The Embassy of the United Kingdom in Bern represents the United Kingdom in Switzerland. Its consular section serves British citizens throughout Switzerland.
Contact Details
| Address | Thunstrasse 50, 3005 Bern, Switzerland |
| Telephone | +41 31 359 77 00 |
| Fax | +41 31 359 77 69 |
| info.berne@fcdo.gov.uk | |
| Website | www.gov.uk/world/switzerland |
| Social Media | Facebook · X · YouTube |
| Head of Mission | James William Squire, Ambassador |
Opening Hours
| Day | Hours |
|---|---|
| Monday | 09:00 - 12:30 / 13:30 - 16:30 |
| Tuesday | 09:00 - 12:30 / 13:30 - 16:30 |
| Wednesday | 09:00 - 12:30 / 13:30 - 16:30 |
| Thursday | 09:00 - 12:30 / 13:30 - 16:30 |
| Friday | 09:00 - 12:30 / 13:30 - 16:30 |
| Saturday | Closed |
| Sunday | Closed |
Hours may differ on public holidays. Please confirm before your visit.
Location of the Embassy
The embassy and its staff
James William Squire has served as British ambassador to Switzerland since January 2023. According to the Swiss diplomatic list, the embassy has 14 accredited staff members.
Documents checklist
The most frequent applications and the documents the British authorities ask for:
Renewing a British passport from abroad
- British embassies and consulates do not issue passports – apply online with HM Passport Office on GOV.UK
- Your old passport, which you send with the application
- A digital photo
- A credit or debit card for the fee
- Any valid passports you hold from another country (the passport or a colour copy of every page)
Emergency travel document
- For British nationals outside the UK who need to travel within 6 weeks
- Your passport is lost, stolen, damaged, full or recently expired, or you cannot renew it in time
- Usually valid for a single or return journey through up to 5 countries
- Apply online on GOV.UK
Sources: GOV.UK – renew or apply for a British passport from overseas, GOV.UK – emergency travel document (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.
Visa and entry information
For Swiss citizens, the FDFA refers questions about entry rules, accepted travel documents and visas for the United Kingdom to this embassy. The FDFA has no general travel warning for the United Kingdom. See the FDFA travel advice.
Other consulates and embassies in Bern
93 other countries are represented in Bern, among them: Albania (embassy), Algeria (embassy), Angola (embassy), Argentina (embassy), Armenia (embassy), Australia (embassy), Austria (embassy), Azerbaijan (embassy), Belarus (embassy), Belgium (embassy), Bosnia and Herzegovina (embassy), Brazil (embassy), Bulgaria (embassy), Cameroon (embassy), Canada (embassy), Chile (embassy), United States (embassy), Uruguay (embassy), Venezuela (embassy), Vietnam (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 British national holiday (18 June). Religious holidays observed in the United Kingdom may lead to further closures.
Emergency assistance
In serious cases – an accident, a death abroad or a detention – the consular section can advise relatives and liaise with the authorities. In the other direction, Swiss nationals in the United Kingdom can turn to the Swiss Embassy in London (+44 20 7616 6000); the FDFA Helpline answers on +41 58 465 33 33 at any time.
Diplomatic missions between the United Kingdom and Switzerland
The United Kingdom in Switzerland
- Bern – Embassy of the United Kingdom (this page)
Switzerland in the United Kingdom
- London – Swiss Embassy
- Edinburgh – Swiss Honorary Consulate General
- Belfast – Swiss Honorary Consulate
- Cardiff – Swiss Honorary Consulate
- George Town - Cayman Islands – Swiss Honorary Consulate
- Gibraltar – Swiss Honorary Consulate
- Hamilton - Bermuda – Swiss Honorary Consulate
- Manchester – Swiss Honorary Consulate
Frequently asked questions about the Embassy of the United Kingdom in Bern
Does the FDFA warn against travel to the United Kingdom?
There is no general FDFA travel warning for the United Kingdom; 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 the United Kingdom, www.gov.uk/world/switzerland. Rules and opening hours can change. Confirm with the embassy before your visit.
Visitor experiences
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