Since 1 March 2010 Switzerland is only issuing biometric passports (Model 10) containing one picture of the face, two digital fingerprints and signature which are electronically registered on a chip embedded in the passport.

Applicants for a biometric passport or ID will have to come to the Regional consular center in Pretoria or to the Consulate General in Cape Town to have their picture, signatur and fingerprints taken. The data in the passport is based on the data recorded in the Swiss Civil registers. Before submitting an application for a biometric passport, it is of the utmost importance that the current civil status is registered and processed well in advance in order to avoid unpleasant delays in the issuing of a new passport. Updating personal data entries in Swiss civil registers can take several weeks.

Since 1 March 2010 it is mandatory for all Swiss nationals wishing to apply for the Swiss passport and/or an identity card to make an appointment prior to visiting the Regional Consular Centre. This can be done through the following website: 
 www.schweizerpass.ch (de/fr/it)
or, alternatively, by ringing the Regional consular center in Pretoria on +27 (0)12 452 06 61 or the Consulate General in Cape Town on +27 (0)21 400 75 00. All applicants must appear in person.

Please note that the passports 03 (machine readable) or 06 (biometric) remains valid until their expiry date.

Fees (as of 15.10.2012): 

Passport Adult valid for 10 years  Minors (0-18) valid until 5 years	CHF 140.00 CHF 60.00
Passport / ID combo  Adult valid for 10 years Minors (0-18) valid until 5 years	CHF 148.00 CHF 68.00
For a temporary passport	CHF 100.00

Temporary passports are only valid for 1 year and will only be issued in case of emergency. Late application for Swiss passport is not considered as an emergency.

Please add the following amount for postage fees:

• within South Africa ZAR 20.00 for registered mail 
• Postage fees for all other countries on request. You can also organise an individual courier service.

If you apply for the first time for a Swiss passport, your identity needs to be authenticated and therefore please bring your I.D.Book or foreign passport along.

 Online application biometric passport (de)

If a Swiss idently document is lost or stolen abroad, the nearest Swiss diplomatic or consular post should be informed as quickly as possible. A police report should be obtained and brought to the Regional Consular Centre or the consular post in order to obtain a new Swiss identity document.

By signing the relevant documentation the applicant acknowledges, among other matters, that Swiss nationals may possess only one valid Swiss passport and one valid ID card. If the lost identity document is recovered, it must be handed in immediately to the nearest Swiss authority entitled to issue passports.

Swiss identity documents which have been lost or stolen are entered in an official list of missing documents and should therefore not be used if they are recovered but returned to the Swiss authorities for cancellation.

Swiss citizen travelling with the new machine-readable Swiss passport (issued between 1 January 2003 and 26 October 2006) will be eligible to travel to the USA under the Visa Waiver Program (VWP). The arrival process remains largely unchanged and will already be familiar to international visitors. As part of the enhanced procedures, visitors have both index fingers scanned by an inkless device and a digital photograph is taken. Further information can be found under the following link:

 US Embassy in Bern

Swiss citizens travelling with a machine-readable passport issued after the 26 October 2006 will require a visa to travel to the USA.

Since September 2006 Swiss citizen have been able to apply for a biometric passport which will permit them to travel to the USA under the VWP. Further information on the biometric Swiss passport can be found under the following link and in the attached information sheets:

 Swiss Passport (de)

Changes in marital status, name changes, and the birth of children must be notified to the Swiss authorities. Failure to provide accurate documentation will cause delays in the issuing of new Swiss documents.