French Embassy in Bern

The French Embassy in Bern serves as France's principal diplomatic mission to Switzerland and Liechtenstein, representing one of France's most significant bilateral relationships in Europe. Located in the Swiss capital, the embassy manages diplomatic relations between two neighboring nations sharing over 570 kilometers of border, a common language in Romandie (French-speaking Switzerland), and deeply interconnected economies with bilateral trade exceeding CHF 18 billion annually. France maintains extensive consular infrastructure in Switzerland with Consulates General in Geneva and Zurich providing services to approximately 200,000 French nationals residing in Switzerland, the largest French community in Europe outside France. The embassy also provides consular coverage for French overseas territories including Martinique, Guadeloupe, French Guiana, Réunion, Mayotte, and other French collectivities, ensuring Swiss residents traveling to these destinations receive appropriate documentation guidance.

Consular services for French nationals in Switzerland are provided through the Consulates General in Geneva and Zurich rather than the Embassy in Bern. Services include passport applications and renewals, national identity cards (Carte Nationale d'Identité), emergency travel documents, civil status registration (births, marriages, deaths), French nationality matters, consular registration, electoral registration, document legalization, notarial services, and emergency assistance. The Service France consulaire operates Monday-Friday 9:00-17:00 via telephone (+41 22 567 95 59 Geneva, +41 43 547 80 41 Zurich). French nationals should register with consular services for emergency notifications and electoral participation.

France and Switzerland share profound cultural and linguistic ties, with French serving as one of Switzerland's four national languages spoken across Romandie (Geneva, Vaud, Neuchâtel, Jura, and parts of Bern, Fribourg, Valais). Institut français Suisse promotes French culture through programming in major Swiss cities. Educational cooperation operates through numerous French schools in Switzerland, exchange programs, and university partnerships. The Alliance française network provides French language instruction. Scientific collaboration spans CERN (European Organization for Nuclear Research) headquartered in Geneva, university research partnerships, and joint innovation programs.

Embassy general inquiries: +41 31 359 21 11. Email: chancellerie.berne-amba@diplomatie.gouv.fr. Consular services require contact with appropriate Consulate General: Geneva (+41 22 567 95 59, 2 cours des Bastions, 1205 Genève) or Zurich (+41 43 547 80 41). Service France consulaire telephone hours: Monday-Friday 9:00-17:00.