swiss citizens, the FDFA refers questions about entry rules, accepted travel documents and visas for Germany to this embassy. There is currently no FDFA advice against travel to Germany. See the FDFA travel advice.
Other consulates and embassies in Bern
93 other countries are represented in Bern, among them: Ghana (embassy), Greece (embassy), Holy See (apostolic nunciature), Hungary (embassy), Iceland (honorary), India (embassy), Indonesia (embassy), Iran (embassy), Iraq (embassy), Ireland (embassy), Israel (embassy), Italy (embassy), Japan (embassy), Jordan (embassy), Kazakhstan (embassy), Kenya (embassy), Kosovo (embassy), Kuwait (embassy), North Korea (embassy), South Korea (embassy). The full list of all 94 missions is on the overview page for Switzerland.
Closing days
The embassy is closed on Swiss public holidays and on the German national holiday (3 October). Cantonal holidays in Bern can also affect opening days.
Emergency assistance
Typical cases are a stolen passport before a trip home, a hospital stay or an arrest; legal fees and travel costs remain the citizen’s responsibility. Swiss citizens in trouble in Germany should contact the Swiss Embassy in Berlin (+49 30 390 40 00) – or call the FDFA Helpline on +41 58 465 33 33.
Diplomatic missions between Germany and Switzerland
Germany in Switzerland
Measured in a straight line from Bern, the nearest other German office is the Honorary Consulate in Basel (about 69 km). Distances in brackets are straight-line distances from Bern.
- Bern – Embassy of Germany (this page)
- Basel (69 km) – Honorary Consulate (Basel-Stadt and Basel-Landschaft)
- Geneva (130 km) – Honorary Consulate (Vaud, Valais and Geneva)
- Lugano (160 km) – Honorary Consulate (Graubünden and Ticino)
- Zurich (110 km) – Honorary Consulate (Zurich and Schwyz)
Switzerland in Germany
- Berlin – Swiss Embassy
- Munich – Swiss Consulate General
- Stuttgart – Swiss Consulate General
Frequently asked questions about the Embassy of Germany in Bern
Is it safe for Swiss citizens to travel to Germany?
There is no general FDFA travel warning for Germany; check the current travel advice before you go.
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Details checked on 8 October 2026. Sources: Swiss Federal Department of Foreign Affairs (FDFA) – list of the diplomatic and consular corps in Switzerland, FDFA travel advice for Germany, www.bern.diplo.de. Rules and opening hours can change. Confirm with the embassy before your visit.
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