Switzerland Embassy Berlin

Before your visit

The Embassy of Switzerland is at Otto-von-Bismarck-Allee 4A in Berlin’s government district, directly next to the Federal Chancellery. The nearest station is Bundestag (U-Bahn line U5), about five minutes away on foot. Berlin Hauptbahnhof is around ten minutes away on foot.

• Security: The embassy is inside the government district. Allow extra time for security checks, and expect road closures on days with state visits or demonstrations.
• Parking: There is very little public parking in the government district. Public transport is the better choice.

About the Embassy of Switzerland in Berlin

The Embassy of Switzerland in Berlin represents the Swiss Confederation in Germany. It looks after political, economic, scientific and cultural relations with Switzerland’s largest neighbour and most important trading partner in Europe.

Its consular section serves Swiss citizens in northern and eastern Germany. Switzerland also has Consulates General in Frankfurt am Main, Munich and Stuttgart, and honorary consuls in Dresden, Düsseldorf, Gutach im Breisgau, Hamburg and Nuremberg.

Which Swiss office is responsible for me?

Swiss consular services in Germany are divided by federal state. Contact the office that covers your place of residence.

The honorary consuls support Swiss citizens in their region but do not issue passports or identity cards.

Consular services

The consular section serves Swiss citizens who live in or travel through its district:

• Swiss passports and identity cards
• Registration of Swiss citizens living abroad
• Civil status matters such as births, marriages, divorces and deaths
• Questions of Swiss citizenship
• Certifications and confirmations
• Help for Swiss citizens in an emergency
• Visas for people who need one to enter Switzerland

General enquiries go to berlin.kanzlei@eda.admin.ch, visa enquiries to berlin.visa@eda.admin.ch.

Documents checklist

Applying for a Swiss passport or identity card

• You must be registered with the Swiss representation that covers your place of residence.
• You submit the application first, online or by phone. You do not start at the counter.
• The representation then invites you to an appointment to record your photo, fingerprints and signature.
• Bring your current passport or identity card to that appointment.
• Children need the consent of their legal guardians.

Registering as a Swiss citizen abroad

• Your Swiss passport or identity card
• Your German registration certificate (Meldebescheinigung)
• The deregistration confirmation from your last Swiss municipality, if you moved from Switzerland

Do I need an appointment?

Yes, for most services. The embassy is open to visitors from 09:00 to 12:00. Biometric data for passports and identity cards is recorded by appointment only, and afternoon visits are arranged by phone. Many matters can be handled by email or post, so contact the consular section before you travel to Berlin.

Visa information

Travelling from Germany to Switzerland

German citizens do not need a visa for Switzerland. A valid passport or identity card is enough. Switzerland belongs to the Schengen area, so there are normally no routine passport checks at the border.

• Customs: Switzerland is not part of the EU customs union. Goods you bring across the border are subject to Swiss customs limits, and spot checks are common.
• Living and working in Switzerland: German citizens who stay longer than three months or take up work need a Swiss residence permit. It is issued by the migration office of the canton, not by the embassy.
• Other nationalities living in Germany: If you hold a valid German residence permit, you can usually visit Switzerland for up to 90 days without a separate visa.

Travelling from Switzerland to Germany

Swiss citizens do not need a visa for Germany. A valid passport or identity card is enough to enter. For stays of more than three months, Swiss citizens register with the local German authorities and receive a residence permit for Swiss nationals.

Other consulates and embassies in Berlin

161 other countries are represented in Berlin, among them: Syria (embassy), Tajikistan (embassy), Tanzania (embassy), Thailand (embassy), Timor-Leste (honorary), Togo (embassy), Tunisia (embassy), Turkmenistan (embassy), Türkiye (consulate general), Türkiye (embassy), Uganda (embassy), Ukraine (embassy), United Arab Emirates (embassy), United Kingdom (embassy), United States (embassy), Uruguay (embassy), Uzbekistan (embassy), Venezuela (embassy), Vietnam (embassy), Yemen (embassy). The full list of all 162 missions is on the overview page for Germany.

Closing days

The embassy is closed on public holidays in Berlin. It may also be closed on 1 August, the Swiss National Day. Check the embassy website before you travel around a holiday.

Emergency assistance

Swiss nationals in Germany

Outside office hours, Swiss citizens can call the Helpline of the Swiss Federal Department of Foreign Affairs (FDFA), which is available around the clock: +41 800 24 7 365 or +41 58 465 33 33. The embassy can issue an emergency passport, assist after an accident, an arrest or a death, and contact relatives. It cannot pay bills, fines or legal fees.

German nationals in Switzerland

The German Embassy in Bern has an emergency number for urgent cases: +41 79 357 93 73 (until 22:00).

Diplomatic missions between Switzerland and Germany

Switzerland in Germany

Measured in a straight line from Berlin, the nearest other Swiss office is the Honorary Consulate in Dresden (about 160 km). Distances in brackets are straight-line distances from Berlin.

• Berlin – Embassy of Switzerland (this page)
• Frankfurt am Main – Consulate General (420 km)
• Munich – Consulate General (500 km)
• Stuttgart – Consulate General (510 km)
• Dresden – Honorary Consulate (160 km) (Saxony)
• Düsseldorf – Honorary Consulate (480 km) (North Rhine-Westphalia)
• Gutach im Breisgau – Honorary Consulate (620 km) (Freiburg administrative district)
• Hamburg – Honorary Consulate (250 km) (Hamburg and Schleswig-Holstein)
• Nuremberg – Honorary Consulate (380 km) (Upper, Middle and Lower Franconia)

Germany in Switzerland

• Bern – German Embassy, also responsible for Liechtenstein
• Basel – Honorary Consulate (Basel-Stadt and Basel-Landschaft)
• Geneva – Honorary Consulate (Geneva, Vaud and Valais)
• Lugano – Honorary Consulate (Graubünden and Ticino)
• Zurich – Honorary Consulate (Zurich and Schwyz)