Passports

Renewal by Mail

As an American citizen resident in Switzerland you may apply for a new passport entirely by mail if you fulfill all of the following:

• You must have been the bearer of a passport issued within fifteen years prior to the date of your new application;
• You must submit your most recent U.S. passport with your new application;
• Your previous full-validity passport must have been issued subsequent to your 16th birthday;

If all conditions are met you can use DS-82 (disregard the instructions on the reverse side of the application!).

Persons who do not satisfy each of these requirements must apply for a passport in person and use form DS-11 (disregard the instructions on the reverse side of the application). This would include all first-time applicants and persons seeking to replace lost/stolen/damaged or mutilated passports.

What do I need?

• Completed and signed passport application form DS-82.
• Your most recent U.S. passport.
• 2 photographs. Passport photograph requirements are strictly enforced. 
• The fee for passport renewal by mail is $75.00 or CHF 82.50. The Swiss franc amount is calculated by the Embassy based on an average exchange rate, not the daily rate used by banks and post offices. If you have received this information sheet several months prior to payment, please check with the American Citizen Services (031/357-7234 or bernacs@state.gov) regarding the current exchange rate.
  
• A self-addressed envelope with CHF 5.-- postage for registered mail; CHF 1.00 postage for A-mail.
  
• A passport will be issued only in the name in which your previous passport was issued unless the application is accompanied by an original or certified copy of a court order, marriage certificate, or divorce decree reflecting the name change. The Swiss Family Book is not acceptable.

How can I pay?

The way to pay in Swiss Francs is with the white postal money order (Postanweisung für das Inland/Mandat de poste interne/Vaglia postale interno) addressed to the Embassy's street address:

American Embassy
ACS/Passport Section
Jubiläumsstrasse 93
3005 Bern

NOTE: When you pay at the post office, please be sure the passport fee is not paid into the Embassy's Machine Readable Visa (MRV) postal account! This account is reserved for non-immigrant visa applicants. Payments made to this account cannot be refunded. Your postal money order must NOT indicate an account number. Please indicate the passport applicant's name if this is different than that of the sender.

The fee may also be paid in U.S. dollar cashier's checks or certified checks drawn on U.S. banks in the United States. Credit cards, checks drawn on foreign banks or foreign branches of U.S. banks, third party or personal checks cannot be accepted.

The Embassy does not accept cash in any currency sent by mail and takes no responsibility for money sent in an envelope.  Any cash the Embassy receives by mail will be returned. Swiss francs will be returned with a postal money order, minus the post office fee.

Where Do I Mail my Application?

IMPORTANT NOTE: Applicants applying for passports by mail must be physically present in Switzerland.

Please mail your application to the following address:

American Embassy
ACS/Passport Section
P.O. Box
3001 Bern

Telephone 031-357-7234
Fax 031-357-7280
e-mail: bernacs@state.gov

How Long Does it Take?

Except in emergencies, U.S. passports are produced at facilities in the United States. Please take into consideration that this procedure increases processing time when applying for or renewing passports at an Embassy or Consulate, and plan your travel accordingly.

Please allow a minimum of 20 working days for the processing of fully documented applications, especially during peak travel periods. To ensure a quick turnaround, please do your best to submit a correctly completed application, usable photos, your previous passport, and the required fee. If there is a question or a problem, we will attempt to reach you immediately.

Mailing the New Passport to You

Unless we receive a pre-stamped envelope from you, the Embassy will send to you by B-mail both your new and your old, cancelled passport.

Emergency Passport

If you need to travel urgently (for medical reasons, death in the the family, replacement of a lost/stolen passport, victims of serious crime), you may apply for an emergency passport in person at the Embassy in Bern. This passport will be limited in validity and cannot be extended.

Privacy Act Statement

The information solicited on form DSP-82 is authorized by, but not limited to, those statutes codified in Titles 8, 18, and 22, United States Code, and all predecessor statutes whether or not codified, and all regulations issued pursuant to Executive Order 11295 of August 5, 1966. The primary purpose for soliciting the information is to establish citizenship, identity, and entitlement to issuance of a United States passport or related facility, and to properly administer and enforce the laws pertaining thereto.

The information is made available for routine use on a need-to- know basis to personnel of the Department of State and other government agencies having statutory or other lawful authority to maintain such information in the performance of their official duties; pursuant to a court order and as set forth in Part 171, Title 22, Code of Federal Regulations (See Federal Register, Volume 42, pages 49791 through 49795.

Failure to provide the information requested on this form may result in the denial of a United States passport, related document or service to the individual seeking such passport, document or service.

NOTE: The disclosure of the identity and location of a person to be notified in the event of death or accident is entirely voluntary. If you do not authorize us to inform anyone, we may be unable to provide you with timely assistance or protection in the event of a family emergency.