Health Alert – U.S. Embassy Bern, Switzerland and Liechtenstein (March 16, 2020)
Location: Switzerland and Lichtenstein
Event: Effective March 16, 2020, U.S. Embassy Bern has suspended routine consular services. The embassy will also be closed on March 17 and resume limited operations on March 18. Emergency American Citizens Services, including emergency passport issuance, continue to be available. Please visit our website for additional information or to schedule an appointment.
The U.S. Consular Agencies in Geneva and Zurich will remain closed effective immediately until further notice.
The CDC has issued a Travel Notice Warning – Level 3, Avoid Nonessential Travel to Switzerland and the State Department has issued a Global Level 3 Travel Advisory recommending that U.S. citizens reconsider international travel.
On March 16, 2020, the Swiss Federal Government declared the situation in Switzerland as “extraordinary” under the Epidemiology Act and announced new measures to limit the spread of COVID-19. A detailed list of measures is available on the Embassy’s COVID-19 webpage
For information on the March 11, 2020 Presidential Proclamation on travel from and transiting through Europe, see the Department of State’s Frequently Asked Questions page. For information related to arriving in the United States, refer to the Department of Homeland Security’s website for details.
On March 14, the Department of State authorized the departure from any diplomatic or consular post in the world of U.S. personnel and family members who have been medically determined to be at higher risk of a poor outcome if exposed to COVID-19.
Many travelers in Switzerland reported unexpected flight cancellations and limited flight availability. If your travel has been disrupted, please work with your airline to rebook your travel.
Actions to Take:
- Consult the CDC website for the most up-to-date information.
- For the most recent information on what you can do to reduce your risk of contracting COVID-19 please see the CDC’s latest recommendations.
- Visit the COVID-19 crisis page on travel.state.gov for the latest information.
- Check with your airlines or travel agency regarding any updated information about your travel plans and/or restrictions.
- Visit our Embassy webpage on COVID-19 Information on conditions in Switzerland and Liechtenstein.
- Visit the Department of Homeland Security’s website on the latest travel restrictions to the U.S.
- Review the information provided by the Swiss Federal Office of Public Health
Assistance:
- U.S. Embassy Bern
Sulgeneckstrasse 19
CH-3007 Bern, Switzerland
031 357 70 11 (dialing within Switzerland)
+41 31 357 70 11 (dialing from overseas)
BernACS@state.gov - State Department – Bureau of Consular Affairs
- +1-888-407-4747 (toll-free in the United States and Canada)
- +1-202-501-4444 (from other countries)
- Switzerland Country Specific Information
- Follow us on Twitter and Facebook
- Enroll in the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP) to receive security updates
- Get Alertswiss, a mobile app by the Federal Office for Civil Protection, to help you plan for and stay safe in an emergency while in Switzerland and Liechtenstein.
- To manage your subscription to these notifications please visit Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP).
