Embassy of the United States of America
Bern, Switzerland
The U.S. Embassy in Bern is pleased to provide you with information related to U.S. Citizens living in Switzerland and Liechtenstein. An upcoming passport and notarial outreach in Basel, information on how to renew your passport at any time, and a reminder on how to vote as a U.S. citizen overseas are some of the topics covered below. For any questions or comments, please refer to our contact information at the bottom of this message.
U.S. Citizens Basel Outreach: Passport Acceptance and Notarial Services
Date:
Wednesday, September 28, 2022 | 2:00 pm to 5:00 pm (by registration only)
To register, please scan the QR code below
Location:
The International School Basel (Reinach Campus)
Fleischbachstrasse 2
4153 Reinach / Basel
Available services:
At this location, fees for consular services are payable in Swiss francs in cash only.
For additional information about documentary requirements and applicable fees visit our website through the above listed links.
Click here to register or scan QR code below
Is it Time to Renew Your Passport?
Be prepared for your next trip and check the validity of your current U.S. passport now. Don’t wait, apply early for your passport renewal.
Please follow the instructions on our website: https://ch.usembassy.gov/u-s-citizen-services/passports/
Keep in mind:
- All U.S. citizens, including dual nationals, are required to ENTER and EXIT the United States on a valid U.S. passport.
- Most countries require a minimum of six months of validity and at least one empty page for entry. Check country specific entry information at: https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/international-travel.html.
- Some countries do not accept a U.S. emergency passport as a valid travel document.
- Emergency passports are issued in life/death emergency situations.
- Everyone is responsible for ensuring they have appropriate and valid travel documents prior to scheduling a flight.
Voting Information
Registering to vote and submitting a ballot is free, fast, easy, and can be done from anywhere in the world!
Absentee Voting Week is October 1-8, 2022.
Be an Active Voter by taking the necessary steps to vote in the 2022 U.S. elections and participating in Absentee Voting Week!
In some states voter registration and ballot request deadlines for the November 2022 are as early as October 5th. Whether you are a first-time voter or have already received ballots and voted absentee in past elections, we recommend that you complete a Federal Post Card Application (FPCA) each year to ensure you are able to participate in elections as an overseas absentee voter.
If you have already completed a Federal Post Card Application (FPCA) in 2022 and requested electronic delivery of your ballot, you will be receiving your blank ballot or instructions for how to access your ballot soon if you have not already received it. If you are not sure about the status of your absentee ballot request you should contact your local election officials in the United States or check the status of your registration via your state’s voter registration verification website.
HELP SPREAD THE WORD ABOUT OVERSEAS VOTING
Please help spread the word to your friends, family, and colleagues that now is the time to start thinking about overseas voting. Consider posting to your Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, or other social media account that you are an active voter and will be dropping off or mailing your Federal Post Card Application or completed ballot. Use #ProudOverseasVoter to help get the word out about voting.
If you have never voted while overseas before, it is not too late. The process is easy – just follow these steps:
- Complete a Federal Post Card Application (FPCA)
Whether you are a first-time voter or have voted absentee in past elections, we recommend that you complete
an FPCA to receive your ballot this fall. It allows you to register to vote and request absentee ballots for all
elections for federal offices (presidential and state primaries, run-off, special, and the November general
elections) during the year in which you submit the FPCA. Local election officials in all U.S. states and territories
accept the FPCA.
The online voting assistant available at FVAP.gov is an easy way to complete the FPCA. It will ask you questions specific to your state and tell you if electronic ballot delivery is possible. No matter which state you vote in, we encourage you to ask your local election officials to deliver your blank ballots to you electronically (by email, internet download, or fax – methods vary according to your state). Be sure to include your email address to take advantage of electronic delivery. The online voting assistant will generate a printable FPCA, which you can then print and sign.
- Submit the Federal Post Card Application (FPCA)
Some states allow you to return your completed Federal Post Card Application (FPCA) electronically and others do not. If your state requires you to return your FPCA to local election officials by mail, there are two options, however, we strongly recommend mailing the FPCA directly to the U.S. via the Swiss Post to ensure a timely receipt.
- international mail, professional courier service, or
- through U.S. Embassy Bern’s diplomatic pouch. The diplomatic pouch provides free mail service from embassies and consulates for limited use such as voting materials from overseas to a U.S. postal sorting facility.
If you chose this option, you must:
- Place your FPCA in the postage paid FVAP envelope
- Place sealed postage paid FVAP envelope in a second envelope with the appropriate Swiss postage.
- Send the envelope by registered Swiss Post to:
U.S. Embassy
CONS/ACS/Voting
P.O. Box
3001 Bern
Please note that it can take up to four weeks for mail to reach its destination if sent by an embassy or consulate via diplomatic pouch.
- Receive Your Ballot
After submitting your FPCA, most states allow you to confirm online your registration and ballot delivery selection. States are now required to send out ballots 45 days before an election (September 24) for federal office(President, U.S. Senate, or U.S. House of Representatives) to any overseas U.S. citizen who has completed an FPCA.
- Return Your Ballot
Some states allow you to return your completed ballot electronically and others do not. If your state requires you to return your ballot to local election officials by mail, there are two options, however, we strongly recommend mailing the ballot directly to the U.S. via the Swiss Post to ensure a timely receipt.
- international mail, professional courier service, or
- through U.S. Embassy Bern’s diplomatic pouch. The diplomatic pouch provides free mail service from embassies and consulates for limited use such as voting materials from overseas to a U.S. postal sorting facility.
If you chose this option, you must:
- Place your ballot in the postage paid FVAP envelope
- Place sealed postage paid FVAP envelope in a second envelope with the appropriate Swiss postage.
- Send the envelope by registered Swiss Post to:
U.S. Embassy
CONS/ACS/Voting
P.O. Box
3001 Bern
Please note that it can take up to four weeks for mail to reach its destination if sent by an embassy or consulate via diplomatic pouch.
If there is not enough time to receive and send back your ballot before the election, use the Federal Write-In Absentee Ballot (FWAB). To mail your FWAB, follow the instructions as listed above. If your official absentee ballot arrives after sending in the FWAB, fill out and send in the official ballot too. Only one will be counted.
Your Vote Counts
Many U.S. elections within the past ten years have been decided by a margin of victory of less than 0.1%. All states are required to count every absentee ballot as long as it is valid and reaches local election officials by the absentee ballot receipt deadline (differs by state).
Be an educated voter. Check out the FVAP links page for helpful resources that will aid your research of candidates and issues. You can also read national and hometown newspapers online and search the Internet to locate articles and information.
To receive information by email about election dates and deadlines, subscribe to FVAP’s Voting Alerts (vote@fvap.gov). FVAP also shares Voting Alerts via Facebook and Twitter.
If you have any questions about registering to vote overseas, please contact Embassy Bern’s Voting Assistance Officer at the American Citizen Services Unit: VoteBern@state.gov.
Contact Information
U.S. Embassy 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
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