If you are looking for services such as passport application, visa application, passport renewal, visa renewal, marriage solemnization, birth certificate issuance, death certificate issuance, or dual citizenship certificate issuance, you can head to the Philippine Embassy in Switzerland to obtain the services you need.
It’s easier now to process all the documents you want to get because of the internet. You can easily access the information of the embassy through its official website, which you will know as you read until the end of this blog.
Also Read: 7 Life-Changing Tips to Inspire OFWs to Save While Working Abroad
The embassy works with other agencies such as POLO and OWWA. POLO stands for Philippine Overseas Labor Office. It assists OFWs who need legal help regarding their employment. If you need someone to resolve a dispute between you and your employer, you can request assistance from POLO.
With more than 30 branches all over the world, POLO can surely extend its hands to help you especially if your life and limbs are in danger. OWWA, on other hand, also seeks to protect the interest of the Philippines and promote their safety while working in other countries. Both POLO and OWWA can be relied on. So, don’t hesitate to reach out to them at any time.
If you are working in Switzerland, whether you have relatives there or none, you should take time gathering the information about the embassy and keeping it. This is so you can save time searching the internet or driving to the city to look for the embassy in case of emergency.
We want to help our fellow Filipinos as much as we can. In this blog, we collected everything you need about the Philippine Embassy in Switzerland, including the services it offers, frequently asked questions, tips when visiting the chancery, contact numbers, email, location, and a map guide. We hope this will serve as your guide.
History – Philippine Embassy in Switzerland
The diplomatic relationship between the Philippines and Switzerland started in August 1956. In 2006, the relationship between both countries reached a 50-year anniversary. But before 1956, both Switzerland and the Philippines have been connected since the early 1800s.
According to history, Switzerland decided to establish its formal diplomatic relations in the Philippines in 1851. Its consulate was then built in 1862 in Manila. The trade between the two countries has flourished in terms of many things such as economic, social, cultural, and political spheres. Both countries have signed agreements here and there to strengthen their diplomatic relations.
Services Offered
If you want to know the services offered by the Embassy of Switzerland, here’s the list:
- Consular Outreach Program
- Passport
- Adult New Applicant
- Adult Renewal Applicant
- Minor New/Renewal Applicant
- Travel Document
- Authenticating Documents Made Simpler by the Apostille
- Civil Registry
- Solemnization of Marriage
- Report of Marriage
- Report of Birth
- Report of Death and/or Consular Mortuary Certificate
- Dual Citizenship
- Visa
- Non-immigrant
- Immigrant
- Waiver of Exclusion Ground
- Certificate of Not the Same Person
- Balikbayan Program
- Schedule of Consular Services and Fees
- Consular Service Fees and Turnaround Time
- List of Other Services
- Transport of Pets
- NBI Clearance
- Renewal of Philippine Driver’s License
- Securing a J1-Waiver
- PH Requirements for Medical Missions
- Departure Formalities
- Philippine Overseas Labor Office
- Issuance of Overseas Employment Certificate
- OWWA Membership Program
- Employment Contract Verification and Authentication
- Implementation of POEA Rules on Direct Hiring
Frequently Asked Questions Regarding the Services
What are the documents needed when you apply for your passport renewal?
Passport renewal services are popular in embassies and consulates. If you need this particular service, you may submit the following documents to the embassy.
- Original old or expired passport.
- Complete passport application form.
- Photocopy of your passport’s data page
- Photocopy of your permanent resident card, a record of landing, and work permit.
- Passport processing fee
Can minors have their passports? What are the documents needed?
If you have a minor child and you want him to have his own passport, you should be able to schedule his appointment in the embassy and during the appointment, submit the following documents.
- Birth certificate
- Report of birth form
- Letter from the doctor who delivered the child attesting to the birth.
- Medical record of the child from the hospital where the child was delivered, in case the doctor can’t be located anymore.
- Original and photocopies of the passports of the parents.
- Letter of consent with the signature of both parents
Can I get a new passport if I lost the existing one?
The first right thing to do when you lost your passport is to report it to the police so you can get a case certificate. After that, you will have to apply for a new one to replace the old passport. The following should be submitted to the embassy.
- Police report or case certificate
- Affidavit of Loss of Passport (this can be completed in the Philippine embassy but with a separate processing fee).
- Birth Certificate
- Marriage Certificate if applicable
- A legal document showing your name, date of birth, and place of birth.
- Photocopy of your lost or destroyed passport, if applicable.
- Death certificate of spouse, if applicable.
- Annulment/divorce, if applicable.
Is dual citizenship allowed?
If you want to have dual citizenship, you need to apply for a certificate in the embassy allowing you to possess such privilege.
To dos when visiting the embassy
When visiting the embassy in Switzerland, here’s what you need to do:
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Go to the official website of the embassy in Switzerland.
Visiting the official website of the embassy in Switzerland is a big help if you are looking for a source of reliable news, updates, and announcements regarding the services and processes in the embassy.
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Complete the requirements before you leave and go to the embassy.
Completing your documents before you go to the embassy is a must. Don’t forget to bring them all when you go to the embassy.
Opening Hours
8:00 AM – 3:00 PM
Contact Information
Embassy of the Philippines in Berne, Switzerland
Contact Person: H.E. (Mr.) Denis Yap Lepatan- Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary
Address: Kirchenfeldstrasse 73-75, 3005 Berne, Switzerland
Tel. No.: (+41-31) 350-1717
Fax No.: (+41-31) 352-2602
Duty Officer No.: (+41-79) 542-1992
Email: berne.pe@dfa.gov.ph /info@philembassyberne.ch
Website: bernepe.dfa.gov.ph
Facebook account: https://www.facebook.com/PHinSwitzerland/
Google Map Location
In case you are wondering where the Philippine Embassy in Switzerland is located, below is a map guide for you: